Wolves are committed to battling through the festive period with Gary O’Neil leading the first-team squad.
Despite O’Neil possessing one of the worst Wolves managerial records, the Englishman lives to fight another day at Molineux.
The Wolves board don’t believe O’Neil is solely to blame for the Old Gold’s dreary start to the season, seeing the club sit 19th in the Premier League table after 15 games.
Despite criticism, the Englishman will be given time to attempt to turn the squad’s struggles around this campaign, making the festive period crucial to the club’s chances of survival.
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Gary O’Neil praised for influence on Matheus Cunha
Wolves supporters lost faith in O’Neil long before the recent defeats to West Ham and Everton however, an alternate view on the manager is emerging.
Some fans feel for O’Neil’s situation with Fosun, as the coach continues to struggle to get his side up to standard with limited support.
The fanbase is certainly split regarding opinion on O’Neil right now and amid criticism, Jamie Carragher gave supporters a reason to celebrate the 41-year-old.
Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, the pundit shone a light on what the boss has done with Matheus Cunha.
“When he [O’Neil] came into the club, that’s a £40m signing from Atletico Madrid,” Carragher said.
“Normally with a coach, we think it’s the ability of the player. When we see a manager whose team is conceding goals we look at him a bit more strongly but he should be given credit for what he’s getting out of him [Cunha].”
The Liverpool icon applauded Cunha’s transformation under O’Neil but stressed the issue that might bring for Wolves.
“He looks like a player who is too good for Wolves and too good for a team in the bottom half of the table,” the pundit claimed.
Cunha’s Wolves form before and after O’Neil’s arrival
Carragher sees the progress of Cunha under O’Neil, as does the player himself, with the proof being impossible to ignore.
Cunha says O’Neil is one of the best managers he’s had, praising the Englishman’s influence on his game only earlier this season.
“For me, he’s one of the best managers that I’ve had in my career. He’s improved me a lot,” the forward said in October.
| 2022/23 – Before O’Neil | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 17 | 32 | 15 |
| Goals | 2 | 12 | 7 |
| Assists | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| Scoring frequency | 492 mins | 204 mins | 178 mins |
| Shots on target per game | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Converstion rate | 8% | 16% | 17% |
| Conversion rate | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.9 |
“Not only as a player but he’s improved me to be calm and manage situations. I can be frustrating and I feel like he can always help me in every single point of being a human, a player and a man.”
For Cunha’s rise under O’Neil, the proof is there for all to see, as the Brazilian’s numbers have elevated significantly since working with the 41-year-old.
From a player shy in front of goal to a goal-hungry assassin in the final third, if there’s one person at Molineux who will miss O’Neil when he’s gone, it’ll certainly be Cunha.