Joe McConnell
Gary O’Neil has steadied the ship at Wolverhampton Wanderers after being appointed just days before the 2023/24 season. Fast forward to the present day and he is looking forward to starting the new season with the future of the club in mind.
It’s no surprise that Wolves were favourites for relegation after seeing their previous manager Julen Lopetegui – who is now in charge of West Ham United – leaves just days before the opening match of the 2023/24 season.
However, without a pre-season to practice his style, with a limited transfer budget and the odds stacked against him, O’Neil stepped into the role and guided his new team to 14th in the Premier League, 20 points clear of the bottom three.
The Wolves boss has now signed a new four-year deal after a successful first year in charge, but insisted there was never a “mad rush” to decide his future.
After signing the contract, O’Neil’s attention has once again shifted to the new challenge that awaits his team, which they will have to face without their former captain. Max Kilmanwho secured a £43m move to West Ham, and star-man Peter Neto after his £54m move to Chelsea was confirmed earlier in the transfer window.
Chelsea have completed the £54m purchase of Pedro Neto from Wolves
“Those guys, we have to replace them,” he said. Vscek. “They are a big part of who we were. Max played every minute of every game and Pedro played a big part in many of our goals and many of our great results.
“Two of the best players at the club. We are working very, very hard to try to replace them. Obviously, the financial situation of the club is very different to what it was a few years ago. We need to be more astute in the way we do things, and it may not be consistent.”
Change of plans?
The recruitment strategy currently in place at the club is clear to see. Neto, Diogo Jota, Ruben Neves and Kilman are just a few examples of how Wolves have acquired exciting young talents for a relatively small fee, before offering them the platform to shine at the highest level.
This is a low-risk, high-reward system and the latest names to join the roster could be here this summer.
Defender Peter Lima and versatile midfielder Rodrigo GomesSigned for a combined fee of £21.5m, both have made a good impression during the summer preparations, particularly the latter, who has scored three goals in four appearances so far.
Rodrigo Gomes has impressed in pre-season for Wolves.
O’Neil has liked what he has seen so far, but hopes he can bring in some experienced Premier League talent in the final weeks of the transfer window as he tries to balance the club’s long-term future with its short-term success.
He said: “We have the club’s best interests at heart, so we’re trying to make sure the squad is ready for now. We need both, people who are Premier League ready and can come straight into the squad, and the club needs to sign assets to keep itself in a strong financial position.
“Recruitment has been resource-driven and hopefully we can balance that out a little bit, to get some Premier League-ready players, as well as a couple of younger players.
“Balance is managing long-term health and the short term is very important, otherwise you never get to the long term. The next few weeks will be critical for us.”
Moderate expectations
Despite his confident and eager approach to challenges, such as Wolves’ tough opening games against Arsenal and Chelsea, O’Neil is well aware of the difficult road ahead. When asked about his goals for this season, he was hesitant to promise more than the club did last season.
“I don’t think the targets will be higher at the moment,” he said. “We’ve sold £100m worth of talent and signed some fantastic youngsters – and Jorgen [Strand-Larsen] on loan.
O’Neil wants to find replacements for Wolves’ defeats this summer
“Whatever we are at the moment, to achieve a profit of £80m this session and hit new targets, we need to manage our expectations.
“I want to finish as high as possible and push for Europe again. But there are a lot of things that need to be taken into account. The top six will be the top six and we will be in the group below. We want to fight as hard as possible to get to the top six.”
Despite attempts to ease the pressure on his side, Wolves fans can take comfort in the knowledge of what their manager is capable of.
Watching him from the stands at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, it is clear who O’Neil is and what identity he wants to instil into the club.
They are a fluid team, comfortable in possession, capable of building plays from the back and breaking down the opposition’s defence.
He has had a full year to instill this philosophy in his squad and, whether it’s bringing the likes of Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes out of the shadows or bringing in new signings fresh from the transfer market, Wolves have an exciting project in the works under O’Neil.
