Wolves fans are gearing up for a new dawn after Gary O’Neil was sacked by the club on Sunday.
The decision was finally taken by Fosun, despite Jeff Shi’s public backing for O’Neil just days before the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town.
They had so desperately wanted for him to turn things around.
But things were becoming increasingly bleak under him, and it was finally decided on Sunday that he would go.
The decision to definitely sack O’Neil was actually made after the Everton game, but there wasn’t a clear recruitment plan in place at that time.
Vitor Pereira is currently in talks with Wolves to take over, and fans will hope he can guide the club to safety.
O’Neil was perhaps given more time that he should have in the end, but that was understandable given his relationship with Matt Hobbs.
Gary O’Neil’s relationship with Matt Hobbs ‘remained especially strong’ even at the end
Gary O'Neil, head coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers (R) poses with Matt Hobbs, sporting director of Wolverhampton Wanderers after signing a new deal...
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
Following the departure of Julen Lopetegui just days before the 2023/24 season, sporting director Matt Hobbs was tasked with landing a successor.
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O’Neil had just been sacked by Bournemouth, with many feeling that was a harsh decision.
O’Neil greatly impressed Hobbs in his interview, and he was given the gig.
For a while, it looked as though this appointment would really bear fruit, but for several reasons, it just didn’t work out in the end.
But there’s no ill feeling between O’Neil and Hobbs.
As per The Athletic, Hobbs called O’Neil on Sunday morning to inform him of the club’s decision, and O’Neil left Wolves with goodwill still intact.
His relationship with Hobbs is said to have ‘remained especially strong’, and it’s stated O’Neil felt Hobbs kept up his end of the bargain when it came to lining up deals for more experienced players. Some of these deals were said to have gone unsanctioned in the end.
Fosun failed Gary O’Neil
There has been a fair bit of criticism for Hobbs in recent weeks, with some feeling that he should have been more ruthless over O’Neil.
O’Neil was essentially his appointment, and the feeling for some was that he should have swallowed his pride a lot sooner and taken the decision to remove O’Neil.
But it’s understandable he wanted to give his man time to turn things around. But ultimately, for some time there had been a real lack of evidence O’Neil would be able to do that.
Gary O’Neil’s record at Wolves
Games managed – 63
Wins – 20
Draws – 11
Losses – 32
Goals scored – 94
Goals conceded – 117
In the end, O’Neil fell short of the standards expected. But everyone associated with Wolves knows that the issues are much bigger than him.
He was not suitably backed by Fosun, which was also the case with other managers. O’Neil and Hobbs were on the same page, but that couldn’t count for much with Fosun seemingly not sanctioning deals they were interested in.
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