Nottingham Forest Confirm Vitor Pereira as Fourth Manager of the Season
Nottingham Forest have officially appointed Vitor Pereira as their fourth manager of the current campaign, following the dismissal of Sean Dyche. The Portuguese tactician has signed an 18-month contract with the club, tasked with the immediate objective of steering Forest away from the Premier League relegation zone.
Pereira's Immediate Challenge at the City Ground
Former Wolves boss Pereira arrives at the City Ground with the club in a precarious position, sitting 17th in the Premier League table and just three points above the drop zone. His appointment comes as Forest also contend with ongoing European commitments in the Europa League.
Pereira was sacked from his role at Molineux in November after only 11 months in charge, during which Wolves managed just two points from their first ten league matches of the season. However, he brings previous experience working under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis from their time together at Olympiacos, where Pereira guided the Greek side to a domestic league and cup double in the 2014/15 season.
A Turbulent Managerial Carousel at Forest
The Portuguese becomes the latest figure to occupy the Forest dugout this term, following a series of rapid managerial changes. Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed at the beginning of the season despite having secured European qualification for the club for the first time in three decades, after his relationship with Marinakis and the hierarchy deteriorated.
Ange Postecoglou was appointed as his successor after being sacked by Tottenham in the summer, but his reign proved disastrous, lasting just 39 days without a single victory in eight matches. Sean Dyche was then brought in to stabilise the situation and initially helped lift Forest out of the relegation places, even earning a nomination for January's manager of the month award.
However, performances under Dyche remained subpar, culminating in his sacking after a 0-0 draw with bottom club Wolves on Wednesday night. The result prompted boos from the home crowd at the final whistle, sealing Dyche's fate.
Pereira's Track Record and Short-Term Mandate
Pereira is viewed as a short-term solution at Forest, having left seven of his last nine managerial positions within a year. Nevertheless, his appointment is justified by his proven ability to avoid relegation, most notably with Wolves in the 2024/25 season.
He replaced Gary O'Neil at Wolves in December 2024 with the club languishing in 19th place with only nine points from 16 matches. Under his guidance, Wolves comfortably survived demotion, finishing 16th in the table and a full 17 points clear of the relegation zone.
Immediate Fixtures and Coaching Staff
Pereira's first assignment as Forest boss will be a challenging European tie away to Fenerbahce in the Europa League knockout play-off on Thursday 19 February. He is familiar with the Turkish club, having spent two separate spells there between 2015 and 2021.
Forest will then host Liverpool on Sunday 22 February, a fixture that recalls the undoubted high point of Dyche's tenure: a stunning 3-0 victory at Anfield earlier in the season.
The club has confirmed that Pereira will be joined by a Portuguese coaching staff consisting of Filipe Jorge Monteiro Almeida, Luis Miguel Moreira Da Silva, Bruno Filipe Araujo De Moura, and Pedro Simao Capela Silva Lopes, as Forest embark on a critical period in their campaign.
