Wolves are working hard to appoint Gary O’Neil’s successor, with Vitor Pereira a strong candidate.
After 16 months at the helm, Wolves sacked Gary O’Neil following the Old Gold’s late defeat to Ipswich Town.
O’Neil felt betrayed by owners Fosun to some extent, as the club failed to back the coach sufficiently in the summer transfer window.
While a thought for O’Neil will be spared, work is already well underway to identify his successor, and Vitor Pereira is Wolves’ prime candidate at present.
Vitor Pereira coach of Corinthians looks on during the match between Fluminense and Corinthians as part of Brasileirao 2022 at Maracana Stadium on ...
Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images
Vitor Pereira makes Premier League claim
Wolves are in talks to hire Pereira, who currently manages Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia, overseeing Daniel Podence.
While Pereira has faced several Premier League managers during his career, the 56-year-old has yet to manage in England however, he has confidence that he would fare well.
That’s according to the man himself, who spoke to the Premier League’s John Duerden in an interview in November.
“Portugal has many coaches spread across the different continents, with different experiences and personalities. But above all, they stand out for their competence and their ability to adapt to the environment, the culture of the countries and the clubs.
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“There are many clubs that like the characteristics of the Portuguese coach, who is a strategist and develops teams that are difficult to play against.”
At the time, Pereira was commenting on Ruben Amorim’s suitability for Manchester United, celebrating the adaptability of Portuguese coaches.
Being a manager of such profile himself, the Al-Shabab boss could be a sturdy replacement for O’Neil, if he can mirror the successes of his countrymen.
Pereira hints at the requirement for success with Ruben Amorim backing
As mentioned, Pereira was giving Man United an insight into what Amorim could offer, having seen the manager’s success at Sporting CP.
The possible next Wolves manager laid out what’s needed at Old Trafford for Amorim to succeed, something that must alert those at Molineux.
“At Sporting, he [Amorim] had all the conditions that allowed him to do his job,” Pereira said, adding the need for a ‘solid structure’, something Wolves don’t have.
“I believe that in a more evolved, higher quality environment, such as the Premier League, he [Amorim] will continue his development and, with the necessary conditions, he can once again produce a masterpiece, this time in Manchester.”
Pereira is a believer in Portuguese coaches producing masterpieces in England, something he can do if he gets the right backing from those at Wolves, which as O’Neil knows, is a big ask.