Gary O’Neil has given an update on his future given his recent speculation away from the club.
O’Neil clearly has a lot of potential in the managerial business. Despite only taking charge of his first club at the start of last season, the Englishman has only ever seen success.
Starting off at Bournemouth, O’Neil guided the club to Premier League safety despite the odds. Then, after unfairly being dismissed from the club, he came to Wolves.
At the time, the Molineux side was in crisis losing multiple first-team players and were backed to go down by many.
Yet, despite coming in days before the start of the season, O’Neil has guided Wolves to an FA Cup quarter-final and are in contention of finishing in Europe.
This has prompted much praise from many pundits including Gary Lineker who believes he will go on to be a special manager.
On top of this multiple sides have been linked with the manager including West Ham and England. However, O’Neil has now put to bed these rumours in his latest press conference.
Gary O’Neil: ‘I’m not going anywhere’
Ahead of Fulham, O’Neil once again previewed the game. Here, he was able to update fans on the injury situation as well as his future at the club.
Matt Hobbs had spoken in the week that he was planning on giving O’Neil a new contract at the end of the season. However, the manager’s thoughts on the situation were not yet clear.
Now, O’Neil has seemingly confirmed that he is here to stay at Molineux.
He told Wolves: “I shouldn’t be linked with any jobs because I’m unavailable. I’m doing the job that I love doing and I love what we’re trying to achieve. There’s a long way to go and I’m only 16/17 months into my career and there’s still an awful lot I want to do.
“I still feel like I’m an awful lot behind where I need to be, I’m a long way behind some of the top people who have been doing it a lot longer and have achieved a lot more. I still feel like an apprentice who is working really hard to try and earn my stripes, but I am enjoying it and the Premier League is a tough place to start because you have to learn very quickly.
“But there’s still a lot of work and a lot of learning still to do. There’s a lot of work that still needs doing with the team and we’re in a really difficult part to the season, which I’ve already spoken about, that I’m really excited to get stuck into.
“I’m really excited about tomorrow, despite some of the players we’ll have missing, I’m looking forwards to working with the ones we get to play and the ones we get to see. I really want to keep the focus on the group and what we’re trying to do this weekend.”
Matt Hobbs’ relationship key
For many, when O’Neil walked through the door, the appointment was uninspiring. Wolves had just let Julen Lopetegui, an internationally recognised manager, walk out their door and replace them with a man who hadn’t managed a full season.
His start wasn’t great either with some poor defeats against Brighton and Ipswich making some fans question if he was the right man.
However, one person who always had belief was Hobbs. The sporting director has backed his man and is now reaping the rewards of the appointment.
In the presser, O’Neil commented that he ‘hadn’t had support like it before’ as he credited Hobbs as being ‘incredible’.
“I love it here,” he added. “I’m obviously really happy and love everything we’re trying to do. Even the challenges that we’ve had to face with how we try and do things and changing the model financially, but I love it here. I’ve loved the reception that I’ve had off the fans, the relationship I have with the fans, the playing squad, the staff, so when the times comes to discuss things like that [a new contract] the discussions will take place.
“Me and Matt get on really well and I’m sure when it comes to it there will be no problems. I wouldn’t be here without Matt, firstly. When I first met him to discuss the role we got on really well, and the support I’ve had from him has been something I’ve not really experienced in football before, as a player or as a manager. The amount of support he gives me is incredible, and as with most of the people here and the playing squad, he’s just a really good guy.
“We have really honest, deep conversations about things and I really appreciate everything he’s done for us. The recruitment that the club managed to do last January as well, they signed some fantastic players who have allowed us to be in this position, so it’s a very good relationship with Matt and I’m thankful that he’s spoken nicely about me.”
A successful first season under Gary O’Neil
No matter what happens now, many will see this season as highly successful. Despite the doom and gloom in August, Wolves have not been in a relegation battle at any point this season.
On top of this, the club are on the verge of a Wembley appearance and three wins away from an FA Cup and a European campaign once more.
It seems clear that there is a long-term plan for the future of the club in place with Hobbs and O’Neil having a clear understanding of what Wolves need to be to progress.
While this may see the sale of stars such as Pedro Neto, many fans now seem far more trusting of the process compared to last summer.
If Wolves could hit Europe or certainly win the FA Cup, it would be the most successful campaign the club has had in many fan’s lifetimes.
But no matter how the season pans out from this position, it is fair to say that under O’Neil campaign has been a success.