Hwang Hee-chan’s decline this season has been sad to watch, and Wolves have suffered as a result.
Last season, Hwang was on fire for Wolves. The South Korean plundered 13 goals in all competitions and matched Matheus Cunha’s tally of 12 in the Premier League.
Since being injured on international duty in 2023/24, the 29-year-old has been knocked completely out of his stride. Hwang’s lack of confidence and persistent injury troubles have impacted his performances.
He’s scored just twice in 17 top-flight appearances in 2024/25, both of which came against Manchester United and Tottenham at the end of December.
But just when he was showing glimpses of his best form, Hwang suffered an injury against Blackburn Rovers at the start of February and has only just returned to the squad.
Wolves arguably need their out-of-form attacker now more than ever, with Matheus Cunha set to miss three matches through suspension, and Vitor Pereira is confident he can deliver.
Vitor Pereira praises Hwang Hee-chan’s attributes
It must be horrible being a striker who is going through a rough patch. Confidence and belief is at an all-time low but according to Pereira, one goal can change everything.
Speaking about Hwang ahead of Wolves clash against Everton, Pereira said via the E&S: “He likes to play as a nine, but he’s a different nine.
“He’s a nine that, in the limit of offside, is dangerous because he’s fast, he’s fast in a short space. If he’s confident, he can score goals, because he has this good shooting.
“Sometimes it just takes a goal and a click. A goal is a click to start scoring. I have experience in my career with top strikers and sometimes, from nothing, they lose the confidence. and they get the confidence from nothing again. One goal changes everything.”
In the absence of Cunha, Hwang will be vying to be the main man alongside Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Pereira holds the key to unlocking the former Leipzig star.
Pereira’s brilliant track record with centre-forwards
Across an illustrious managerial career, Pereira’s excellent man management skills have stuck out like a sore thumb and, in turn, seen his players ooze with confidence.
The 56-year-old boasts a track record of getting the best out of the many centre-forwards he’s worked with, including Robin van Persie at Fenerbache, Jackson Martinez at Porto, and Marko Arnautovic at Shanghai SIPG.
| Player | Appearances under Vitor Pereira | Goals |
| Hulk (Shanghai SIPG & Porto) | 135 | 65 |
| Jackson Martinez (Porto) | 45 | 31 |
| Lei Wu (Shanghai SIPG) | 41 | 29 |
| Robin van Persie (Fenerbache) | 47 | 21 |
| Marko Arnautovic (Shanghai SIPG) | 35 | 17 |
The above table just shows some of the many examples of strikers thriving under Pereira, and perhaps with a confidence-boosting goal, Hwang can return to his prolific best.