Gary O’Neil could be set for a return to management, with a club shortlisting the former Wolves boss.
Gary O’Neil has been out of work since being relieved of his duties back in December, after leaving Wolves on just nine points.
Speculation had been rife about O’Neil for weeks before his sacking.
Many felt he should have been let go after the 5-3 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League, and then after an awful 4-0 defeat to Everton, who were really struggling themselves at the time.
But O’Neil clung on, until a 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich proved to be the final straw.
In the end, O’Neil just couldn’t get what he needed to out of the players, and Wolves could not defend him. O’Neil himself also lamented the sale of Pedro Neto, after it had looked at one point as though he would stay.
But now, seven months on from his sacking, O’Neil could be set for a return to the game.
Gary O’Neil a candidate to become new Leicester manager after Wolves sacking
Gary O'Neil drinks water while managing Wolves.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Unlike Wolves, Leicester City did not stay in the Premier League in 2024/25.
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The Foxes endured a very tough season, finishing in 18th place on 25 points.
Ruud van Nistelrooy recently left the King Power Stadium after a dismal stint as manager, and the search is now on for them to replace the Dutchman.
And according to John Percy, Gary O’Neil was actually interviewed last week in London for the job, as was Chris Wilder.
Leicester are apparently hoping to name a new manager later this week.
O’Neil has also previously been linked with Sheffield United, and his former club Norwich City,
What Gary O’Neil will do in his next job after Wolves learning curve
As much as O’Neil struggled at Wolves at the end of his reign, he is still a young manager with promise.
He made plenty of mistakes at Molineux, but he did also oversee exciting periods in his first season at the club.
He can clearly get his teams to score goals. But O’Neil’s undoing last season was his inability to get Wolves to be strong defensively.
Gary O’Neil record at Wolves
Games managed – 54
Wins – 15
Draws – 10
Losses – 29
Goals scored – 74
Goals conceded – 105
Pointing to bad luck, O’Neil said of Wolves’ set-pieces: “A lot was down to the bad luck of us missing people with aerial presence during that period.
“The more you concede, the more the confidence starts to drop. But things not going well forces your focus on to them. In my time between Bournemouth and Wolves, would I have been looking at set pieces much?
“Probably not. But because of how Wolves finished up it increases my focus. We’ll definitely be much better at them the next time we go in.”
If O’Neil can ensure his next team has at least a decent level of solidity, he will surely do well.