Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the departure of Gary O’Neil as first team manager.
O’Neil had been under pressure since the start of the season, with Wolves forced to wait until November for their first win of the season against bottom side Southampton.
“We are very grateful to Gary for all his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future,” said chairman Jeff Shi as they Wolves confirmed O’ Neil’s exit.
With 12 defeats in 18 games in all competitions, O’Neil has criticized the club’s failure to replace key departures, but also dismissed his players after the 2-1 defeat at Ipswich Town, insisting some they were making unacceptable mistakes for Premier League players.
O’Neil was seen as a shrewd signing when he joined from Bournemouth in August 2023 and enjoyed an impressive debut campaign, earning himself a new contract and significant plaudits for a 14th-place finish, but ultimately could not sustain this positive momentum. .
Since the 2023 summer transfer window, Wolves have sold Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, and O’Neil had expressed his disappointment at the decision of guiding younger players to replace a number. of proven Premier League talents.
Matheus Cunha has arrived from Atletico Madrid but has been followed by a number of players lacking experience at such a high level, with O’Neil bluntly admitting he didn’t think they were ready to play.
Wolves will now begin the search for a new manager, who will look to bring out the best in the squad and steer the team away from the relegation battle they have found themselves in.
