A return to Wolves looked to be on the cards for Gary O’Neil before he withdrew from contention, and Jermaine Pennant thinks he knows why he said no.
Before Rob Edwards became the favourite, O’Neil was firmly in the lead to take the Wolves job.
Having been sacked less than 12 months ago Wolves fans were baffled by the O’Neil links, and the wide disapproval could have something to do with his decision to step out of the race.
Premier League bosses don’t tend to do well in second spells.
But Jermaine Pennant thinks there’s another reason.
Jermaine Pennant explains why he thinks Gary O’Neil said no
Pennant played for Wolves back in 2012, but these days he’s a pundit who keeps an ear open to everything happening in the Premier League.
This week has been dominated by Wolves’ manager hunt, and the former midfielder has weighed in on O’Neil’s decision.
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Appearing on the Wildcards podcast, Pennant explains his theory as to why the old Wolves boss changed his mind about reclaiming the role.
He remarks: “I saw Gary O’Neil pulled out there with that. He pulled out. He obviously knows what’s going on behind closed doors where they’re at and he wants to pull himself out.”
O’Neil will be all too familiar with the club’s issues, and Pennant sees this as the most likely reason for his decision.
It’s a tough one. His theory makes sense, but then why would he have entertained talks in the first place? Perhaps we’ll find out once the dust settles.
Jermaine Pennant’s chequered Wolves past
It’s no controversial statement to say there are internal issues at the top level at Wolves. The decline of the club’s success in recent seasons is no coincidence.
But Pennant’s unfavourable view might be driven by another factor — the three months he spent at Molineux.
Jermaine Pennant playing for Wolves
Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images
Back in 2012, the wide man was looking for a new club after falling out of favour at Stoke City under Tony Pulis. He would join Wolves on a three-month loan, making just 15 appearances for the Old Gold. He didn’t quite show the same quality that earned him minutes at Liverpool and Arsenal.
Wolves won just two of those 15 games, and Pennant was the subject of plenty of jeers from fans during his brief stint at the club.
Not to say his thesis hasn’t got some logic behind it, but he’s certainly not Wolves’ number one fan.