Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira has been confirmed as the successor to Gary O’Neil who was sacked following Wolves’ defeat to Ipswich Town.
The club are yet to officially announce the 56-year-old’s appointment but Pereira has already sent a message to Wolves fans after revealing his exit from Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab.
Pereira spent 10 months there from February 2024 to December, amassing 16 wins in 30 matches and an impressive 53% win percentage.
Pereira, who has come up against multiple Premier League managers in the past, arrives in Wolverhampton with no experience of managing in England’s top four divisions.
However, in Wolves’ desperate position at the bottom of the table, he will bring a trait to Molineux that could transform the future of the football club.
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 ‘loves’ working with young players
The staple of many English sides is giving a chance to youngsters coming through the academy.
Gary O’Neil showed his willingness to offer youngsters first-team minutes last term, although it was during a backdrop of injuries, with Tawanda Chirewa, Leon Chiwome and Nathan Fraser all making appearances in the top flight.
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This season however, Wolves have given zero minutes to academy players, joining the likes of Brentford, West Ham and Fulham on that list.
It highlights a huge problem that Pereira must resolve and luckily, the Portuguese tactician joins Wolves with the reputation of working with young talent.
In an interview with TransferRoom in July, the new Wanderers boss spoke about how he wants to ‘increase the level’ of the club’s youngsters.
“I don’t think about the time, this is not the pressure for me,” Pereira said. “This is not extra pressure because I believe, if I go to a club, for sure I will try to increase the level of the young players because this is something that I love to do.
“And I was grateful to see this on the board because this is one of the reasons that I’m in football. Maybe because I spent five years in the youth teams, I love to work with young players.”
For a club who have neglected its youth system in recent years, perhaps the appointment of Pereira can help inspire a new generation of footballers coming through Compton.
Brazilian expert shares insight into Vitor Pereira
Pereira is a manager who can operate well with limited resources, which is perhaps a huge reason why he was appealing to Wolves, who are notorious for handing their managers small budgets.
This trait was evident during his time managing in Brazil. Spending 10 months in South America from February to December 2022, Pereira adapted well at Corinthians and overachieved with limited resources.
The Portuguese boss was able to finish fourth in the league and reach the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores while advancing to the final of the Brazilian Cup.
During a relatively successful period, Pereira was known for using younger players, with Brazilian expert and Vamo Futebol writer Rogerio Junior now offering insight into how he handled the youth.
“He is a coach who gives chances to everyone, whether they are young or not,” Rogerio said. “Maybe because in the Brazilian calendar, we have many games in a row. But he did an interesting job with Corinthians’ young players, giving most of them opportunities to play.”
The above verdict bodes well for Wolves, who will hope to see their youngsters develop under the guidance of Pereira.
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