Wolverhampton Wanderers

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Vitor Pereira was sacked at the weekend with his Wolves side propping up the table.

The question is, was he sacked because they are bottom or are they bottom because he and other Wolves managers have been sacked too quickly?

The next Wolves boss will be the fifth in five seasons. Does that really give anyone the time to develop a squad, especially if someone else is choosing the players?

West Ham are on a measly seven points from 30 so far, with a record of three managers in the past 18 months after foolishly getting rid of David Moyes.

With the spirited victory against Newcastle, Nuno Espirito Santo showed that there is a team in there somewhere but will they stick with him?

The other team currently in a relegation spot is Nottingham Forest. They have gone through more than a manager per year in the eight since Evangelos Marinakis got hold of the club, surpassing himself lately with three different managers this season alone.

This many changes can be made to work in the short term. Chelsea did it brilliantly for years with some of the greatest coaches in the world but it cost a huge amount of money. Roman Abramovich had the dosh and was willing to spend it. More crucially, he was allowed to spend it back then with different rules in place.

I would hazard a guess that the three currently at the bottom will each get relegated if they change managers yet again and destroy the last vestiges of stability and any remaining facade of intelligent planning at their clubs.

Any one of them might still go down anyway because of rash decision-making in the past that has finally caught up with them.

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Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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There are other contenders, and Wolves have always had open dialogue with other contenders apart from Gary O'Neil. There was a framework in place, a large part of the framework was agreed upon for O'Neil's return, but ultimately, he has decided that he has pulled himself out of the running.

There is interest in Rob Edwards at Middlesbrough, and he's got a really big connection with the club, having coached the Under-23s, first team and had two games in interim charge in 2016 when Walter Zenga was sacked.

But we understand that former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is of interest to Wolves, and obviously, he is available, having been sacked by Bayer Leverkusen in September after just three games in charge there.

Obviously, though, there needs to be mutual interest for that to happen. He is the name that has been mentioned to me by more than one person."

Listen to Nick speak about Wolves on BBC Radio WM here

Ryan Leister from The Wolves Report Podcast says "any manager has got to be pretty desperate to go to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the moment" because the club is in such a poor place on and off the pitch.

Leister spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club as it was being reported that Gary O'Neil had pulled out of the running to re-join the club, 11 months after being sacked.

"I'm not sure Wolves have the pull to get someone of a real high quality, that has the credentials of giving us any chance of staying up," he said. "Any manager of a decent calibre that wants a job in the Premier League, has got to be pretty desperate to go to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the moment.

"The ownership have made it clear that they are not ambitious anymore and the self-sustainable model is just not working.

"If you look at Brighton, Brentford and to an extent Bournemouth, they are data driven clubs who are pretty much self sufficient. That is because they have a plan.

"If their manager gets poached then they have their best players and a succession plan. It feels like there is not that plan at Wolves and they seem to be winging it.

"It hurts me to say, but we deserve to be where we are because the club is being ran appallingly and the football has not been much better."

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"The issue with Wolves is that there is no vision," said Rory Smith on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"That means whoever comes in as manager will be working with a squad that has been incrementally, but consistently, weakened for the last four or five years.

"I saw a post on X that said Wolves have become an experiment as to what happens if every single year you sell your best players and replace them with worse ones.

"What happens is you slide down the league table and eventually get relegated."

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Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is among the candidates being considered by Wolves with no decision on Vitor Pereira's successor as head coach expected this week. (Athletic - subscription required), external

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Former Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has pulled out of the running to take the vacant managerial role.

Sources have told BBC Sport a large part of the deal had been agreed but O'Neil has now withdrawn from the process.

The former midfielder previously spent just over a year in charge, overseeing 63 matches in all competitions. During that time, his side won 20, lost 32, and conceded 117 goals, while scoring 94. This included away wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Chelsea.

Despite making a promising start in his first campaign, Wolves' form dipped sharply towards the end of his tenure. O'Neil won only two games in his final season and lost 11 of his last 16, a run that ultimately led to his departure.

Gary O'Neil has held talks with Wolves over a potential return to the club - less than 12 months after he was sacked by the relegation-threatened Premier League club.

