A Wolves youngster has now explained how he’ll break into Gary O’Neil’s first-team plans in the 2024/25 season.
For Wolves, a 14th-place finish was seen as progress from the Julen Lopetegui era as Gary O’Neil worked miracles with a depleted squad.
The Old Gold were ravaged with injuries, particularly towards the end of the campaign, and that forced O’Neil into drafting some players in from his academy.
Nathan Fraser, Leon Chiwome and Tawanda Chirewa were all given first-team minutes while 16-year-old Wesley Okoduwa was even named among the substitutes in a few matches.
In terms of how the academy developed across the campaign, O’Neil deserves a huge pat on the back for throwing youngsters into the deep end, with Chirewa given opportunities to showcase his worth.
The 2003-born attacking midfielder was captured from Ipswich Town last year and on top of scoring five goals in seven matches in Premier League 2, the 20-year-old made eight senior appearances in the top flight, one of which was a start against Arsenal.
Tawanda Chirewa outlines how he’ll impress Gary O’Neil
Wolves youngsters had an opportunity to impress last term as multiple key players suffered injuries.
With O’Neil already strengthening his first-team squad after signing Tommy Doyle, Rodrigo Gomes and Pedro Lima, opportunities for young players breaking through look at a premium.
That hasn’t stopped Chirewa from attempting to become a regular fixture in the first-team, though, with the “excellent” Wolves gem now revealing the lengths he’ll go to just to impress O’Neil and earn a chance in the senior side.
Speaking to the E&S, Chirewa said: “When I come back in for pre-season, I just want to kick on. “That’s what I’m looking forward to now. I wish it was happening tomorrow. I can’t wait to have a full pre-season with a gaffer because this time last summer, I wasn’t even here yet, so I can’t wait for that.
“I can’t wait to show everyone my ability and show everyone how hard I’m going to work over the summer. I’m not taking any days off, I’m doing everything I can to be ready for next season. I’m going to try and get bigger because I’m a little too skinny right now!
“I’ll get bigger and stronger, faster, better with the ball and just completely a better player.
“I know players are going to come in, players are going to leave, and there are still a lot of top players ahead of me, so I’m going to have to try and overtake them. I can’t wait for next season.”
Tawanda Chirewa isn’t ready for Premier League football
Chirewa’s ambition has to be admired but on the evidence of what we saw last season, he’s not ready to play Premier League football.
The 20-year-old benefitted from a chance in the first-team due to O’Neil’s depleted squad and if the likes of Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan weren’t injured, he’d have probably never got a look in.
For the youngster to impress O’Neil, the best way for him to get noticed is by being sent on loan to a side in the EFL, perhaps in League One, where he’ll get a regular taste of senior football.
That experience would hold him in good stead and who knows, may propel him towards stardom at Molineux.