Short Fuse, Big Questions: Wolves Part Ways With Vieira After 45 Days

Context and Aftermath

Wolverhampton Wanderers have dismissed manager Vítor Pereira after just 45 days into a fresh three-year contract.

The decision followed a 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, a result Pereira described as the worst of his tenure.

Wolves sit bottom of the Premier League with no league win in the first ten games of the season.

Contract, Form, and Cup Exit

Pereira, 57, had extended his deal to 2028 last September despite the club's worst top-flight start in the Premier League, a run that included five consecutive losses.

The side had just two points from ten games and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the last-16 after a 3-4 loss to Chelsea.

Pereira took charge in December 2024, replacing Gary O’Neil, when Wolves were 19th with six points from 19 games.

He rescued them by collecting ten victories from the final 22 matches to finish last season 16th.

But since a six-win run in April, Wolves have failed to win any of their last 14 league games, suffering 11 losses, including a 3-0 home defeat to Fulham and a late collapse at Burnley.

Clash with Fans and Vieira's Reflection

There was tension after the Burnley match as Pereira clashed with fans, who taunted him with chants of “you’ll be sacked in the morning” — a line that echoed again at Craven Cottage.

Speaking after Burnley, Pereira said, “Two months ago the crowd were singing my name for the work we did last season; we are playing in the Premier League, not in the Championship. I understand that results matter, and if I were a fan today I’d be proud of the team's effort and character.”

In the summer, the club saw notable departures, with Ryan Aït-Nouri moving to Manchester City and Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, while seven new signings were brought in to back the project.

Vieira's Career and Wolves' Future

Vítor Pereira is one of the most prominent Portuguese coaches of the past two decades, with a career spanning Europe and Asia and titles in several countries. Born in Espinho, Portugal, in 1968, he began coaching after a modest playing career in the country’s amateur leagues.

He progressed from assistant roles to Santa Clara in 2008, then earned a move to Porto in 2011. There he guided Porto to two Portuguese league titles (2011-12 and 2012-13) with an attacking, well-organised style and became one of Europe’s rising coaches.

Following his Porto success, Pereira enjoyed spells abroad, including a stint in Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli (2013-14), Greece’s Olympiakos (2015) where he won league and cup, Turkey’s Fenerbahçe (2015-16 and 2021-22), and work in Germany and China, including Shanghai SIPG and others.

Known for defensive organisation, quick transitions, high press, and a pragmatic Portuguese approach, he has been a stern manager but with a leadership that wins over some groups and sparks debate in others.

Back in late 2024 he returned to England to try to rescue Wolves from relegation after a brief spell with a Saudi club; he had helped them avoid relegation in the second half of that season, but a winless start to 2025-26 cost him his job under mounting fan and media pressure.

Despite the end, Pereira remains one of the most experienced Portuguese coaches on the world stage, having worked in six countries and won titles in three, which keeps him in contention for future projects.

New victim

Vieira becomes the fourth Premier League manager to lose his job this season, with Nottingham Forest sacking Nuno Espírito Santo and his successor Ange Postecoglou, while West Ham dismissed their boss Graham Potter.

Now the question is who will take Wolves forward, and whether the club’s patience with managerial changes can yield a brighter, longer-term plan than a short fuse and quick exit.

Punchline 1: If football contracts were as short as this, my coffee would last longer than Vieira's stay at Molineux.

Punchline 2: On the bright side, Wolves can now hire a manager who actually finishes a sentence without being interrupted by a scoreboard.