You can read more on the story here but from our poll, it seems fans would rather the club make a move for ex-Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.

Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards, who made 100 league appearances for Wolves, has been linked with the role but today told BBC Radio Tees: "I can understand it with my links to the club but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around for a really big game against Leicester.

"It's hard for me to comment on speculation and anything other than Middlesbrough.

"We've done a decent job so far and all I care about is trying to win tomorrow."

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Wolves are looking for a third manager in less than 12 months.

Owners Fosun wanted stability and consistency but they have been left with a wreckage that could ultimately drag them down to the Championship.

It is fair to say they did not want to be in this position and were reluctant to sack Vitor Pereira on Sunday morning but the nature of the defeat at Fulham left them with no choice.

They are bottom of the Premier League, eight points from safety and with just two points from 10 games.

It means they are also looking at their fifth permanent manager in four years and the stability Fosun crave has given way to insecurity and uncertainty.

That Gary O'Neil - who Pereira replaced last December - is being considered for a return shows the difficult situation at Molineux as they look to save themselves from the drop.

Pereira's predecessor won 20 of his 63 games in charge of Wolves, losing 32, and has been out of work since leaving. However, he was close to the Norwich job in the summer, knows the majority of the squad and has experience of keeping teams up.

He kept Bournemouth up in 2022-23, finishing 15th, and took Wolves to 14th after replacing Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the 2023-24 season.

It unravelled early in 2024-25 after a 10-game winless start but O'Neil, who recently changed agents, could make a surprise return.

Rob Edwards has his admirers at Wolves, having been the Under-23s coach and first-team coach, while he also had a two-game interim spell in charge in 2016.

The Middlesbrough boss has Boro second in the Championship after taking over in the summer but there has been no contact from Wolves yet.

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We asked for your views on who the next Wolves boss should be.

Here are some of your comments:

John: 'It can't go on like this, can it? It can'. Famous words from Mick McCarthy. We have to get whoever we can get at this point, because who would want this job? Realistically, I would want Brendan Rodgers, but whoever it is good luck!

Allen: Not Gary O'Neil! It's the ownership's fault for the decline as they have sold players and not replaced them well. All Wolves fans know whoever comes in has their hands tied behind their back and their reputation will be shredded by association with a flailing club. I'd really like Julen Lopetegui back but he won't work for Fosun because of the sell-and-not-replace model. Maybe try Steven Gerrard? He can learn his trade here and then keep us in the Championship, and build a team for a future in the Premier League when Fosun have decided what they want to do with the club - run it to the ground or give it a chance of success.

Paul: Must be some sort of joke if they're considering O'Neil! Rodgers is the only one on the 'possible list' worth considering.

Simon: Certainly not O'Neil - that would be a bad move. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be a decent move.

Jay: I want Rodgers but would he want to come into this, or wait for a better opportunity to come along? Honestly, whoever we get is going to struggle as the squad is poor and we don't have any money to improve it in January. Fosun will have to sell the club as they have not got the money to keep us fighting.

Richard: The next appointment should be part of a long-term plan which must include the high probability of returning to the Championship. Therefore, a coach that understands the challenges of both leagues, as well as how to rebuild an unbalanced squad. Rob Edwards would be a good shout, especially as he has a strong connection with the club already.

Cyril: It has to be Rodgers. Out of those linked with the job, he is the only one with a track record. That is unless Nuno Espirito Santo becomes available, as I think his heart is still at Wolves.

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Former Premier League goalkeeper David James believes whoever takes the Wolves job "will have 28 games to do something" and that "should be enough" to save them from relegation.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, he said it was not a surprise that Vitor Pereira was sacked but reckons their next appointment is crucial.

"When they were doing well last season it was because they had players in their squad that could win games," James said. "Wolves took advantage of taking points off teams who had little to play for and that made the end of their season look pretty good.

"I don't think the players left are not good enough, because with the right manager they should have enough to stay in the Premier League.

"Burnley and Leeds are sat just above the relegation zone, so Wolves could get above them, but it depends on whether West Ham have enough to get out of it.

