Vitor Pereira arrived in Nottingham two months ago or a little more, yet he has already revolutionized the world of Forest. There was some skepticism around him, as he was the fourth coach of a season that was taking a complicated turn and because his last experience at Wolverhampton, last year, ended with survival, okay, but it was far from exhilarating. Yet now the Wolvesare already officially in the Championship without him, while Forest has managed to escape the relegation zone and is especially 90 minutes away from a historic Europa League final.
There are many merits of the Portuguese coach, always smiling, with a reassuring face. After all, we are talking about a man born with the Ocean in front of him, in Espinho, just a stone’s throw from Porto and Braga. All places that, in some way, have marked his European journey: in the quarter-finals, in fact, Forest eliminated the Dragões of Farioli; in the final in Istanbul, instead, the Reds could meet Braga, who won the first leg of the semi-final 2-1 against Freiburg. But how did Vitor Pereira manage to turn the Forest’s season around? Simple, with the strength of his ideas, some truly surprising. At the training center, just a few steps from the City Ground stadium, there is a positive atmosphere that reflects the new technical course. On the eve of matches, training is accompanied by music played from a large speaker on the sidelines, with Callum Hudson-Odoi in the role of designated DJ. A choice made by Pereira himself, a great fan of 80s hits and convinced that playlists help reduce tension in the most delicate moments.
Among the innovations introduced by the manager is also the obligation, imposed on players, to eat together at the training center, in order to strengthen team spirit and internal communication. Multilingual and with a background as a teacher, Pereira also speaks Italian fluently, which has facilitated dialogue with Nicolás Domínguez (former Bologna) and Lorenzo Lucca (who arrived in January on loan from Napoli). The change in the entire environment has been evident. After a period of stress and long faces under the guidance of the previous coaches in Nottingham this season, Sean Dyche and Ange Postecoglou, Forest has regained serenity and confidence thanks to a more relaxed and collaborative approach, in line with what was already seen with Nuno Espírito Santo last season – which ended in seventh place.
“The coach’s philosophy,” explained Ola Aina, former Torino defender, “is clear and engaging. And it’s easy to follow. It’s working and we hope it continues like this, because we are experiencing a fantastic moment.” Pereira has quickly integrated into the city’s reality, even visiting the statue of Brian Clough, an absolute legend of Forest and English football. By his side works a consolidated staff of collaborators and analysts, many of whom have followed him for years: Luís Miguel for set pieces, Bruno Moura and Pedro Lopes for studying opponents, and Filipe Almeida, responsible for analyzing the team’s performance.
A key role is reserved for data and statistics: in addition to the increase in goals scored, the number of tactical fouls in the offensive half has increased, used to interrupt opponents’ counterattacks. A strategy that highlights Pereira’s attention to detail and management of match moments. The squad, deep and versatile, also allows the coach to adapt the setup based on opponents. It is therefore not surprising that, at the time of his arrival, Pereira wondered – along with owner Evangelos Marinakis – how a team rich in talent, with players like Anderson, Gibbs-White, and Murillo, could find itself fighting for survival. Among the key factors of the revival, the return of Chris Wood after a long knee injury should also be noted. The New Zealand striker, invaluable in off-the-ball work, has helped enhance the qualities of Igor Jesus, completing an attacking department that is now among the most effective in the league. Result? An extraordinary moment of form: Forest is unbeaten in the last eight Premier League matches and has reached its first European semi-final since 1984. And not only that: since Pereira has been on the bench, no Premier League team has scored more goals than Forest (16). Not bad at all.