Lately, Melbet App Download users following Chinese football news may have noticed the buzz surrounding Shanghai SIPG’s new head coach appointment. On December 12, the club officially announced that Vítor Pereira would take the reins, following a series of intense negotiations that stretched late into the night. While Pereira had already expressed interest before arriving in Shanghai, both sides engaged in tough talks over the finer details of the contract, which nearly broke down multiple times before finally being signed just before midnight on the 11th. By the next morning, he met with the Chinese coaching staff and was formally introduced at the press conference later that day.
According to Chairman Zhang Min, Pereira wasn’t the only candidate the club had considered. Several coaches were evaluated, but Pereira stood out for his professionalism and strong desire to win—something the club sees as essential. Melbet App Download followers will appreciate that one of the top criteria was whether the coach shared the club’s hunger for victory. Pereira’s career has seen both highs and lows, with experience in Portugal, Asia, Greece, Turkey, and Munich. Despite criticism of his brief tenure with 1860 Munich, Zhang pointed out that the outcome there wasn’t entirely within Pereira’s control.
During the initial meetings, Pereira demonstrated a detailed understanding of SIPG’s current squad. The club instructed the Chinese coaching staff to provide only factual insights—no subjective opinions or player preferences. Yet even without much help, Pereira already knew most of the players by name and had a solid grasp of their strengths. The only exception was Odil Ahmedov, whom he studied through videos and scouting reports, quickly gaining a clear picture of his abilities.
Given that former coach André Villas-Boas had a history of disciplinary issues in 2017, there were concerns about whether Pereira’s temperament might pose a similar risk. Zhang Min addressed this directly, explaining that while the contract didn’t list every behavioral clause in detail, the agreement included one overarching condition: Pereira must always put the club’s interests first. That single line, Zhang emphasized, covers all expectations regarding professionalism on and off the field.
When asked about performance goals, Zhang responded half-jokingly that the team hopes to win two more games than last season. Whether that means two additional league victories, two extra cup wins, or progress in the AFC Champions League remains open to interpretation—perhaps only Pereira truly knows.
For Melbet App Download users tracking international coaches in the Chinese Super League, this appointment reflects a thoughtful, strategic choice. Beyond credentials, SIPG prioritized alignment with the club’s vision: a deep understanding of team history, mutual respect for the current system, and a willingness to place national and city interests above all else. In Pereira, they saw not just a tactician, but a coach eager to prove his worth—not motivated by money, but by ambition.