Wolverhampton Wanderers

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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"I'm just Vitor," replied Vitor Pereira when asked to describe himself during his first Wolves press conference.

There were no bold declarations of being a special one like Jose Mourinho and the 56-year-old did not offer any guarantees of survival.

But the will to succeed is there and there is confidence in his own ability having waited 14 years to realise a dream of working in the Premier League.

His press conference lasted 46 minutes. How he wants to play, how long it might take to see his Wolves identity, the transfer window, the squad's recent indiscipline and his varied club history were among the many topics.

Pereira apologised for his English - which was excellent - before and after the press conference and only twice did he need a question repeating. Courteous and friendly, he even took a question about his salary in Saudi in his stride.

It was a positive first impression, the former Porto manager has a clear way of working but will need time - like any new manager - for his influence to sink in.

He will have had just three days to prepare for Sunday's trip to Leicester and after four straight defeats - 11 in 16 Premier League games - maybe an instant impact cannot be expected.

The self belief Pereira showed when facing the media for the first time will be needed if he is going to pull off a successful survival fight.

Sarah Rendell
BBC Sport journalist

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Leicester City (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Pereira was asked why he took the Wolves job: "Because it is the Premier League and in my opinion the Premier League is the best league in the world. Something that was my target for a long time. It means that I am in the right place with high-level players and managers. I am very happy to be here."

• He added Jose Sa is unavailable and he was unsure if Matheus Cunha will feature in Sunday's game after he was charged by the Football Association with misconduct.

• On if Nelson Semedo will remain captain: "Nelson is a very good boy, a good personality and now I am trying to understand where the leadership is on the pitch. It is important. It is not time to decide - it is time to study, to get information. After that we will decide the captain."

• On if he believes he can Wolves up given they are currently second bottom in the Premier League: "Of course, it is a responsibility but a good responsibility. Now is the time to give confidence to them, to guide them like a tactical GPS. To put them in the same direction, to connect them, to face with confidence and to play with courage."

• On the Leicester game: "I think every game in the Premier League is very important. A good result brings confidence and this is important for us at this moment. We come with an idea and a style to play - and the results will bring them confidence to believe in the idea."

• On plans for the January transfer window: "I think the club is open to do it but in this moment it is important with new ideas to understand the players on the pitch."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary of Leicester v Wolves on the BBC Sport website from 14:00 GMT on Sunday

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The six Premier League meetings between Leicester City and Wolves at the King Power Stadium have seen just seven goals scored, compared to 21 in the six meetings between the sides at Molineux.

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We asked for your views on new Wolves boss Vitor Pereira and his first priorities will be.

Here are some of your comments:

Finlay: An OK appointment - bit risky though. The aim should be to stay up, become more defensively organised on set-pieces, improve the defensive tactics, sign two monster centre-backs in January that are suited to the Premier League, still make sure we keep scoring, keep our star players like Matheus Cunha, Joao Gomes and Rayan Ait-Nouri, and also sign some experience. Boy, sounds tough!

Amar: Wolves need revitalising. Maybe a manager with vigour and aggression will get us moving up the table. It is time for the club to spend some money or seven years will have been wasted. All eyes are firmly on the board. Signings need to come at the start of the window and not the end.

Simon: The new manager needs to get his style and formation across to the players fast, back to basics and no more information overload as under Gary O'Neil. Get the defence organised and playing as a unit. I'm hoping he picks a system and sticks to it, giving players the time to grow into the new approach. I'm hopeful of this appointment.

Stuart: As everyone at the club knows, additional defensive strength is paramount, with perhaps two or three of the current squad playing in a different position.

Mike: Priorities are to strengthen the defence, with probably two centre-backs needed, and to get a grip on the lack of discipline shown by some players at the end of the last two games. We need passion in the team but it must be shown in the correct manner.

Luke: Priority number one is sorting the defence and set-piece defending. Then addressing this terrible lack of discipline which has crept in to the squad. Can he keep us up? As Nuno once said: "To dream is for free." We live in hope but I don't think any Wolves fans expect us to be a Premier League side next season.

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I think the Wolves squad is the squad for the incoming manager and they will not be making too many changes to that.

