Pedro Neto has praised Gary O’Neil for the way he has given confidence to the Wolves players after Julen Lopetegui left the club.
It has been reported today that Wolves are going to open talks with the manager about a new contract, following seven brilliant months in charge.
O’Neil has done a tremendous job, defying the odds to get Wolves up into 10th place on 38 points.
Neto has been the standout performer for Wolves, scoring three goals and making 11 assists across all competitions. The Portuguese has responded brilliantly to O’Neil’s arrival, as have pretty much all of his teammates.
Today, quotes have surfaced from Neto about the impact O’Neil has had…
Pedro Neto praises Gary O’Neil after his brilliant first seven months in charge
Neto’s form this season has been superb, and the 23-year-old is bound to be in with a shout of winning the club’s Player of the Season award when all is said and done.
There was potential for many of Wolves’ players this season to really struggle given what happened in the summer.
Lopetegui leaving when he did threw everything up in the air and at the time, Max Kilman admitted that the dressing room was left in a state of confusion.
But Neto has been quoted today as saying the picture quickly changed when O’Neil came in, as he instantly gave them all belief and confidence. He said (Telegraph): “We lost a lot of players over the summer and at the beginning it was difficult and, I’m not going to lie, the players who stayed were like ‘hmm, OK’.
“When Lopetegui left, I was like ‘who’s coming next’ and a few days after Gary arrived, the changing room was not worried.
“He’s a manager who says to the players that he is behind them. A player that has confidence is a different player: I always had it but Gary has given me even more.”
O’Neil had belief in the players Lopetegui seemingly didn’t
It’s been remarkable to see how practically every Wolves player has improved since Gary O’Neil came in at Wolves.
There was potential for this to be a completely disastrous season with Lopetegui leaving just days before the new season.
The players were probably confused and concerned, and potentially even disheartened that he did not feel as though he could work with them anymore.
Lopetegui’s lack of belief in the squad he had was not shared by O’Neil though, and clearly the players love and respect a huge amount, which is why it’s been such a good season so far.