Wolves Women manager Dan McNamara has been speaking about Gary O’Neil, and shared something he finds fascinating watching him on the touchline.
O’Neil has enjoyed a fabulous first six months at Molineux, having come in just days before the start of the new season.
Wolves were all set for a season of struggle, following the outgoings of several key players and the exit of Julen Lopetegui.
But Gary O’Neil came in and didn’t just steady the ship. He’s set a very exciting new course, and fans are now daring to dream of European football – something that seemed absolutely out of the question previously.
O’Neil is now starting to come in the praise he deserves, having got all the players to buy into him, with McNamara also signing his praises on Wolves Weekly.
The manager of the women’s team has noticed something fascinating about O’Neil on the touchline for Wolves and admits it’s something he himself would like to copy…
Dan McNamara calls Gary O’Neil’s touchline mannerisms ‘fascinating’
McNamara, like most Wolves fans, has been blown away by what O’Neil has done at Molineux in such a short space of time.
As a manager though, his eyes are on the 40-year-old more than most, and he’s said that he watches the tactician closely on matchday.
McNamara is a big fan of the way O’Neil carries himself on the touchline, and says his calm mannerisms are something he hopes to display himself as manager of the Women’s team.
He said on Wolves Weekly: “I go to the match and I just watch him. Obviously being in that position with the women, I just find it fascinating. His mannerisms, he never gets too emotionally involved in the game.
“You always see him concentrating on what’s coming next and trying to adapt and change things to be better in that moment. It’s an area, as a young coach, that I’m trying to develop – being more tactically aware and not as emotionally involved. I find it fascinating watching him.”
O’Neil strikes a good blend
It’s interesting to hear this perspective from McNamara.
O’Neil tends not to get overly emotional on the touchline when Wolves play, but nor does he sit in his chair and observe.
He tends to prowl his technical area and can get animated, but he never loses his composure or anything – even though there have been situations this season where he could easily have done that, such as the many awful refereeing decisions Wolves have been stung by.