Former Porto and Fenerbahce boss Vitor Pereira has been unveiled as the new manager of Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG.
Pereira replaces fellow Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas, after the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss left the CSL side at the end of the season to compete in the 2018 Dakar Rally.
Villas-Boas steered SIPG to second in the league as well as to the final of the Chinese FA Cup, which they lost to arch rivals Shanghai Shenhua, and semi-finals of the Asian Champions League. But he had promised the SIPG president silverware.
And Pereira has already vowed to go one better and win a trophy. The 49-year-old is handed the task of ending Guangzhou Evergrande's dominance after they notched up a seventh straight CSL title this year.
It is not the first time that Pereira has replaced Villas-Boas, either. He worked as Villas-Boas' assistant when Porto won the Europa League title in 2011, before taking over as head coach when the latter departed for Stamford Bridge.
He went on to win the Portuguese League twice in a row in 2011-12 and 2012-13. However, his managerial record has faltered of late.
He left 1860 Munich after they were relegated to the German third tier in May, and was previously sacked after one season at Turkish giants Fenerbahce, where he fell out with Dutch striker Robin van Persie. His last success was a Greek league and cup double at Olympiakos in 2015.
All of which has left SIPG supporters underwhelmed by the appointment.
SIPG have invested heavily in foreign playing talent in an attempt to claim the title, breaking the Chinese Super League transfer record three times in 2016.
The signing of Brazilian midfielder Oscar from Chelsea for £60 million last December eclipsed the £47 million deal for Hulk from Zenit St Petersburg in June 2016.
SIPG also broke the transfer record when they signed Elkeson from Guangzhou Evergrande for £16 million in January 2016.
In conclusion, Vitor Pereira has two options: win some silverware, or consider a new career as a rally driver.
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