That is one of the main reasons they have not done as well as they would have hoped in terms of replacing some of the bigger names and significant players who have left them over the past couple of seasons.

I think to start with, the new manager will have to make them better defensively as a collective. I'm not saying it is just the backline but they are conceding too many goals and as a consequence there is too much pressure on them to score a lot of goals to get results.

To make them more competitive and solid from the get-go is huge. From there, if you have that, maybe you get one or two results start to go your way and the belief will increase. A new manager coming in and telling you to have belief does not mean you will on your own because the players are far more jaded.

In terms of set-up, making them more solid is key and trying to get rid of some of those individual errors which have been costing them. From then, go back to believing in themselves as a team because they are not too far away from being outside the bottom three.

I think he just needs to remind them of that fact and that little changes can make a big difference. If he can do that as a point of emphasis, I think they will be in a better position in the coming weeks.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Wolves could target a January move for 26-year-old Austria centre-back Kevin Danso, who Lens may look to sell. (L'Equipe - in French), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Wolves chairman Jeff Shi calling their current situation a "challenging moment for the club" feels like a bit of an understatement.

Vitor Pereira is walking into a club needing to quickly repair the fractures that have become more visible this season.

Results cover over a multitude of problems and if teams are winning then any issues can fade into the background, but Wolves' position and form this season has exacerbated the divide between ownership and supporters.

Discontent during Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Ipswich - Gary O'Neil's final game in charge - was evident.

On the pitch, they could fall eight points behind Leicester with defeat at King Power Stadium on Sunday and Pereira will need a fast start to heal Molineux.

He took training for the first time on Thursday, with just three days to prepare for a crucial game at the 17th-placed Foxes.

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Sporting director Matt Hobbs says he will be working with new head coach Vitor Pereira to "strengthen the squad and achieve our collective goals", as the club look to climb out of the relegation zone under his leadership.

Wolves are five points off safety in the Premier League, having already played 16 games this season.

"Vitor is a highly experienced and accomplished head coach, who has demonstrated his ability to succeed at the highest level," Hobbs said. "His personality, desire and leadership qualities stood out to us during this process, and we are excited to see how he applies his expertise here at Wolves.

"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."

It will be the Portuguese manager's first time taking charge of a Premier League side, having previously won Primeira Liga titles with Porto in 2012 and 2013 plus the Greek Super League with Olympiakos in 2015.

He arrives at Molineux after leaving his managerial post at Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab.

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Wolves have confirmed the appointment of Vitor Pereira as the club's new head coach on an 18-month deal.

The 56-year-old, who was managing Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League, replaces Gary O'Neil after he was sacked following the side's 2-1 defeat by Ipswich on Saturday.

Pereira arrives at Wolves with the side languishing 19th in the Premier League, five points off safety.

The former Porto boss has never previously managed in English football but has won four league titles in three countries.

"We are delighted to welcome Vitor Pereira to Wolves," said chairman Jeff Shi. "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.

"This is a challenging moment for the club, and we want to thank Vitor for taking on this responsibility. 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."

What do you make of this appointment, Wolves fans?

And what are the key priorities for the new boss?

Let us know

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Former Aston Villa and Leicester City midfielder Marc Albrighton says that changing manager "gives time" to Wolves as they bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The club parted ways with Gary O'Neil on Sunday just a day after the side lost 2-1 at home to relegation rivals Ipswich.

"The change has probably come at the right time," Albrighton told BBC Radio WM.

"Whatever Gary O'Neil was doing it wasn't working, he wasn't getting a reaction out of the players – or the right reaction, anyway.

"I do think that this gives them time. I think everybody who has watched football over the years knows that this is a crucial period whichever end of the table you're at."

Wolves currently sit 19th on nine points, five points adrift of safety, with Portuguese manager Vitor Pereira set to be confirmed as O'Neil's successor.

Premier League winner Albrighton does not believe Pereira is the man to bring long term stability back to the West Midlands club.

"I look at his track record and it doesn't strike me as long-term. I think the longest he's been in a job is three years," Albrighton added.

"I think the club needs stability over the next few years and I just don't think he brings that."

Marcus Alves
BBC Sport

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Vitor Pereira's explosive nature and 'my way or the highway' approach have not gone down well with some of his players in the past.