"Whoever comes in will have 28 games to do something.

"Wolves shouldn't go for a tried and failed manager as they need someone who will work with the players.

"If they can get someone who is doing fantastic somewhere else, then that would be even better."

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Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Wolves sacking Vitor Pereira wasn't a shock. Strange line-ups, tension with fans and poor form made it inevitable.

Pereira set out to make us tough and physical. Instead, we've shipped 12 goals in the last four games and offered almost nothing going forward. Hard to beat? Nowhere near.

His Craven Cottage teamsheet read like a surrender note, and benching both Andre and Joao Gomes summed up the chaos.

Although he made mistakes with wild selections and muddled tactics, he is not the root cause. This slide has been years in the making.

The early Fosun years brought smart recruitment and purpose and, at our height, a European dream. Then the gears slipped. Managers came and went. Money was spent and then clawed back.

Season-ticket hikes, sales of key players and stadium promises on hold, all while corporate messaging told us not to dream of trophies and glory.

On the pitch, the story matched the boardroom. From Julen Lopetegui's messy exit to Gary O'Neil's firefighting and now Vitor Pereira's surrender at Fulham, every coach has reached the same wall.

The players argued with staff, the tempers flared with fans, the bond gradually frayed - that is the saddest part.

Now we are on the same merry-go-round looking for our third manager in as many years. So what next? A new head coach will walk into the same storm.

Nothing changes without clarity from the top. If Fosun stay, they must bring in experienced and independent football leadership and show a plan that lasts longer than one window.

Communicate it. Back it. Repair the relationship with supporters with honest steps, not just lip service.

Of the early contenders, I would like Brendan Rodgers. He has the experience to drag this team up by their bootstraps, organise a wobbling dressing room and squeeze points out fast.

Whether his ideas align with the owners is the question. Whoever they choose they must give them authority and strong backing in January.

The clock is ticking. The fans need more than words, we need direction.

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Who would you appoint? Tell us

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Liam Keen – Wolves writer for the Express and Star - speaking on BBC Radio WM: "Vitor Pereira - this is a manager who captured the imagination of Wolves fans six or seven months ago. He was able to be that firefighter. There was a genuine connection there that I think was real between supporters and manager. Of course, relationships like that are built upon results. When results aren't there, that relationship starts to fade. He was a very good person to work with and I think he had his heart in the right place."

On fans being frustrated on social media over links with a return for O'Neil: "You think you have seen it all and heard it all and all of a sudden a manager sacked a year ago is back in contention. It is absolutely accurate that he is a strong contender to get this job. It's not a surprise that he would be interested in the job. He's not got a job, it's a Premier League job. It's a good opportunity regardless of Wolves' position in the Premier League.

"The inherent problems at Wolves run a lot deeper than the managerial casualty.

"There will be other names available that are spoken about internally. Whether they will take the fans' reaction into account I don't know. From Gary's perspective he will have to consider it. From Wolves' perspective - if they were to bring him back in, they have to consider what he has learned and will do differently because things clearly didn't work towards the end of his tenure."

Former Wolves attacker David Kelly speaking on BBC Radio WM about the exit of Vitor Pereira: "As we all know, you just can't have a record like that and stay in your job.

"Is the squad full of quality? Not it's not. Is it one you can put a few quid on to stay in the league? No it's not. Whoever comes in and takes over the role, there'll be big names and slightly smaller names, they have one heck of a job to do.

"Gary O'Neil, Kevin Muscat, Robbie Keane, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Brendan Rodgers, Ange Postecoglou have all been mentioned. There are names out there that would absolutely love the Wolves job.

"There will be hundreds of applications for this job because it is a huge club and it is a fantastic job on offer. As head coaches and managers, we all believe we can make a big difference and stop the club from getting relegated.

"But whether whoever comes in will be given any money in the January window, we are yet to see. There is a massive task ahead for whoever takes over."

Listen to Kelly here

The Vitor Pereira era is over and further down this page you'll find some words from our readers on whether his dismissal was the right move.

On Saturday, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone said "we should be embarrassed" after defeat to Fulham in London.

