Portuguese Coach Vítor Pereira Takes Charge as Dyche Exit Signals Fresh Start for Super Eagles Stars.
Premier League club Nottingham Forest have appointed Vítor Pereira as their new head coach, marking the club’s fourth managerial change of the 2025–26 season following the dismissal of Sean Dyche. The move reunites the Portuguese tactician with Super Eagles duo Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi as the club battles to stay clear of relegation.
Pereira signed an 18-month contract with Forest, taking over a side precariously positioned 17th in the Premier League table — just above the relegation zone with 12 matches left.
Nottingham Forest’s coaching carousel has been unprecedented this season: Nuno Espírito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, and Dyche all preceded Pereira in the dugout this campaign. The team’s inconsistency has highlighted the urgency for stability as they fight to remain in England’s top flight.
Dyche’s departure came after a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, during which Forest failed to convert numerous opportunities. The result left the club only three points above the relegation zone and prompted owner Evangelos Marinakis to take decisive action.
Vítor Pereira’s Task: Premier League Survival
Pereira arrives with a mixed managerial record. The 57-year-old Portuguese coach is no stranger to top-flight pressure, having led teams to league titles in Portugal with FC Porto and a Greek Cup triumph with Olympiacos FC. He also previously managed Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, guiding them to safety in the 2024–25 campaign before being dismissed during the current season after a slow run of form.
Forest’s immediate schedule presents a tough start for the new coach, with a Europa League knockout playoff tie against Fenerbahçe SK followed by a league clash with Liverpool FC on February 22.
With survival in sight but no guarantee of safety, the Super Eagles pair of Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi will be looking to impress under their new manager as the pressure mounts at the City Ground.