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He Could’ve Been a Ranger: The Premier League Hotshot Who Turned Down Ibrox in a Forgotten Twist of Fate
Ten years ago, Rangers were desperate for a manager to steer them back to the top of Scottish football — and they nearly landed one of today’s hottest Premier League bosses. Now thriving in England’s top flight, Vítor Pereira was once on the verge of taking over at Ibrox, but fate had other plans.
Back in 2014, Rangers were scrambling to recover from a disastrous run in the Championship. Club legend Ally McCoist had managed back-to-back promotions from League Two and League One, but stepped down during a difficult 2014/15 campaign as Hearts ran away with the title. With Stuart McCall stepping in as interim boss and the club ultimately falling short after a playoff thrashing by Motherwell, the hunt was on for a permanent solution.
Enter Vítor Pereira — then in charge of Greek giants Olympiakos and considered a strong candidate to rebuild Rangers. Talks were advanced, and he was even expected to bring future Gers manager Pedro Caixinha with him as his assistant. But the deal collapsed when Pereira pulled out, reportedly unconvinced by the club’s chaotic state and lack of a clear pathway forward. Rangers turned instead to Mark Warburton, who eventually delivered promotion with Davie Weir at his side.
Fast-forward a decade, and Pereira’s career has soared. After spells at Corinthians and Flamengo, followed by a brief stint in Saudi Arabia, the 56-year-old Portuguese coach is now making waves in the Premier League with Wolves. Since taking over from Gary O’Neil in December, he’s guided the club to safety with standout performances — including a notable 1-0 triumph over Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend.
Had he taken the Ibrox job, the trajectory of both Pereira and Rangers could have been drastically different. Interestingly, his link to Rangers didn’t end there. When Giovanni van Bronckhorst was on the brink of being sacked in 2022, Pereira was once again rumored as a possible replacement, but the club opted to rehire Michael Beale instead. Pereira remained abroad before finally landing the Wolves job.
Pereira was always a vocal supporter of Caixinha’s approach during his time at Rangers, especially as the Portuguese manager brought in a wave of compatriot signings. “Portuguese players have quality,” Pereira said back then. “They’re all over the world getting results, and I think they can adapt to Scottish football — it’s a passionate place, like Portugal.”
Now, with Barry Ferguson’s interim spell at Ibrox winding down and a new ownership era looming under 49ers Enterprises, Rangers are once again on the lookout for a long-term manager. And while Pereira’s chapter with the club never officially began, his name remains a fascinating ‘what if’ in the club’s modern history.
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