Nottingham Forest didn’t waste any time finding Vitor Pereira’s replacement. Oliver Glasner, the former Crystal Palace boss who left Selhurst Park after his contract expired, is expected to take over at the City Ground. The timing is a little weird — Pereira only got the job in February — but that’s Premier League football for you.
Pereira’s exit was confirmed Wednesday night, and it caught pretty much everyone off guard. The 57-year-old had signed an 18-month deal back in February, guided Forest to safety in the league, and dragged them all the way to the Europa League semifinals. They lost to Aston Villa, who eventually won the whole thing. So not a bad little run for a guy who wasn’t supposed to be there that long anyway.
In a statement released Thursday, Pereira sounded genuinely caught off guard. He said the decision came as a complete surprise and without any warning. But he also made a point of thanking the club, the players, and especially the fans. The guy made it clear he’s leaving with respect, not bitterness. Hard to argue with that.
Glasner, 51, is now a free agent after his contract at Crystal Palace ran out. He had a pretty impressive run in south London. Won the FA Cup, the Community Shield, and last season he led Palace to the Conference League title. That’s a trophy haul that gets you noticed. He’d been linked with some big jobs across Europe, but it looks like Forest moved fast enough to get their guy.
The question now is whether Glasner can pick up where Pereira left off. That Europa League run was real, and Forest fans had started to believe in what they were building. But the Premier League is a different animal every season, and Glasner will need to hit the ground running. No pressure.
Forest hasn’t officially confirmed the appointment yet, but multiple reports have Glasner locked in. It’s a move that makes sense on paper. Now we’ll see if it works on grass.
Leave a Comment