Pereira can be hot-headed and he says whatever he thinks he has to say to whoever needs to hear it. It is part of his personality he credits to his humble roots, but it is also a mechanism of self-defence

He has also said he does not know how to deal with "spoiled players" - "rich kids that have never suffered, and don't know how to suffer in life".

Several Corinthians players publicly welcomed his departure from the club after just 10 months in 2022.

"We were happy that he was leaving, I don't need to lie," said winger Roger Guedes.

Controlling his passionate nature will be key if he is to succeed with Wolves in his first Premier League adventure.

"Sometimes he goes overboard with the amount of time he spends worrying about things related to the team and the players," said former right-hand man Rui Quinta.

"I've told him this a few times: it's important to step away occasionally, take a breather, and come back with full energy. He's a coach who has an extraordinary heart."

Read full piece here

Wolves, Crystal Palace and Leicester City are all interested in signing 30-year-old Newcastle United and Paraguay forward Miguel Almiron on loan in January. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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In my opinion, I do not think some of the loss of discipline from Wolves players was on Gary O'Neil.

It shows a great sense of frustration with the position they are in. It is their belief that they should be doing better and some of the results that are going against them are in games they would be going into having earmarked three points from them.

To not come away with no points and for performances to be the way that they were, such as losing at home in the last minute to Ipswich, you cannot condone what happened but I have seen people get that angry before.

They are struggling to control their emotions. It is the type of thing they will apologise for with huge regret because it will not represent who they are the majority of the time but it shows a place in crisis.

There are teams losing the same amount of games as them who are not having those moments. When that starts to happen, it puts a different type of pressure on the manager and the coaching staff. That is because for a long time you could say the performances were all right, they still had their discipline and there was a sense of hope. But it changes the conversation when the players who you are in charge of are doing things like they did.

I would not say O'Neil had to stop the players from doing it but they are probably in the worst position they have been in their careers which is why they are acting how they are.

The new manager coming in is losing out on players through suspension who could make a big difference. It shows emotionally where that team was at.

I would say those reactions show a team that has not given up - but is at rock bottom.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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From what we have all learned about surely this week's most-Googled man in the Black Country, there may be only one prediction to make with confidence: something dramatic will happen.

Having finally concluded that they held a losing hand, Wolves have pushed in their chips, and drawn another card.

Actually, you would be surprised if just how many chips they are pushing in did not form part of the discussions with Vitor Pereira, however briefly.

Pereira, we are told, has been aching for a chance in the Premier League, having been, by his own account, "convinced" he was about to take an English job on at least one previous occasion.

Could he really be so anxious to come to England - at a club which, it was widely reported last week, some targeted coaches found less appealing - without being sure Wolves would support him when the transfer window begins in two weeks?

This is pertinent because, in the wreckage of Saturday evening, Gary O'Neil finally accepted in public that the current Wolves squad is insufficient for the task.

Were, I asked him, the answers to the problems currently within the dressing room? "It doesn't look like it, does it? We have tried every player... we have a massive problem with physicality against teams."

Whether the existing squad ought to be capable of at least finishing 17th, a grimly limited ambition compared with the club's confident talk of a few years ago, is a fair debate. But with the witness statement of his predecessor as evidence, Pereira should be able to present a strong case for immediate investment.

As well as planning for January, though, there is a great deal to sort out right now. Pereira takes over a side that, on Saturday, was again ill-disciplined when the ball was in play - unable, according to O'Neil, to carry out his clear instructions when defending set-pieces - and ill-disciplined after the game, with possible consequences which could make his first few games even harder.

"Disciplinarian with emotional intelligence" was suggested to me on BBC Radio WM on Tuesday as a suitable description of Pereira. That sounds like a good start. If he can organise them to defend a set-piece reliably as well, he will be just the man.

Weighing up the squad he inherits, his career record, and the fixtures ahead, there is a huge range of possible outcomes. But it may not be long before we have a clear idea in which direction things are heading.

Listen to full commentary of Leicester v Wolves at 14:00 on Sunday on BBC Radio WM

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South American football expert Tim Vickery believes that in Brazil "there will be a lot of eyebrows raised" about Vitor Pereira taking the Wolves job but believes teams in Europe know of the success that the Portuguese has had in Portugal and Greece.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Vitor Pereira is due to travel to Wolverhampton on Tuesday to complete a deal to become Wolves' new head coach.

