Wolves sack Vitor Pereira after disastrous start to the season
Wolverhampton Wanderers have officially terminated the contract of manager Vitor Pereira following a disheartening 3-0 loss to Fulham, leaving the team firmly at the bottom of the Premier League table, reports BritPanorama.
With no victories in their first ten league matches, Pereira departs the club with only two points. His tenure had begun with promise, steering the team away from relegation last season after replacing Gary O’Neil, who was dismissed with the team at nine points in December.
This season, however, momentum fizzled, compounded by defeats against all three newly promoted teams — Leeds, Sunderland, and Burnley — leading to mounting frustration among supporters.
Chairman Jeff Shi communicated the decision to sack Pereira on Sunday morning, shortly after the defeat to Fulham that also saw Emmanuel Agbadou sent off. Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone publicly condemned the team’s performance, calling it “embarrassing.” The relief from Pereira’s three-year contract extension, given just weeks prior, may be mitigated by a clause allowing the club to avoid full compensation.
His dismissal makes him the fourth manager to leave his position in the Premier League this season, joining Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, and Graham Potter. Pereira faced significant challenges during the transfer window, with key players such as Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri departing for Manchester clubs, while club captain Nelson Semedo also left following the expiration of his contract.
Pereira’s reflections after the defeat were pointed, as he noted the squad’s inadequacies: “Tactically, technically, physically, we weren’t good enough.” He expressed a desire to converse with the players about their performance and what could be improved ahead of future matches.
Johnstone’s frustration echoed Pereira’s sentiments, emphasising the team’s need to improve significantly. “It’s just not good enough and we need to do better,” he asserted. The goalkeeper highlighted the difficulties encountered during the match — going down to ten men early and conceding an early goal created a challenging scenario that proved detrimental to the team’s morale.
As Wolves seek a new direction, it stands as a stark reminder of how precarious the managerial landscape can be in English football, where even recent success is not a guarantee of stability.
