Gary O’Neil reacts at the final whistle after Wolves lost 2-1 at home to Ipswich Town.Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters
Gary O’Neil has been sacked as the Wolves head coach after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich. Wolves have won only two out of 16 league games this term, and are second from bottom with nine points.
Wolves’ only two victories came back to back, at home to Southampton and away at Fulham, to potentially revive O’Neil’s fortunes. Since then, though, Wolves have lost four in a row. Defeats to Bournemouth, Everton and West Ham piled the pressure on and Jack Taylor’s late winner for Ipswich at an angry Molineux proved the last straw.
O’Neil took charge in August 2023 after Julen Lopetegui’s departure and guided the team to a comfortable 14th place in his one full season. The summer departures of Pedro Neto to Chelsea and Max Kilman to West Ham weakened Wolves in a window when profitability and sustainability concerns framed their dealings.
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Defensive frailities have been repeatedly exposed. Wolves have conceded a league-high 40 goals – six more than any other team. Now, the club’s patience has run out, despite chairman Jeff Shi publicly backing O’Neil earlier this week.
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