Wolves appoint Vitor Pereira as new head coach after Gary O'Neil sacking - what they said about their choice
Wolves have appointed Vitor Pereira as their new head coach following the sacking of Gary O'Neil last week, with the Portuguese boss signing an 18-month deal
Wolves have confirmed the appointment of Vitor Pereira as their new head coach, replacing Gary O'Neil who was let go last week. Pereira has committed to an 18-month stint with the club, finalising terms following negotiations with his former team Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.
The seasoned coach, with stints at Porto and Olympiacos under his belt, took charge of training on Thursday and will helm his first match in Sunday's pivotal clash at Leicester.
Club chairman Jeff Shi, facing flak from Wolves supporters, shared: "We are delighted to welcome Vitor Pereira to Wolves as the new head coach of our men’s first team. " He continued to praise the new coach saying, "Vitor is a highly respected and experienced coach who has achieved success across different leagues and will bring a new approach for the test ahead."
Shi acknowledged the tough position the club finds itself in and expressed gratitude to Pereira: "This is a challenging moment for the club, and we want to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility. " With optimism he added, "We have full confidence in his ability to guide us back on track, alongside the players and staff, and the entire club will be united in supporting him to achieve success."
Pereira takes over a side desperately struggling at the lower end of the Premier League. O'Neil's tenure ended after a demoralising loss to Ipswich marked the team's fourth consecutive defeat, leaving Wolves second from bottom on the league table.
The match also saw unsavoury moments, with Rayan Ait-Nouri being sent off after receiving a second yellow card, and Matheus Cunha facing a confrontation with Ipswich staff that subsequently landed him a charge from the Football Association on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Matheus Cunha drops massive Man United transfer hint as major Wolves decision 'confirmed'READ MORE: Vitor Pereira to be thrown in at the deep end at Wolves with crunch game and Cunha aftermathVitor Pereira joins the Wolves dynasty as the third Portuguese boss after Nuno Espirito Santo and Bruno Lage, with renowned agent Jorge Mendes keeping his imprint strong at Molineux. Sporting director Matt Hobbs was full of praise, asserting: "Vitor is a highly experienced and accomplished head coach who has demonstrated his ability to succeed at the highest level."
Hobbs continued by highlighting Pereira's personal qualities, saying: "His personality, desire and leadership qualities stood out to us during this process, and we’re excited to see how he applies his expertise here at Wolves."
The sporting director also expressed his anticipation for working alongside Pereira: "I’m looking forward to working closely with Vitor and his team on a daily basis, supporting them in every way possible – from getting the maximum out of our staff at Compton, to recruitment in the upcoming transfer window – as we work together to strengthen the squad and achieve our collective goals."
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set to lock horns again on December 21 with the Brit attempting to avenge his defeat by the Ukrainian in May. Victory for Fury could also set up a huge domestic showdown with bitter rival Anthony Joshua next year