VITOR Peraira has today signed a deal to become Nottingham Forest manager until the end of the season. He becomes the fourth manager to sit in the City Ground dugout this season.
He will lead Forest through the troubles and toils of a treacherous relegation battle following Sean Dyche’s sacking on Thursday. The Portuguese was on the chopping block himself when he was sacked by Wolves in November after eleven months in charge.
Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, is amongst the most fearsome men in football. Whether it’s stampeding to the pitch after a significant loss or banning Gary Neville from the premises of his stadium, he is certainly not one to be messed with.
The 2024-25 season was a return to lost heights for the club. They finished seventh, just one point from Champions League qualification under Nuno Espirito Santo, but following his falling out with Marinakis and a mixed start to the Premier League season, he was dismissed.
Next was former Tottenham manager and Europa League winner, Ange Postecoglou, who lasted just over a month. After eight games, he had yet to record his first win, and for Marinakis, that was inexcusable.
The Australian was dismissed after losing 3-0 at home to Chelsea, but his task was never going to be simple. His fast, fluid, high-line flying football was being implemented to replace Espirito Santo’s cautious and pragmatic football; the style the squad was built to play.
Nonetheless, time is not a luxury to become accustomed to if you’re managing on the Trent.
After Postecoglu was Dyche, the modern-day relegation battler who has never lost the fight.
His tenure was tenuous for Forest fans, but after one defeat in his last six games and while being nominated for Premier League manager of the month, no one was expecting his sacking.
It’s a management position that is becoming as appealing as being Henry VIII’s next wife.
Now, it’s Vitor Pereira’s turn to steady the ship and stop it from sinking to the Championship, and the sentiment from football fans is almost unanimous: good luck.
