Vitor Pereira delivers stark warning to Nottingham Forest
Vitor Pereira has delivered a blunt message to Nottingham Forest’s players: embrace his approach or face the prospect of dropping into the Championship, reports BritPanorama.
The Portuguese coach was unveiled on Tuesday as Forest’s fourth permanent manager of the current campaign, setting an unwanted club record. Pereira succeeds Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, and Sean Dyche, all of whom departed amid differing circumstances this season.
“If you don’t buy the idea of the manager it’s a big problem, and you must also buy the personality,” Pereira stated, emphasizing the need for a cohesive team dynamic. He added, “If you buy the idea and the person, have an open mind to receive information and to work hard together, it’s possible to achieve what we want.”
While Nuno left following a disagreement with club hierarchy, player influence was pivotal in the dismissals of both Postecoglou and Dyche. Dyche was sacked just hours after a goalless draw against Wolves – the same club that dismissed Pereira last November.
Despite Dyche guiding Forest out of the relegation places, concerning performances and visible discontent among the squad convinced owner Evangelos Marinakis to make another change. Pereira has conducted just one training session with his new squad but was already encouraged by their potential. “I have had one training session with them but they have quality,” he said. “They are top players.”
Recognising the challenges faced by his players this season due to managerial instability, Pereira explained, “It’s been a difficult season for them. With different methods and different managers it’s not easy.” Nevertheless, he accepted the role because of his faith in the squad’s capabilities, the club’s potential, and Marinakis’s ambition.
“I believe in our work. Together we can increase our level,” Pereira asserted. His first match in charge will come on Thursday when Forest travel to face Fenerbahce in the Europa League – a club where Pereira previously worked during his managerial career.
Pereira’s appointment resonates with memories of his former collaboration with Marinakis at Olympiacos during the 2014-15 campaign. He noted, “He’s ambitious. He wants to win, he’s emotional and I know him very well.” The manager revealed their discussions before his appointment centred on that successful spell in Athens. “I remember the energy and the fire we created. He asked me to be myself,” Pereira recalled, underscoring the mutual trust between him and the owner.
As Nottingham Forest embarks on yet another managerial phase, it remains to be seen if Pereira’s approach can reinvigorate the squad or if history will repeat itself in this turbulent season. Football is often a fickle mistress, and Forest’s latest management change serves as a reminder of the stakes at play within the beautiful game.
