Gary O’Neil could very well be the Wolves manager right now, but the Englishman pulled himself out of the running before Rob Edwards was appointed – now it seems another job has passed him by.
In the immediate days after Vitor Pereira’s dismissal, it certainly seemed like Gary O’Neil was coming back to Molineux.
Wolves fans were not pleased with the news, but not too long after, the 42-year-old decided it was not the right time for a return.
O’Neil has spoken about Rob Edwards taking on the job, and the former Wolves man is backing the new head coach to be a success.
Since then, there have been other opportunities for O’Neil, and Norwich seemed like an excellent chance to get back into the game.
However, the latest news suggests that may not be happening now.
Gary O’Neil will not become Norwich manager
Gary O’Neil was one of the leading contenders to become the next Norwich manager after the Canaries sacked Liam Manning.
O’Neil had spent two years of his playing career at Carrow Road, and after a return to Wolves did not entice him, it appears a return to Norwich was the same.
A report from journalist Conor Southwell says, “O’Neil was among the candidates who held face-to-face talks with sporting director Ben Knapper, technical director Neil Adams, head of recruitment Lee Dunn and representatives from src ftbl (a football consultancy and data provider) in London last week – but now isn’t expected to return to the club that he played for between 2014 and 2016.
“It’s understood both parties have decided to move on to other options after those conversations concluded.”
After being sacked by Wolves in December 2024, the wait for his next role continues.
There is no doubt that Gary O’Neil is a quality coach, but the situation at Wolves last season was untenable for him, and sacking him was the correct move.
It is vital that he gets his next job right, and he could be making the smartest move possible at this moment.
Gary O’Neil is correct to wait for the right opportunity
Returning to Wolves was never a good idea for Gary O’Neil, and most fans would not have been on his side from day one.
The former Wanderers boss is doing all the right things, though, when it comes to his next managerial role, as it is smart to wait for the right opportunity rather than pounce at the first offer.
He is certainly a man who is still well received in the football world, and it will not be long until he is back on the touchline.
For Wolves fans, they’ll be looking ahead to their own future, with Hwang Hee-chan still confident they can survive relegation.
It is time to get fully behind Rob Edwards.