Wolves crashed to yet another defeat in the Premier League on Sunday against Burnley, and there were unsavoury scenes after the full-time whistle.
Wolves lost the contest in the last minute, as Lyle Foster scored after a turnover in possession close to the Old Gold’s box.
He finished calmly past the onrushing Sam Johnstone, and moments later there were loud boos on confirmation of the result.
Vitor Pereira and Jorgen Strand Larsen were at the heart of some ugly scenes in front of the South Bank.
Strand Larsen said after the game: “It’s not nice. We don’t want that, but it’s what you need sometimes, to let the frustration out.
“I was just trying to listen a bit, and we can understand the frustration.”
Pereira had suggested he wanted support for him and his players. Seemingly, he reacted in the way he did because he didn’t get that support.
After the game, journalist Liam Keen gave credit to three players who were there and took some of the flak.
The Wolves trio who fronted up to the South Bank
This was arguably the lowest moment in what has been a dismal season for Wolves.
There have been some bad results, but largely, there has been a level of support for Pereira, with most of the anger directed towards Jeff Shi and Fosun.
But after that defeat to Burnley, it was clear to see that many have now turned on the Portuguese.
The players also came in for a huge amount of stick, with chants of ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ heard in the first-half when Wolves were losing.
The anger of the South Bank was clear, but journalist Liam Keen pointed out some Wolves players who genuinely fronted up after the game.
He said (via E&S): “Really ugly scenes at the end. Most of the players stood a little bit further back clapping the South Bank, while the South Bank went absolutely bonkers at them and rightly so. The majority of players stayed back.
“Massive credit to Krejci, Joao Gomes and a young player in Rodrigo Gomes, who was fantastic today. Those three players actually, properly approached the South Bank, got much closer to them and took the flak.
“Particularly Rodrigo Gomes who’s a young lad who’s come back into the team the last couple of games, to actually show a bit of bottle. Fair play to him. But what does that say about the leadership in that squad and in that dressing room?
“Where are the other players coming forward? Where were the staff, where were the coaches? We’re relying on a young lad to come forward and put himself in the firing line and massive credit to him, because he didn’t deserve any flak today for his performance.
“Strand Larsen does take a bit of the flak and fair play to him, he approaches the South Bank. We don’t know what was said down there.”
Vitor Pereira under major pressure
The scenes yesterday after the defeat to Burnley felt very significant.
Amid the increasing pressure, we have not seen anything like that – and clearly many fans have now turned on the manager.
It is so disappointing we have now reached this point. Because it could have been so different.
It started off so promising under Pereira, who did a terrific job last term keeping Wolves in the Premier League, building a brilliant connection with the fans.
But yesterday was an awful look for him, and Fosun clearly now have a decision to make regarding the head coach.
One suspects that it would be a much easier call to make had the owners not handed him a new contract only last month.