Less than 24 hours later, the club acted, sacking Pereira and placing Under-21 head coach James Collins and under-18 head coach Richard Walker in charge of training for now.

In a statement on Instagram, Pereira has said: "It has been a privilege to manage Wolverhampton Wanderers and experience unique moments with this club and its supporters. I would like to thank the club's owners for their trust, the players for their hard work and commitment over these months, and all the staff for making me feel part of the family. I wish the club all the best for the rest of the season."

While it's brutal to say goodbye and move on so fast, these things tend to move on quickly, so who should be appointed next?

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Wolves scored 63 goals last season but the players who scored 32 of them are no longer at the club.

The club is looking to change strategy and will target more homegrown players in the future, to help their quota, and feel they are at the start of a new cycle, aware of the risks it brings.

There is a long-term view at Molineux that Wolves can succeed and even if they are relegated it can be handled, with owners Fosun not looking to sell the club, instead being open to minority investment into Fosun Sports Group.

But perhaps the long-term planning has seen them distracted from the short term and has left the club facing another battle against relegation, one which looks terminal this time.

Players have become mentally drained after conceding late goals which denied them wins over Tottenham and Brighton.

Last week's late 3-2 defeat by Burnley, in which fans turned on Pereira for the first time, displayed Wolves losing to a team that appeared to be playing for a point with 15 minutes left.

Those results were fatal for the confidence of the side and the Clarets' win at Molineux meant Pereira had lost to all of the promoted sides this season.

The former Olympiacos and Fenerbache manager labelled the Fulham defeat the worst performance under him and there was a debrief planned on Monday for both the head coach and players to air their feelings.

Pereira wanted to understand the nature of the performance, but he will not get the chance after his last orders on Sunday morning.

Read more from Nick on Wolves here

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We asked for your views on Wolves sacking head coach Vitor Pereira after the club failed to pick up a single win in their first 10 Premier League games of the season.

The 57-year-old signed a new three-year contract in September but heads through the exit doors at Molineux after just 11 months in charge.

Are you shocked by the decision? Should the board be trusted to line-up a suitable manager?

Here are some of your thoughts:

Chris: The only surprise is that it took so long! It was clear that Vitor Pereira had run out of ideas with this new crop of players, however whoever is appointed is going to need a huge slice of luck to stay up. Jorgen Strand Larsen was just a distraction and I would've sold him for the monies being offered. These last few games have shown that he's not that good. We should've kept some of our more experienced players like our captain. He wasn't the world's best player, but he was head and shoulders above some of those brought in.

Greg: Well, every dog has his day and Vitor Pereira has certainly had his. Unfortunately the current squad are top half Championship quality only, which we will see next season.

Richard: It's not all his fault, Fosun have to take the majority of the blame. They have run the club down and sold our best players, but then they wonder why the players that come in are not Premier League standard. If they go down, who will stay and who will they sell?

Ken: That's five managers Fosun have let down with their idiotic ways of doing things. We must now hope that they get someone in who knows how to run a football club, or that they give in and sell the club. If you think this is the worst it could get, think again.

Graham: It is the asset strippers that need to go, not the managers who have their hands tied behind their backs.

Stu: Same old Wolves. They never blame the players or the chairman, just the manager. The players need to take a good look in the mirror. He was one of the better managers Wolves have had.

Saturday's defeat was a performance and a result which gets managers the sack and teams relegated.

Wolves needed to take something from Fulham, who had lost their previous four games, but delivered their worst performance under Pereira.

It is therefore no surprise Wolves have sacked the 57-year-old.

Wolves wanted stability and consistency but are now searching for their fifth permanent manager in four years.

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Pereira started to sound like a beaten man after defeat at Craven Cottage, and a change became inevitable.

Asked how Wolves could become the first Premier League team to survive relegation after taking two points from 10 games, he was unable to deliver a convincing answer.

Pereira is a good man, an honest person and an experienced coach, and he knew the situation was unlikely to turn in his favour.

A trip to Chelsea on Saturday does not appear to give Wolves a chance to end their winless start.

Going into the international break, Wolves must regroup quickly or they will drop into the Championship.