Wolves were just embarrassed at Goodison Park by Everton but all the talk after the game has been dominated by the future of Gary O’Neil.
Heading into the relegation six-pointer at Goodison, Wolves knew that it was a must-win, otherwise, there would be no way back for Gary O’Neil.
Everton had failed to score in their previous four matches, so when they thrashed the Old Gold, the message after the game was clear and has been for some time.
Wolves fans are desperate for O’Neil to be sacked, and although his future in the dugout is hanging in the balance, he still addressed the media on Thursday ahead of the clash against West Ham.
During the press conference, O’Neil commented on his future at Wolves and also reflected on his time as manager, with it likely that his 16th-month tenure is coming to an end.
Gary O'Neil, head coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers speaks with the media during a press conference at The Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground on Decem...
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Gary O’Neil reflects on his time as Wolves manager in press conference
The life of a football manager is volatile and O’Neil is the prime example, as the Englishman has gone from being a likeable figure at Molineux to one that is heavily disliked and understandably so.
In the early stages, the former Bournemouth man was credited for the job he had done under difficult circumstances, guiding the Wanderers to an FA Cup quarter-final and threatening to gatecrash the European places.
Of course, the season unravelled into a bit of a damp squib as Wolves finished 14th in the Premier League last term.
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However, when O’Neil was expected to take the club forward, they’ve trended in the other direction – currently sitting 19th in the table with the worst defence in the league.
It’s come to the point where O’Neil’s position in the dugout is no longer tenable, with the 41-year-old now reflecting on what life was like a year ago while praising the fans as ‘special’.
“I came in at a tough time and wasn’t the most popular appointment, but the fan base united with the playing group and it will always be one of my most fond memories in football. There were some special moments,” he said.
What O’Neil said after Everton defeat points towards Wolves exit
In the aftermath of the defeat to Everton, it’s clear he has no way back at Wolves, regardless of whether he’s still in charge or not.
The Wolves board have placed pressure on O’Neil, although at this current stage, he could be given the West Ham game on Monday.
In his press conference, the manager spoke about how his side are preparing for that game but there is still a possibility he could be sacked before then, despite O’Neil surviving after the Everton disaster.
Speaking to BBC Radio West Midlands last night, the Wolves boss appeared resigned to his exit, as he claimed he wanted to leave the club in the best place possible.
“I’ll work for the next few hours and tomorrow morning to leave this club in the best possible shape,” O’Neil said.
So, heading into their next fixture, don’t be surprised if he receives the boot as Wolves are already lining up replacements for O’Neil.
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