VITOR PEREIRA’S PRESS CONFERENCE: WOLVES V BRIGHTON

Good afternoon, Vitor. Firstly, congratulations on your Premier League Manager of the Month award. What does that mean to you and your staff?

Of course, I feel proud. We should all feel proud—me, the players, the staff, and especially the supporters. This is a reward for everyone. We’ve earned it. How much effort and how many sleepless nights went into this? It’s hard to explain. But there’s been a lot of commitment and hard work from many people to reach our targets. We must be proud of ourselves.

Of the recent run, which performance came closest to your ideal?

I’m trying to build something I’ve never achieved before. That’s my personal challenge. I want to create something new and better each time. You must keep improving and not be satisfied with what you’ve done before. That’s my goal.

What do you want to create? You’ve won titles elsewhere and achieved a lot.

I want to create something special—a real piece of art.

How proud were you of the performance against Manchester City? And how important was it to celebrate with the fans?

At the end of the game, we don’t celebrate only when we win or lose. We celebrate the effort and commitment between us and the supporters. After that game, I felt proud of our work and proud of the fans. We can’t control the result, but what we do on the pitch matters more. That’s how you build something special.

Are other managers now recognising Wolves as a tough team with a clear identity? Do they know it will be a real battle against you?

Yes. Whether we play at home or away, against the top team or the bottom, we always have the mentality to compete for three points. That’s what I want.

Looking ahead to this weekend, how’s the team? Any fresh injuries?

Only two players have minor problems. Hey-Chan is working with the team, but with a small issue. Larsen has just started training with us. We’ll see—a late decision.

You spoke earlier about building Hee-Chan’s confidence, especially when he misses chances in training. How hard has it been for him to regain that confidence, both mentally and physically?

In my opinion, he’s a fantastic player. He’s quick in short spaces, intelligent with his movement, and very technical. He can finish well. This season we don’t play with two strikers. If we did, it would be easier for him. Larsen plays well and scores. I have players who haven’t had many chances because others are in good shape, and that’s football. I’m honest with them.

Each player is an example of that. Larsen is playing well for what we need and scoring goals. I haven’t had space to give others more chances. Small injuries don’t help either. Confidence for a striker is important. He needs to play, score goals, and feel important. It’s not easy, of course, but I’m trying to make a difference on the pitch with the system.

Tomorrow we play Brighton, who are still pushing for Europe. For you, it’s your penultimate home game at Molineux. How do you plan to hurt them, especially with their manager doing well in his first season?

We’ll face a team with a lot of quality. Players who have worked together for a long time and good managers. The next three games will be a challenge. We need to compete with three teams playing good football. We must understand our level so we can compete with this kind of team now and in the future.

Is there scope to use players who haven’t had much football, like Hee-Chan, in these last games?

I’ll tell you this—football isn’t about gifts. It’s about earning your place. I like to be honest with the players and myself. I will pick the players who are ready to compete and win games. I want to compete in every game and reward those who are up to it.

I understand that. But is there anything you can learn by putting players in real match situations, which is different from training?

Of course, but I can only pick 11 players out of 20 or 22. I’m happy with every player, but I won’t use the final game just to put them on the pitch. They need to earn their place by being better than others in their position.

When you first came in, there was a rescue job to do. Did you have to fix immediate problems before starting to build what you want?

When we started, we worked to give confidence to the team and players through conversations and tactics. The quality of the players and team is good. Under normal conditions, this team should be fighting for mid-table with Brighton, Crystal Palace, and others. Sometimes you can work hard, but not control everything. Gary tried his best to give confidence and direction.

In the end, we are at our level, trying to compete with the right mentality. We’re a small team, the only team in this city. That matters. We feel the commitment between the people. If everyone commits, we can do special things. We are together, and I want to keep improving the bond between the club, players, supporters, and the city. That’s how you compete with the big teams in this league.

Was there a day or game where you thought the team really understood what you want?

From the very first day, from the first training, I think we made an impact. The energy, focus, and commitment were there. We went to Leicester and won 3-0. After that, they started to realise we have quality. We still do. Thank you.