As a person who fell in love with England’s pub tradition when he labored at Wolves, Vitor Pereira ought to really feel proper at residence in his new job.
‘First the factors, then the pints’ turned Wolves’ followers slogan final season, as they might usually see Pereira out and about in Wolverhampton locals after victories.
From the Ye Outdated Journey to Jerusalem to the Canalhouse or the King Billy, Nottingham has among the finest pubs within the nation and if Pereira retains Forest up, the crimson half of the town will likely be blissful for him to drink them dry.
However which Pereira will flip up on the Metropolis Floor? The 2024-25 model toasted by supporters for main Wolves to snug survival? Or the 2025-26 mannequin, who rapidly reached the underside of the barrel and was sacked final November?
Not less than the 57-year-old is aware of what it’s prefer to work for Evangelos Marinakis. Taking up at Olympiacos in the course of the 2014-15 season, Pereira led the Greek giants to the League and Cup double earlier than heading off to Fenerbahce that summer time.
He hardly ever spends very lengthy in a selected place: in a 24-year teaching profession, he has labored in eight totally different international locations and Forest will likely be his fifteenth membership.
Former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira will likely be Nottingham Forest’s fourth everlasting supervisor of the season – a Premier League report
As a person who fell in love with England’s pub tradition when he labored at Wolves, Pereira ought to really feel proper at residence in his new job
Forest are ready to miss Pereira’s dire ultimate three months at Molineux and concentrate on what he has achieved up to now.
As a Portuguese, he’ll be capable to talk simply with Forest’s 5 Brazilians and put a smile again on the face of star centre again Murillo, who will not be thought to have loved life below Postecoglou or Dyche. Pereira’s English is stable and he has taken cost of 42 European membership video games.
This will likely be one among his trickiest challenges. Every day Mail Sport examines his 38 video games thus far in English soccer and what he can convey to the Metropolis Floor.
How we bought right here
Within the hours after Forest’s 0-0 draw with Wolves, a delegation of senior gamers held very constructive discussions with Marinakis.
Every day Mail Sport understands there was no rubbishing of Dyche in these talks, and nor did the gamers affect Marinakis’ resolution to alter coach for the third time this season. It was a peaceful, rational trade between the events.
No matter what the gamers advised him, Marinakis had probably identified for some days what he would do, if Forest didn’t beat Wolves. This assembly allowed him to take the temperature throughout the squad forward of the 12 league video games that may decide their destiny.
It’s thought the gamers emphasised the significance of rebuilding the unity that just about carried Forest into the Champions League final season. Nuno Espirito Santo proved a grasp at forging that spirit and within the brief time remaining this time period, everybody hopes his successor will do the identical.
The gamers additionally know this can be a proficient squad. Elliot Anderson might transfer for near £100million this summer time, whereas Gibbs-White was valued at £70m final yr.
Although hardly ever a starter this season, membership captain Ryan Yates stays an influential determine within the dressing room and Pereira is prone to lean on him closely
Nikola Milenkovic (left) and Morgan Gibbs-White (proper) will likely be anticipated to play key roles below Pereira together with Elliot Anderson (centre)
No gamers had been rubbishing Sean Dyche, however they emphasised the significance of rebuilding the unity that just about carried Forest into the Champions League final season
Final summer time, Forest spent greater than £200m to boost the group who completed seventh within the Premier League final time period. The one important departure was Anthony Elanga, who joined Newcastle for £55m.
Once more, the senior gamers didn’t deride Dyche within the assembly. They do really feel, although, that there’s extra skill within the squad than is at present being proven. It now falls to Pereira to unlock it.
Strengths
Pereira is a heat character and a powerful communicator – precisely what Wolves wanted when Gary O’Neil left in December 2024, and exactly what Forest require now. Much less dogmatic than Ange Postecoglou and maybe extra snug in his personal pores and skin than Sean Dyche ever appeared, Pereira has a knack of perceive what makes gamers tick.
He has labored with some notable stars like James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Hulk, in addition to World Cup winner Nicolas Otamendi, so establishing a rapport with Forest’s higher-maintenance characters shouldn’t be past him.
When he arrived at Wolves, the temper was lifted however it was not all about good vibes. The place O’Neil had demanded his crew play from the again always, Pereira requested them to take action solely once they might do safely.