The Premier League strugglers are paying around 1m euros to bring the Al-Shabab boss to the West Midlands.

Pereira, a former Porto manager, is expected to sign an 18-month deal as long as there are no late problems, but negotiations have gone smoothly and he could be confirmed at Molineux by the end of the day.

The 56-year-old's first game is set to be at Leicester City on Sunday, with Wolves second bottom of the table and five points behind the 17th-placed Foxes.

Wolves have lost 11 of their 16 games and sacked head coach Gary O'Neil on Sunday following Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by fellow strugglers Ipswich Town.

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South American football expert Tim Vickery says Vitor Pereira "was able to adapt to what he had" at Corinthians and "got the best out of his players."

Pereira, who is currently in talks with Wolves to replace Gary O'Neil, has never managed in the Premier League but has won four league titles in three countries.

Reflecting on his managerial career in Brazil, Vickery told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club: "He did a pretty good job at Corinthians - a massive club from Sao Paulo - but they were in financial problems.

"That was a difficult job, but he marshalled his resources pretty well there. He got them to fourth in the league, and they got through to the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores [the South American equivalent of the Champions League] and all the way to the final of the Brazilian Cup.

"He cut his cloth pretty well at Corinthians, and the system he used was a 4-1-4-1. He did a sound job and he was able to adapt to what he had. He got the best out of his players.

"In Brazil, there will be a lot of eyebrows raised about a Premier League club chasing him. Although those in Europe will say 'look at the success he's had in Portugal and Greece' - but that was a long while ago.

Pereira won two Primeira Liga titles in both his seasons with FC Porto in 2012 and 2013. He also won the Greek Super League with Olympiakos in 2015.

New York Times' chief soccer correspondent, Rory Smith added: "He has worked for fairly erratic clubs. He has tried to get a job in England before when he was linked to Everton but the fans didn't want him so that never happened.

"Corinthians and Flamengo are huge jobs in Brazil, but other than that, maybe you could say he has struggled to get the jobs that he would have wanted."

Listen to the Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Saturday began with pride but ended in embarrassment for Wolves.

The club celebrated the 70th anniversary of Wolves v Honved, a historic moment that paved the way for the European Cup. It was a reminder of Wolves' once-prominent role in global football.

However, the on-pitch performance was a stark contrast. What started as a disappointing display turned into outright embarrassment by the final whistle, with players unable to manage their emotions. This lack of discipline has been brewing for weeks and ultimately signalled that Gary O'Neil's time as manager had run its course.

Frustrated fans have understandably reached their limit with the ongoing chaos at the club. The overdue decision to part ways with O'Neil may mark the beginning of a new chapter, but this is just the first step in addressing deeper issues that plague Wolves. Significant work is still required to restore the club's fortunes.

Enter Vitor Pereira, widely tipped to take the reins.

Known for his no-nonsense approach and outspoken nature, Pereira could provide the shake-up Wolves desperately need. His discipline-focused management style may come as a shock to both players and the broader club hierarchy at Molineux, but it feels necessary to break the cycle of mediocrity.

Pereira's enthusiasm for managing in the Premier League brings hope, especially given that some top-tier managers have previously shown little interest in the Wolves project. His winning record at Porto - an impressive 69.89% according to Transfermarkt, external - stacks up favourably compared to Nuno Espirito Santo's 55.1% and Julen Lopetegui's 67.95%. This level of experience and gravitas is exactly what Wolves need from their next boss.

Backing Pereira in the January transfer window is essential. Defensive reinforcements are likely to be a priority but deeper issues, such as the squad's ingrained losing mentality, also demand urgent attention. Changing the team's mindset could require more than just a couple of new players.

The Wolves hierarchy's renewed collaboration with Jorge Mendes and Gestifute marks an interesting return to past methods. While the club had recently shifted toward recruitment led by sporting director Matt Hobbs, Mendes' involvement might provide stability amid the current chaos. How this relationship evolves in the coming months could shape Wolves' future.

Pereira's arrival signals hope for a new era at Wolves. However, actions must follow intentions, and only time will tell if this marks a true turning point.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external