Wolverhampton Wanderers are edging ever closer to a brand new era in the Molineux dug-out with Vitor Pereira now nailed on to be Gary O'Neil's successor.
Indeed, the well-travelled Portuguese manager has reportedly penned an 18-month contract to take on the reins, leaving Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab behind for a tough new challenge in England.
Vitor-Pereira
He will want to instantly stamp his authority onto proceedings, which could see him shake things up with the captain's armband, after Nelson Semedo was recently gifted the honour by the now sacked O'Neil.
Semedo's appointment as Wolves captain
After unsavoury scenes at the full-time whistle of Wolves' 2-1 defeat to West Ham United saw Mario Lemina clash with Jarrod Bowen, the Gabonese midfielder was stripped of the captaincy.
O'Neil would then give that privilege to the 31-year-old full-back, who is a long-standing servant of the West Midlands side after all, by notching up 159 Old Gold appearances and counting.
Lemina-Semedo-Andre-Wolves
But, his performances this season to date haven't exactly been without fault, with possession lost 15 times by the experienced defender when Wolves lost to AFC Bournemouth in late November.
Moreover, his future at the club isn't exactly set in stone when you consider his current contract at Molineux expires next summer, with no confirmation whether this deal will be extended.
Therefore, the decision to gift him the captain's role feels like a strange one, with Pereira perhaps overruling this choice when he officially gets settled in to the job post.
He could instead be prepared to give another defender a redemptive arc by making him his first-ever Wolves captain, knowing the experience he has in his locker could be big for his side's chances of survival.
Pedro-Neto-Craig-Dawson-Wolves
Pereira's first Wolves captain
That player is Craig Dawson, who is in desperate need of a boost in confidence after his last outing for Wolves saw him score two own goals during a nightmarish away day at Everton.
That one horrific day at the office doesn't mean the seasoned 34-year-old has suddenly become an incapable option at the back, however, with the Wolves number 15 a reliable defender in the past at Molineux and for his various other clubs in the Premier League.
Dawson's PL numbers for Wolves - 23/24
Stat - per 90 mins*
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Ball recoveries*
Clearances*
Total duels won*
Stats by Sofascore
The top-flight veteran more than did his job last season when O'Neil needed him to, with 4.4 total duels won on average per league game helping the Old Gold survive comfortably, alongside also chipping in with two goal contributions.
Even this campaign to date, Dawson has shown there's no rust visible in his game when coming up against some of the very best in the league, having reduced Erling Haaland to just 13 touches when Manchester City came to town in October.
Moreover, the one-time Watford and West Brom man is a beloved figure at West Ham for scoring crucial goals like these in tense contests, with 22 career goals coming his way from the centre-back position across a hefty 300 clashes.
Dawson would even be labelled as "outstanding" by football journalist Matt Law when at the peak of his game donning a Hammers strip, with Pereira now tasked with getting this similarly imposing defender back when he slots into his new dug-out.
Craig-Dawson-Wolves
Whilst Dawson's contract also expires next summer, former boss O'Neil even quipped last year that the ageing star could still be a mainstay in the Midlands for years to come:
“I’m delighted with how well he’s done and hopefully we can keep him going for some time to come. And he’s giving himself the best chance of doing that. Maybe he’ll sign a seven-year deal and we’ll be rocking him out at Molineux into his 40s.”
Equally, his career to date in the top flight shows off a defender who is willing to put his body on the line for the cause, which is what Pereira will want from his troops as they aim to push up the league rankings under his fresh managerial methods.
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