BUILDING IDENTITY: WHAT WE LEARNT FROM PEREIRA’S FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE

Vitor Pereira spoke a lot about ‘identity’ in his first press conference as Wolves manager. But what might this look like in practice?

His interview earlier this year in ‘Coaches’ Voice’ might offer some further insight, mainly through his reflections on his time at Porto, where he achieved back-to-back Primeira Liga titles in 2012 and 2013.

Here are some of the core principles he discussed and how they could play out at Wolves:

Maturity and Personality

VP: “In the two years I was in charge of Porto, we managed to play great matches. The team was full of players with enormous tactical maturity, who also had a lot of personality to carry out what we had planned.”

This seems to depend on the players at his disposal, and it appears the current Wolves squad might be lacking somewhat in this area. The January window is obviously important.

Effective Press

VP: “It didn’t matter whether we were playing at home or away. We knew how to press to win the ball back, and we knew even better what to do when we had the ball at our feet.”

The art of pressing isn’t just about harrying the opposition’s back line. It’s about picking the right moments and capitalising on them. Wolves have much to learn in this respect; the team’s press has often looked haphazard and disorganised this season.

Defending a Lead

VP: “When we were ahead, it was almost impossible for the opposition to turn the game around…”

Wolves have struggled to defend a lead on numerous occasions, not just this season. They often suffer from an immediate sucker punch and have a tendency to sit deeper and absorb pressure. VP’s approach seems a bit more refined than that. This brings us to the last two principles of his team’s identity.

Strategic Possession

VP: “There is only one ball on the pitch, and it was usually in our possession, so how could the opposition score goals?”

Pereira’s defence of a lead at Porto was less about sitting back and more about keeping hold of the ball. This will be a more difficult task at Wolves and in the Premier League. But the idea is sound, and even small signs of controlling a game will be welcome. This should instil confidence in the players and fans alike.

It seems he is opposed to the ‘nervy’ finishes Wolves fans have become accustomed to.

Dictating the Pace

VP: “Porto knew how to identify the right moments to slow down or speed up the game.”

Again, this will be challenging in the Premier League, but Wolves do have players capable of this, especially in midfield and attacking areas. It remains to be seen if he can optimise the current squad, especially since these areas are unlikely to be strengthened in the January window.

This needn’t be a problem. With the right tactical direction, there’s no reason someone like Strand Larsen cannot use his hold-up play to slow the pace. Players like Andre, Joao Gomes, or Tommy Doyle can deliberately slow the game down in the midfield. The ability is there; it’s now about coaching and communicating what he expects from them at specific moments in the game.

Final Thoughts

Based on this, he seems a near-perfect fit for Wolves, potentially addressing many of the squad’s shortcomings.

But how quickly can he implement these ideas? This question will be crucial to whether Wolves survive or not.