Ally McCoist forced to eat his words as 'massive' Vitor Pereira gamble pays off for Nottingham Forest
Vitor Pereira has every right to walk around with a smug look after keeping Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this season.
The former Wolves boss was extremely underestimated when he was appointed back in February, becoming Forest's fourth manager of the 2025-26 campaign after Sean Dyche's sacking.
However, he achieved exactly what Evangelos Marinakis brought him in to do, keeping the Reds in England's top tier, even finishing above Tottenham Hotspur with a 16th-place standing.
Despite winning 40 per cent of his games in charge, speculation remains around Pereira's future at the City Ground. But with more success wanted at Forest, a new contract appears to be on the cards.
Vitor Pereira has become a fan favourite at the City Ground
Football Insider understands that Marinakis is prepared to hand Pereira a "big budget" this summer, suggesting that the hard-to-please owner has been greatly impressed by the manager.
While it was far from a perfect season at the City Ground, Forest securing Premier League safety and making it to the Europa League semi-finals should definitely be seen as a success.
Several pundits doubted the move for Pereira back in February, especially Ally McCoist, who described the appointment as a "massive gamble," also labelling it as a decision that Marinakis must "live and die by" [TNT Sports].
| Vitor Pereira | Games | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
| Nottingham Forest | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 40% |
It wasn't just McCoist who doubted the Portuguese figure, but he was by far one of the loudest voices. Now, his apologies need to be just as loud after Pereira's success at the City Ground.
Which Nottingham Forest players could be sacrificed this summer?
If the Reds want to avoid getting caught up in another Premier League relegation battle, the summer transfer window will be absolutely essential.
It won't just be about incomings, either. Keeping the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Murillo, Neco Williams and Ibrahim Sangare will be vital, though Forest are resigned to losing Elliot Anderson.
Many would expect James McAtee to be one of the first names out of the exit doors, but it is believed that those behind the scenes have been impressed and predict him to flourish next season.
A new strike force is certainly a main priority, but Pereira will need to be careful about who he brings in, given how poor Lorenzo Lucca was during the 2025-26 campaign.