Wolverhampton, a struggling Premier League team, announced the appointment of experienced coach Vitor Pereira on Thursday. Pereira, a 56-year-old Portuguese coach, made the decision to depart from his position at Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia to take on the challenge at Wolverhampton.
The team, currently sitting in second-to-last place in the Premier League, has only managed to secure two wins out of 16 games so far this season. With the league approaching its halfway mark, Wolverhampton finds themselves five points away from safety. This difficult situation led to the recent dismissal of Gary O’Neil, who was relieved of his duties as head coach just one day after Wolverhampton suffered a 2-1 defeat against relegation-threatened Ipswich. O’Neil had been at the helm for 16 months before his departure.
Wolverhampton acted swiftly to secure Pereira’s services by paying the release clause in his contract with Al Shabab. With an extensive coaching background spanning over 15 years, Pereira has worked in various countries, including his home country of Portugal, as well as Greece, Turkey, Germany, China, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. Notably, his most successful tenure was at Porto, where he guided the team to league titles in 2012 and 2013, with an impressive record of just one defeat over the course of two seasons.
Speaking on the appointment, Wolverhampton chairman Jeff Shi expressed confidence in Pereira’s ability to lead the team through this challenging period. Shi stated, “Vitor will bring a fresh perspective and innovative approach to the challenges that lie ahead for our club. We are grateful to Vitor for taking on this responsibility and believe in his capacity to steer us in the right direction.” Pereira has signed an 18-month contract with Wolverhampton, indicating a commitment to the club’s long-term vision.
Pereira’s first test as Wolverhampton’s new head coach will be an away fixture against Leicester, scheduled for Saturday. The team and its supporters will be eagerly anticipating the impact Pereira can make as he takes charge of the squad and looks to instill his tactical philosophy and leadership style. This appointment marks a new chapter for Wolverhampton as they strive to turn their season around and climb up the Premier League standings under Pereira’s guidance.