“We have the same crazy DNA!” - Vítor Pereira heads to Brazil with Corinthians
Vítor Pereira flew to São Paulo on Friday afternoon after becoming the latest Portuguese coach to take a high-profile job in South America with Brazilian giants Corinthians.
Pereira joins Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras) and Paulo Sousa (Flamengo) to make a trio of Luso coaches guiding some of the very biggest clubs in Brazil. Speaking to journalists as he departed Portugal, Pereira discussed his reasons for choosing Corinthians as his latest step in a varied career coaching abroad.
The move represents quite the turnaround for ex-Porto boss Pereira, who was thought to be close to accepting an offer from English club Everton earlier this year. The job on Merseyside fell through, but an opportunity to coach the second-best supported club in Brazil arose in recent weeks, with president Duílio Monteiro Alves confirming the appointment on Wednesday.
“Corinthians and I have a little bit of the same DNA: crazy DNA. I'm a little crazy,” Pereira told reporters. “I always choose projects that challenge me and in which I feel the passion is there.
“What also convinced me was the championship - which is competitive – and the quality of the players, plus the fact that the club has an incredible fan base. And the president who insisted, insisted, insisted and insisted until he convinced me. I am very emotional and intuitive. Sometimes I get on well, other times badly.
“Pressure is what I like. If I didn't have pressure I wouldn't go. I choose projects with pressure because that's the only way I can give my best. I'm not one for promises and a lot of talking. I'm about work. I will do my best and to help build the best team possible, with attractive, organised and tactically strong football.”
There will be plenty of pressure on Pereira, not least because Corinthians have a fanbase estimated at nearly 30 million. With Jorge Jesus and Abel Ferreira already having achieved substantial success, including each winning the Copa Libertadores, there is also expectation placed on new Portuguese bosses, and Pereira spoke highly of his countrymen.
“I already spoke with Abel and Paulo Sousa,” he said. “But it wouldn’t be their opinion that would make me accept this project. What makes me go is the passion I feel in this club.
“Abel is a spectacular coach and I have no doubts about Paulo. But I am who I am, I won't compare myself to anyone. I had rivalry in every club I chose, that's what I like. I'm going to have a lot of people pressuring me and that's good for me.
“The negotiation was not quick because I had the intention of going to England. I was in England for a week because I had the chance to sign for Everton. It didn't happen, but I wasn't then mentally prepared to go to Brazil at that point. But they insisted so much, wanted so much, that I was convinced that this was the right project. Because I am a very intuitive person.
“I have been to Brazil more than once, but I didn’t feel it was the time [to coach there] but now I let myself be carried away by intuition.”
Pereira may not be the last Portuguese to sign up for the 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro. The likes of Luís Castro, Renato Paiva and Carlos Carvalhal have also been linked with the vacancies at Botafogo and Santos.
By Sean Gillen