Wolves have been here before. A new manager arrives with big ambitions, talks of building a long-term project, and quickly finds himself warning the board about the need for proper backing. This summer, it’s Vítor Pereira sounding the alarm, urging the club to avoid repeating the same mistakes that cost his predecessors dearly.
Vítor Pereira Has No Interest In Another RelegationFight, But Must Avoid History Repeating Itself
Vítor Pereira Sets Out His Stall
Wolves boss Pereira has made it clear that his ambitions stretch far beyond Premier League survival.Sports Witnessreportedon his interview with the Spanish newspaperMARCA that Pereira laid out his vision for a competitive, long-term project at Molineux
“My expectation is to fight for a mid-table finish. I didn’t come to the Premier League to fight to avoid relegation. I came here with the idea of building a strong, consistent project. My goal is to create a competitive team that can compete against anyone, and both the club and I are looking for solutions. My ambition, and that of the fans, will be even higher next season.”
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However, the tone was not entirely optimistic. Pereira also voiced concerns that will sound alarmingly familiar to long-time Wolves supporters.“We have a good, strong team, but I’m a little worried about the situation. We must bring in quality players because expectations are growing.” It’s a subtle, but unmistakable warning shot. Pereira’s comments echo those of several Wolves managers before him, managers who once spoke of growth and potential, only to watch key players leave and replacements arrive too late or not at all.
History Repeats Itself At Molineux
If there’s one thing Wolves fans have learned over the past few years, it’s that summer optimism can quickly turn sour. There’s a pattern that’s become all too familiar: a manager pleads for signings, the club sells its best players, the season starts poorly, the manager gets sacked and then comes the inevitable January scramble for reinforcements. Bruno Lage found himself at the centre of this vicious cycle in the summer of 2022. After Wolves failed to replace key departures, Lage publicly admitted that the lack of summer signings was a“big mistake.” In the end, the club waited until January to act, which was too late to save his job, as he was gone by October.
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Julen Lopetegui came next, a high-profile appointment with a proven pedigree. But even he couldn’t escape the trap. Despite steering Wolves to safety after they found themselves rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, he became increasingly frustrated behind the scenes. The Spaniard made it clear he expected support and reinforcements. Instead, he was left with financial restrictions and uncertainty over the future of key players. He eventually walked days before the start of the 2023/24 season, citing broken promises and a lack of backing. Lopetegui said this was his reason for leaving the club: “When we started pre-season, they told me that it’s impossible to develop this project. And we decided to part ways.” Then came Gary O’Neil, brought in under challenging circumstances after Lopetegui’s exit. O’Neil was praised for steadying the ship, but by January, it was evident that Wolves needed more. Club legendSteve Bull called on the board to back O’Neil, saying, “he needs money to spend in January,” but once again, reinforcements came too late, and the team went on a dreadful run of form.
The Pereira Test: Will Wolves Finally Listen?
Now it’s Pereira’s turn to break the cycle or be broken by it. His statements are a message to the board: if you want to build something real, then act like it. This means resisting the temptation to cash in on key assets. It means avoiding yet another reactive January transfer window and instead taking control of the summer transfer window. The Wolves hierarchy has often discussed sustainability and a long-term vision. Pereira, for all his calm delivery, is essentially saying: Prove it. If the club once again allows its best talents to depart, such as Matheus Cunha and Rayan Aït-Nouri, and not recruit proper replacements, Wolves could find themselves right back where they started, changing managers mid-season, spending out of desperation, and surviving by the skin of their teeth.
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There’s a fine line between ambition and repetition, and Pereira seems fully aware of where Wolves currently stand. His message isn’t one of fear, but of hope, hope that this time, with the proper backing, things might finally be different. Whether the board shares that hope or history repeats itself remains to be seen.