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New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira is confident he can guide the Premier League strugglers to safety.
The Portuguese manager was named Gary O’Neil’s successor on Thursday, with the Midlands club currently five points from safety in 19th place.
Pereira joins from Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab on an 18-month contract and Wolves will reportedly pay £825,000 in compensation.
His first game in charge will be against Leicester on Sunday and the 56-year-old is relishing the opportunity to preserve Wolves’ Premier League status.
“Of course it is a responsibility, but a good responsibility.
“Now is the time to give them confidence, to guide them like a tactical GPS. Put them in the same direction, connect them and face with confidence, play with courage.
“I studied before accepting the job. Of course we need to improve some aspects of the game. But we have good players, a confident player can do many things, he can change everything.
“My idea is to create an identity, a tactical identity. In the first training session we started working on this identity, the way of playing.”
Welcome to Lobos, Vitor 🤝
– Wolves (@Lobos) December 19, 2024
The Premier League is a great attraction
Pereira has his work cut out for him to guide Wolves to safety, with the club having lost 11 of their 16 league games so far and each of their last four games.
And the former Porto boss admitted the opportunity to manage in the Premier League was a big draw.
On why he was attracted to the Molineux job, he added: “Because it’s the Premier League and, in my opinion, the Premier League is the best league in the world. Something that was my goal for a long time.
“It means I am in the right place with the best players, the league and the top coaches. “I am very happy to be here.”
Cradle to play?
Pereira said he did not know if key forward Matheus Cunha would be available after being charged by the FA over an altercation with a member of Ipswich staff last week.
Regarding whether he will participate, Pereira added: “I’m not sure because we haven’t decided. He is an important player on our team. My first impression (of the template) is that I am very happy.
“Of course all teams can improve and we will try to improve. It is important to regain confidence and results.
“The results will give them confidence and give them motivation and clear ideas.”
Wolves January Plans
Pereira did not rule out Wolves being active in the January transfer window but said he would first need time to evaluate the squad.
He said: “I think the club is open to doing it, but at the moment it is important to have new ideas to understand the response of the players on the pitch.
“It is important to have at least a week to understand what I can do with our players, study the personality and what we need. After this we will decide.”
nelson captaincy
Pereira was asked if Nelson Semedo would remain Wolves captain, and O’Neil handed the armband to the right-back after stripping Mario Lemina of the captaincy.
He said: “Nelson is a very good boy, he has a good personality and now I am trying to understand where the leadership is on the field.
“It is important on the field. For now I am studying. It is not the time to decide, it is the time to study, to obtain information, then the captain will decide.”
