Shanghai SIPG name Pereira as Villas-Boas successor
Portuguese football manager Vitor Pereira, right, the newly-appointed head coach of China´s Shanghai SIPG F.C., attends a press conference ahead of the 2018 Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL) in Shanghai, China, 12 December 2017.
Shanghai SIPG on Tuesday unveiled former Porto and Fenerbahce boss Vitor Pereira as their new coach after fellow Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas left the big-spending Chinese Super League (CSL) side.
The 49-year-old Pereira, who was once assistant to Villas-Boas at Porto, has been out of football management since leaving 1860 Munich following their relegation to the third tier in May.
Pereira, who had notoriously poor relations with Dutch striker Robin van Persie before being sacked by Turkish giants Fenerbahce in August 2016, is tasked with breaking Guangzhou Evergrande's stronghold on the CSL.
Villas-Boas left Shanghai two weeks ago after a turbulent season that failed to yield a trophy despite reaching the last four of the Champions League, the final of the Chinese FA Cup and coming second behind Guangzhou in the CSL.
Pereira was assistant to Villas-Boas at Porto in the 2010-2011 season, winning the Portuguese league and cup and Europa League.
Villas-Boas subsequently left for Chelsea and Pereira became Porto boss, lifting the league title twice, before spells in charge of Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia and Olympiakos in Greece.
