Vitor Pereira insists he “believes in the quality of the players” at Nottingham Forest as he looks to keep the club in the Premier League.
Forest are just three points above the relegation zone after their goalless draw against Wolves last time out, which led to the sacking of Sean Dyche.
And after the earlier dismissals of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou, Forest became the second club to see three different permanent managers leave during the same Premier League campaign, after Watford in 2019-20.
Forest are winless in their last three league games, but Pereira’s first match at the helm comes in the Europa League, as they face Fenerbahce in the first leg of the play-off round on Thursday.
In his first press conference as Forest boss, the Portuguese coach was eager to focus on the future, rather than the failures of the managers who came before him.
“I prefer to speak about the present and the future,” said Pereira.
“It’s a difficult season for the players because they have different methodologies and managers.
“I believe the reason why I accepted this job is because I believe in the quality of the players, the potential of this club, the ambition of the president [Evangelos Marinakis]. This is the best league, as I said before, in the world.
“I really believe in our work and together we can increase our level.”
Vítor Pereira’s first press conference as Forest Head Coach.
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) February 17, 2026
Pereira was sacked by Wolves earlier this season, with the club still bottom of the Premier League after failing to win any of their first 10 games of 2025-26 under him.
Following his appointment at Molineux in December 2024, Pereira won 10 of his 32 games in charge (D5 L17) and averaged 1.1 points per game, saving them from relegation in 2024-25 but then overseeing a terrible start which has doomed them this campaign.
“I learned this is a league which we cannot make mistakes in,” said Pereira when asked about his time with Wolves.
“Mistakes will be punished. The league will punish the teams and the clubs who make mistakes.
“The high level of this league has conditions to compete and, on one small detail, you lose. In a second you can lose and in a second you can win.”