New Wolves manager Vitor Pereira has revealed that he has spent 14 years pursuing his dream of working in the Premier League, following multiple near-misses with the Everton job.
The Portuguese coach, who joined Wolves on an 18-month contract on Thursday, has come close to taking the Toffees’ reins three times. However, he achieved his goal of managing in England's top flight this week when he replaced Gary O'Neil at Molineux, marking his 10th managerial position in the last 11 years.
Pereira reflected on his past near-misses, saying: "Three times with the same club. Everton, 14 years ago before I went to Brazil, then I had another three or four meetings [in 2013]. Two or three years ago, I had two or three meetings—it means a lot of meetings with Everton!"
He emphasized that his focus for the last 14 years has been to work in England, adding: "The last 14 years of my career, my focus was to come to England. To compete with the best coaches, this is the seat I want to be in. I want to be in this league to compete, challenge myself, and I’m ready."
Pereira’s first step outside Portugal was 14 years ago when he moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli, and he had always set his sights on England from the beginning of his career.
Now, with Wolves sitting second from bottom and five points behind 17th-placed Leicester—whom they face at King Power Stadium on Sunday—Pereira is determined to make an impact. "No, I’m a confident guy. I believe in my work and my staff," he said. "From a young age, I decided one day I’d be a coach. Then I set my sights on being a champion in Portugal, and I was [with Porto]. Then I wanted to be a champion in another country, and I was [with Olympiakos]. One day my target was England. So even when you must work hard, go to Brazil, Turkey, or Arabia, in the end, you will get there."
Wolves have struggled this season, losing 11 of their 16 matches and conceding 40 goals—the most in the league. However, Pereira is in no rush to make moves in the January transfer window. "The club is open to doing it, but it’s important to understand the players on the pitch first," he said. "I need at least a week to understand what I can do with the players, to study their personalities and what we need. After that, we’ll decide."
Despite the challenges, the 56-year-old is keen to impose his methods on the team. "It's a responsibility but a good one," Pereira said. "In my opinion, it’s to give confidence to them, to guide them, like a tactical GPS, to point them in the same direction. It’s very important to connect tactical quality and technical quality, because I like my teams to play good football, but with tactical organisation and the courage to play our game."
Wolves expect Matheus Cunha to be available for Sunday’s match after the striker was charged by the Football Association with misconduct, although the final judgment is not expected until next week.
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