It’s been a dreadful start to the Premier League season for Wolverhampton who currently sit dead last on the table at 0-2-8. With the threat of relegation looming larger by the day for the winless wolves, the club announced that they had dismissed manager Vitor Pereira on Sunday.
Pereira join the club last December, and helped them avoid relegation by turning their season around in the 2nd half. However a similar level of success has been hard to find this season, leading to his dismissal despite inking a 3 year extension this September.
With only two points, and no wins as the calendar flipped to November, Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi felt the time to make a change was now. “Results and performances this term have fallen below acceptable standards, and as a result a change in leadership was deemed necessary,” Wolves said in a statement.
“Vitor and his team worked tirelessly for Wolves and helped guide us through a challenging period last season, for which we are grateful,” Shi said.
“Unfortunately, the start to this season has been a disappointment and, despite our strong desire to give the head coach time and matches to find an improvement, we have reached a point where we must make a change. We thank Vitor and his staff for their efforts and wish them the very best for the future.”
In addition to Pereira, all 8 assistants and team personnel have also been relieved of their duties effective immediately. While the club searches for a new permanent head coach, U-21 coach James Collins will oversee the team from the sidelines on an interim basis.
Wolverhampton have scored the fewest goals in the Premier League to date with 7, and have given up the most goals to opponents with 22 through the season’s first 10 matches. The team’s slow start can also be linked to a series of offseason moves which put the team behind the eight ball roster wise as well.
Management sold off two of their best players in Matheus Cunha (Manchester United) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City), while striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missed the start of the season due to injury.
After notching back to back draws against Tottenham and Brighton, the team dropped 3 in a row to Sunderland, Burnley, and Fulham to tumble to the bottom of the Premier League standings. With a week off to recuperate, the team will hope to put on a better showing against Chelsea on Saturday, November 8th under their new coaching staff.
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