Nottingham Forest have pulled the trigger yet again and turned to Vitor Pereira in a desperate bid to save their Premier League future. The Portuguese boss becomes their fourth permanent manager of a chaotic season, underlining the growing sense of urgency and gamble at the City Ground.
Pereira arrives with the full backing of owner Evangelos Marinakis, a man he knows well. The pair enjoyed huge success together at Olympiacos, winning the domestic double in 2015. Now Marinakis is hoping that old magic can be reignited in England, where the stakes are far higher and the margin for error is razor thin.
Forest sit just three points above the drop zone and danger is closing in fast. Every match from now until May will feel like a cup final, starting with a daunting clash against Liverpool on February 22. The fans are anxious, the pressure is rising, and Pereira has no time to ease himself into the job.
The 57 year old knows exactly what is being asked of him. He has been brought in for one reason and one reason only. Survival. His contract runs for 18 months, but that length will mean nothing if results do not improve quickly.
There is hope, however, that Pereira can deliver under pressure. He proved his fighting qualities in England last season when he guided Wolves to safety in impressive fashion. He organised them, lifted belief, and got results when they mattered most. But football can be brutal. Just months later, he was dismissed after a nightmare start saw Wolves collect only two points from ten games.
Forest represents his fifteenth club in a globe trotting career that has taken him across Europe, Asia and South America. He first built his reputation at Porto, winning back to back league titles and establishing himself as one of Portugal’s most respected coaches. Since then he has faced every kind of challenge the game can throw at a manager.
His first test will come quickly and with added emotion. Forest face Fenerbahce in the Europa League, another of Pereira’s former clubs. It is a reunion filled with tension, and progression to the last 16 would provide a huge lift to both the squad and the supporters.
Pereira will not face the challenge alone. He brings trusted allies to help steady the ship, including assistants Filipe Almeida and Luis Silva, along with specialist staff focused on performance and analysis. Together they must find solutions fast.
Forest have taken their biggest gamble yet. Now Pereira must prove he is the man who can stop the fall.