Wolves have appointed Vitor Pereira as their new head coach following the sacking of Gary O’Neill.
Pereira has signed a one-and-a-half-year deal after a fee of just over £800,000 was negotiated with Saudi Professional League side Al Shabaab for his departure.
The 56-year-old trained on Thursday and will take charge of the trip to Leicester on Sunday.
“Wolves” president Jeff Shea said. “We are delighted to welcome Vitor Pereira to Wolves as our new Men’s First Team Head Coach.
“Vitor is a highly respected and experienced coach who has achieved success in various championships and will bring a fresh approach to the upcoming tests.
Vitor Pereira has signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Molineux
“This is a difficult time for the club and we would like to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility.
“We have every confidence in his ability to guide us on the right path alongside the players and staff and the whole club will be united in supporting him to succeed.”
O’Neill was axed on Sunday following Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 defeat by Ipswich at Molineux, followed by defeat. a brawl that sent Ryan Ait-Nouri off the field and: Matheus Cunha has been charged with misconduct by the FA.
The result left Wolves 19th in the Premier League table, five points behind 17th-placed Leicester, who they play away on Sunday.
Sky Sports News Wolves are happy to pay Pereira’s release clause and the 56-year-old, who has played for Porto, Olympiakos and Shanghai in three different countries, is keen on a move to Molineux.
Pereira, who has been in charge of Al Shabaab since February, had been linked with the Everton job at the start of 2022, but Toffee fans made their opposition clear with protests and Frank Lampard was appointed instead.
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Sky Sports’ Peter Smith looks at the stats of Wolves’ defensive performances and highlights the need for them to improve quickly to avoid the drop.
Analysis: Who is Vitor Pereira?
Sky Sports is presented by writer Adam Bate.
Wolves’ appointment of Pereira comes in double figures since the Portuguese coach left Porto in 2013. Pereira was briefly regarded as one of Europe’s brightest coaching prospects a decade ago.
His achievements in “Porto” are repeated. He won the title in each of his two seasons, inheriting a team that went unbeaten under Andre Villas-Boas.Pereira’s final season was particularly impressive as Porto went unbeaten again.
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FREE TO WATCH. Highlights from Ipswich’s Premier League win against Wolves
He was a title winner with Greece’s Olympiakos and won the Chinese Super League during his time in Shanghai, but there was also a chaotic period at Fenerbahce and a doomed attempt to retain 1860 Munich’s status in Germany’s second division.
Having also spent more than a year in Brazil with two big clubs, Corinthians and Flamengo, Pereira has pedigree, but there is also an element of risk attached to his credentials given this is his first job in one of Europe’s big five leagues.
There are elements working in his favour, with Wolves having a history of Portuguese managers winning promotion to the Premier League under Nuno Espirito Santo and winning the first half of the competition under both Nuno and his successor Bruno Lage.
The Wolves squad still reflects that influence, with eight of the squad for O’Neill’s last match against Ipswich speaking Portuguese as a first language, and that doesn’t include Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes.
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Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz details what Pereira can bring to Molineux
Some of these are key figures in the squad that Pereira will need if he is to turn around Wolves’ fortunes, now captained by Nelson Semedo. Cunha is undoubtedly the star player.Andre’s improvement in form could be important.
Pereira’s problem is that he has to act quickly. Defeat at Leicester next game would leave Wolves seven points adrift of a team they must catch if they are to stay up.
Wolves’ next six Premier League matches
Leicester (a) – December 22, at 14:00
Manchester United (h) – December 26, at 17.30
Tottenham (a) – December 29 at 3:00 p.m
Nottingham Forest (h) – January 6, 20:00 – Live Sky Sports
Newcastle (a) – January 15, 19.30
Chelsea (a) – January 20, 20:00 – Live Sky Sports
What happened in “Everton”?
Pereira was close to becoming Everton’s manager in January 2022, even going so far as to speak to him. Sky Sports News In an effort to stave off fan protests over his expected appointment, the Toffees ultimately decided to go for Lampard.
“It was either him or Lampard.” Sky Sports News journalist Alan Myers explains. “I think the fans loved Lampard more than him. They wanted Pereira out and he wasn’t even there.”
“He had an interview with Bill Kenwright and Bill raved about it. He didn’t think it was right at first and ended up voting for Frank Lampard anyway, but I remember him calling me and saying this was the most energetic, inspiring person you could ever meet.
“Bill said he was flawless. He was totally confused. The board voted in favor of Lampard. He was close to it become
He had success at Porto and built his career on it, but since then he has had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus. He is certainly a figure who will light up the Premier League in many ways. what does he say?”