His most well-liked system was 3-4-2-1 and it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if he deploys it at Forest, who’ve spent a lot of the final two years with a again 4.
Pereira drilled the squad on attacking and defensive set-pieces and made them a lot more durable to interrupt down. In 16 video games below O’Neil that season, Wolves conceded 16 instances from set items, scoring simply twice. With Pereira on the helm for the remaining 22, they let in solely six targets from dead-ball conditions and scored seven.
There was a second early in Forest’s 0-0 draw with Wolves that you just sensed Dyche’s message was not being heeded. Demanding the ball be performed lengthy, Dyche watched helplessly as Ola Aina – standing just a few yards from him close to the touchline – selected a brief go into midfield as a substitute. Moments later, Omari Hutchinson did the identical. Pereira will want their buy-in instantly.
He has labored with some notable stars like James Rodriguez, Joao Moutinho and Hulk, successful the Portuguese league along with his Porto facet in 2012 and 2013
He has loved success internationally, successful trophies in Portugal, Greece and China, in addition to managing in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Germany and Brazil
When he arrived at Wolves, the temper was lifted however it was not all about good vibes
Forest don’t have a participant as gifted as Matheus Cunha, who was given a free position by Pereira at Wolves. He is not going to ask his most artistic gamers to show into Vinnie Jones, although, as Anderson and Gibbs-White had been requested to do in Forest’s 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa final month.
After Postecoglou and Dyche, Forest supporters want a supervisor to like once more. Pereira has the persona to encourage that – if he can get the crew transferring up the desk as soon as extra.
Weaknesses
Lots of Pereira’s flaws emerged solely when he was requested to take management for a full season. He made a large number of a number of elements, but it have to be remembered that Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo had left, whereas Jorgen Strand Larsen struggled with damage.
There may be, nonetheless, an excellent deal Pereira would do in a different way had been he to have his time at Molineux once more. Every day Mail Sport understands that coaching periods had been thought-about very primary (no change from Dyche there, then) and that this season, requirements slipped.
‘Requirements’ is a phrase used usually in soccer however hardly ever outlined clearly. Often, it’s going to embody particulars like punctuality, fitness center work, perspective, care taken with gear, and sharpness of periods.
It components in gamers who keep late to do additional coaching, versus those that soar straight into the top-of-the-range 4×4 the second they end lunch. All of those markers had been going south at Wolves throughout the early a part of the season.
Looking for a system to appropriate his crew’s type, Pereira modified his captain 4 instances and gamers had been swapped out and in at alarming pace. These on the sidelines generally felt that they had been discarded with out rationalization and by the tip, his relations with a major variety of them, together with key midfielders Andre and Joao Gomes, had soured to the purpose of decay.
Recruitment? Effectively, that was hopeless. Chaotic and largely agent-led, with scant reliance on information or scouting, Pereira confirmed he had little talent in that division. That doesn’t matter at Forest proper now, although. All Pereira has to consider is 12 league video games and a minimal of two European fixtures, utilizing the gamers already within the constructing.
By the tip, Pereira’s relations with a major variety of gamers, together with key midfielders Andre (left) and Joao Gomes (proper), had soured to the purpose of decay
A house defeat by Burnley was one of many ultimate straws for Pereira, who left Molineux with simply two factors on the board and the membership backside of the Premier League
Pereira introduced a exceptional eight members of employees with him to Molineux and by the tip, it was felt that the message had grow to be confused by the sheer variety of folks delivering it. Every day Mail Sport understands Pereira accepted this, too, and plans to convey a slimmer crew to his subsequent position.
Verdict
Forest can in all probability write off Pereira’s 2025-26 horror present at Wolves. When offered with a easy problem – preserve Wolves up – he thrived. This Forest squad is a minimum of good as Wolves’ final season.
The issues Pereira encountered appeared when he was given a wider transient throughout the membership. His profession suggests he’s a coach, pure and easy. Good with gamers, a pure communicator and a transparent thinker.
So long as his thoughts will not be cluttered with issues exterior the day job, Pereira can preserve this ship afloat. If he achieves it, he won’t ever have to purchase a pint in Nottingham once more.
