It has been a pretty mad week at Wolves.
The new Premier League season has now officially commenced, but Wanderers don’t play until tomorrow night against Manchester United.
Just one week ago, Wolves fans were waking up feeling positive after watching their side comfortably beat Rennes 3-1 in a pre-season friendly.
Now, many are fearing what this season could have in store, with an unhappy Julen Lopetegui having quit five days ago.
The club moved to appoint Gary O’Neil the day after.
O’Neil has made a good impression so far but ultimately he will be judged on results like every other manager.
Wolves fans will get behind him, but there is huge pressure on him to deliver.
Hopefully everyone has now moved on from the Lopetegui debacle. And a report has shared what the feeling is now behind the scenes.
New optimism at Wolves after Julen Lopetegui exit
The players and staff could be forgiven for feeling despondent about the way Lopetegui left the club.
It was a hammer blow for the club so close to the start of the new season.
But actually now, there does seem to be more optimism at Compton.
The Athletic reported yesterday how the mood appears to be shifting now, with O’Neil having come in quickly after his predecessor left.
It is stated that there does remain ‘a sense of sadness’ about Lopetegui. The club did, after all, spend a long time chasing him, for him to only stay nine months.
But there is now a there is a sense of relief that, in O’Neil, Wolves have a manager who is ‘ready to buy into the club’s current reality, rather than pine for something else’.
It is added that there is ‘a hope that his arrival as a younger, less celebrated coach might improve cohesion among the wider staff’.
Interestingly, The Athletic also say that Lopetegui and his staff were ‘detached’ from the rank-and-file at the training ground. That is something they have played down.
Wolves players must now buy into O’Neil
It is good to read about new optimism and hope at Wolves.
There is bound to be some lingering sadness and frustration over Lopetegui.
He did a great job at Molineux during his nine-month stay, and the future – at one point – looked very bright under him.
But it’s time now for the players to forget about that era.
What’s happened has happened, and everyone just needs to buy into O’Neil now.
While he’s not Lopetegui, he’s a talented coach in his own right and needs to be backed.