Bilic spoke to West Brom star to try and cut out ‘Extreme’ part of his game – report
Slaven Bilic and West Brom coaches spoke to Matheus Pereira last season to try and cut out his tendency to go to ground easily, according to The Athletic.
Steve Madeley wrote that in order to be rated by neutral supporters, the 24-year-old “must lose his habit of simulation” and Bilic has made an effort to cut out the “extreme excesses”.
Pereira was the most fouled player in the Championship last season [WhoScored] as the Baggies won promotion to the Premier League by finishing in second place.
However, the Brazilian did leave some rival fans furious for feigning injury, rolling around on the deck and trying too hard to win the referee’s favour.
TalkSPORT host Adrian Durham previously questioned Pereira’s exaggerations after he was caught making the most of being tapped on the head by a Fulham player back in July.
We love Pereira.
We think he is one of the most talented players that West Brom have had in their squad for a very long time and the fact a permanent deal for him has now been announced, we cannot wait to see what he can do in the Premier League.
But this side of his game is ugly – no one wants to see it.
Unfortunately, a lot of people will see it in the Premier League – the biggest league in the world – if he acts the same way he did in that Fulham match.
Pereira tries too hard sometimes both in his performances and also in his theatrics.
VAR and the millions of viewers will make their mind up on him fairly soon if he does the same in the top-flight.
In other West Brom news, this £55,000-a-week Baggies ace has been tipped to head to China this summer.
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