TANGER MED, MOROCCO - FEBRUARY 07: Vitor Pereira, Head Coach of Flamengo, reacts during the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022 Semi Final match between Flamengo v Al Hilal SFC at Stade Ibn-Batouta on February 07, 2023 in Tanger Med, Morocco. (Photo by Tullio Puglia - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Vitor Pereira is set to succeed Gary O'Neil at Wolves
Incoming Wolves manager Vitor Pereira is an interesting character.
From being publicly scolded by a press officer after ranting and threatening to walk out of a post-match media conference during his first spell in Saudi Arabia, to telling a fan to 'shut up' after they demanded a formation change, he's not afraid to go against the status quo. Pereira, 56, averages a new job every two years since starting his coaching career, with Wolves set to become club No.13.
The Portuguese almost became Everton boss in 2022, even making a plea to supporters who were protesting against his prospective appointment live on Sky Sports News - three years after rejecting the Toffees. Now he's set to finally manage in the Premier League and stories of his past have resurfaced, including one particularly bizarre one involving his mother-in-law.
South American football expert Tim Vickery has recalled Pereira's time working in Brazil, where he took charge of two of their biggest clubs, firstly Corinthians and then Flamengo. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Vickery explained: "He did pretty well with Corinthians and they didn't want to lose him at the end of the year but lose him they did.
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"Because - and here it becomes a little bit sneaky and a little bit controversial - Vitor Pereira was saying, 'I've got to go back to Portugal. Sorry I've love to stay, love to stay, but I've got to go back to Portugal. It's my mother-in-law, she's not well'.
"And then the week after he left Corinthians, he signed for Flamengo in Rio, which is the biggest of big jobs. The one that everyone wants. He darkened his door a little bit there at Corinthians. I'm not sure that they'd welcome him back in a hurry and Flamengo certainly wouldn't want him back.
"It was a strange decision by Flamengo to appoint him. As a result of winning the Libertadores, they were through to the Club World Cup. It plays massively over here and Flamengo are thinking 'Intercontinental. Real Madrid. Bring it on!' We need a European coach to take on Real Madrid.
"So, Flamengo sacked their coach, brought in Vitor Pereira, who suddently forgot the health of his mother-in-law, for the game against Real Madrid, but they lost to Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the semi-final so didn't even get that far. And from that moment, he was a dead man walking."
Will Vitor Pereira be successful at Wolves? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
Vitor Pereira left Corinthians to go back to Portugal - only to U-turn and join Flamengo
Indeed Flamengo did sack Pereira after just four months in April 2023. The 56-year-old later returned to Saudi, where he'd managed Al-Ahli a decade prior, to coach Al-Shabab.
Wolves have evidently been impressed with his recent work, although his career highlight remains back-to-back Primeira Liga titles with Porto back in 2012 and 2013 - before he jumped ship to Saudi. It wouldn't be a surprise if his stay at Molineux turns out to be a short one.
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