Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has vowed to keep giving his all amidst growing speculation about his future at the club. Despite Wolves languishing near the bottom of the Premier League with only two wins from 14 games, O’Neil is determined to turn things around, starting with their upcoming match against West Ham on Monday night.
At a press conference, he said: "I can only keep going until things change."
He added, "And as far as I’m aware – I took training (on Friday morning), players who started (at Everton) have recovered and the players who didn’t play have trained."
Emphasising his work ethic, O’Neil stated, "You won’t find anyone more hard-working or professional than me, so we watched the game back and have come back in, watched it back again, started to get ready for West Ham."
He expressed confidence in preparing the team for their next challenge: "I know I can get the group in a good place to go to West Ham and give their best again on Monday."
After snapping a 10-game winless streak with two consecutive victories last month, Wolves suffered heavy defeats to Bournemouth and Everton, piling pressure on the club. However, O’Neil's primary concern is for the supporters rather than himself.
"I’m not hurting on a personal level, I’m more disappointed for the fanbase really," he remarked. Understanding the fans' passion, he concluded, "I understand how much it means to them every weekend. I was a football fan myself and I know how important those days are to you and how your club gets on, how they perform makes you feel."
Speaking on the supporters' commitments, the gaffer said: "I know how much they give – travel, time, money – to support the football club, so I have a good understanding of how they feel."
On handling criticism, he added, "I always say the criticism is part and parcel. At Fulham, when we were stood in front of them (the fans) after scoring four goals in a fantastic display, everyone’s happy and takes the plaudits."
He emphasised his approach during tough times, stating that "When it doesn’t go so well you need to stand up. My mentality will always be to go front on with whatever we face, to make sure we lead the group and lead the football club."
O’Neil, who succeeded Julien Lopetegui as manager of Wolves back in August 2023, is gearing up to face the Spaniard, currently at the helm of West Ham, for their first encounter on Monday. In team news, defender Nelson Semedo is once again available after serving a suspension, and a decision on Pablo Sarabia will come shortly; the forward's participation against Everton was thwarted by a calf issue.