In a move that sent shockwaves through the Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers have parted ways with their manager. Gary O’Neil after a poor run of results which left the club in the relegation zone.
O’Neil, who was appointed Wolves head coach in March 2022, initially enjoyed a promising start to his tenure, guiding the team to an 8th place finish in the league last season and reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. However, the team’s fortunes took a dramatic and worse turn during the ongoing campaign.
Wolves have managed just 3 wins from their opening 16 league matches, leaving them 18th in the table and four points from safety. The final straw for the club’s owners came after a 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town, which marked their fourth defeat in a row.
The decision to sack O’Neil was met with mixed reactions from Wolves fans, many of whom had initially praised the former. Bournemouth coach as a promising young tactician. However, the team’s defensive weaknesses and tactical missteps this season ultimately cost him his job.
“It’s a disappointing result, but we felt a change was necessary to give the team the best chance of avoiding relegation,” the Wolves sporting director said. Matt Hobbs. “Gary is a talented coach, but the results and performances this season have not been good enough.”
The club’s owners, Fosun International, are under increasing pressure from supporters, with some calling for them to sell the club due to a perceived lack of ambition in the transfer market.
The departures of key players like Max Kilman and Pedro Neto this summer have also been seen as contributing factors to Wolves’ struggles.
With Wolves now looking for a new manager, the focus will be on stabilizing the team and resolving the defensive issues that have plagued them throughout the campaign. With a series of crucial matches coming up, the club’s hierarchy will be hoping to find a suitable replacement who can quickly turn the team’s fortunes around and steer them away from the relegation battle.
