Wolves boss Vitor Pereira drops West Brom revelation | OneFootball

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira almost ended up as West Bromwich Albion manager 15 years ago.

Vitor Pereira has been a revelation since his appointment at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but has revealed he could've joined their Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion 15 years ago.

The Portuguese manager was appointed as boss at Molineux in mid-December, replacing Gary O'Neil, who had the club in the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Under Pereira's stewardship, Wolves have thrived and not only managed to survive in the Premier League, but also put themselves in contention for a top-half finish, having won six matches in a row.

This is the 56-year-old's first venture into English football, but he recently told the Express and Star that he almost ended up in the Midlands 15 years ago, but with Wolves' bitter rivals, West Brom.

Vitor Pereira opens up on failed English moves, including West Brom

As mentioned, Pereira's move to the Black Country outfit is his very first venture into English football management. However, in an interview with the Express and Star, the 56-year-old revealed that interest from English clubs hasn't been short over the years.

He said: “Do you know how many meetings I had here? The first one, West Bromwich, in the Premier League, maybe 15 years ago.

“The second? Everton. Third? Crystal Palace with the proposal, with the contract for two and a half years.

“After that, Chelsea, then Everton again, then Arsenal. I had a very long, very good meeting with Arsenal before they signed Arteta.

“Watford was the only time that I said no. I didn’t want to do it. It was the time that they were relegated.”

Following this revelation, Wolves will surely feel that the fact Pereira didn't land any of these jobs was a blessing in disguise for them. Had he made the move to England earlier, that could've changed his career trajectory entirely, meaning he didn't end up at Molineux.

Pereira has found his home at Wolves

Despite these setbacks, the Portuguese boss eventually made the move to the Premier League, and has certainly been rewarded for his patience by finding his new home in the Midlands.

When asked about his time at Wolves so far, Pereira wasn't afraid to show his appreciation for the club that gave him his first break in English football: “I’m very happy to be here," he said.

“I’m very grateful to the club because they gave me the opportunity to be in the league that gives me the opportunity to be at my best level.

“It challenges me and I need to be challenged. If I go to a league and tactically, I cannot express myself, that is not for me. But in this league, I can do it.

"Maybe I was not ready before and God took care of me, and now is the time.

“It’s not when you want when you want it, but now is the time and this is the club.

“I felt I had something to prove to myself, of course. I want to compete with the best. But I feel confident to compete."

Patience is always a virtue, and the case of Pereira's move to Wolves is no different. The 56-year-old trusted fate that he would eventually get to manage in the Premier League, and has been rewarded for that.