AliousWolves struck a goldmine by appointing Vitor Pereira midway through the 2024/25 season, with the Portuguese manager quickly proving to be a transformative presence at Molineux.
However, he wasn’t the only candidate under consideration, as the club had assessed five other potential hires before ultimately selecting him as Gary O’Neil’s successor.
Since arriving, Pereira has wasted no time making an impact, making history with an unbeaten start in his first three Premier League matches, which included victories over Leicester City and Manchester United, along with a hard-fought draw against Tottenham.
His main task has been to instill a new sense of confidence and belief within the squad, and so far, he is delivering.
As Wolves continue their battle to avoid relegation, signs of improvement are clear, with the team beginning to show higher levels of quality than some of their relegation-threatened rivals like Leicester, Ipswich, and Southampton.
Consistency remains key, and staying in the Premier League is of utmost importance for both Wolves and Pereira.
Speaking to the media ahead of their clash with Bournemouth, Pereira revealed the primary motivation behind his decision to leave Al-Shabab and take on the Wolves challenge.
“I left Saudi Arabia for the Premier League. Do you know why? Because here, I feel pressure every single day.
I need that pressure to push myself to my highest level, to strategize against top teams and top players,” Pereira explained, as quoted by Express and Star.
He emphasized that competing in the English top flight was crucial for his own growth, stating, “To improve, I need to be in this league. Facing elite teams and world-class players forces me to adapt and evolve.
If I don’t have that challenge, I don’t need to fight, I don’t need to compete.”
Pereira’s influence is already evident, particularly in Wolves’ defensive organization, an area that had been a significant weakness during O’Neil’s tenure.
His tactical adjustments have brought a newfound resilience to the team, improving their structure and discipline on the pitch.
Despite being a relative unknown in English football, Pereira boasts an impressive managerial resume, having led clubs in Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Brazil, China, and Saudi Arabia.
His most notable achievement came at Porto, where he secured back-to-back league titles.
Now, with the Premier League added to his coaching portfolio, he sees the challenge as an opportunity to elevate his abilities even further in what is widely regarded as the most competitive league in world football.
Alious
