Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has seen his recent comments questioned amid the Old Gold’s squad pressures ahead of the season run-in.
It’s a difficult time for Wolves, and a particularly difficult time for Gary O’Neil, who now faces an uphill battle for the remaining eight games.
The 2023/24 season has been surprisingly impressive at Molineux thanks to the work of the manager, who has laughed in the face of adversity to drive the current squad to unexpected highs.
When the Englishman took charge from Julen Loptegui, there was an understanding of the task in hand, as Wolves’ squad was heavily depleted due to financial restraints and key exits in the summer.
While it was somewhat anticipated that the Old Gold would be forced to bury their head in the sand due to their limited depth, O’Neil has squeezed the very best out of his players, getting to April before noticing some frailties.
Now that Wolves are safe from relegation, there is less pressure for the club to perform however, this is not the way the manager will want to see the season play out, with his frustrations over his lack of depth coming out after the 1-1 draw with Burnley.
Gary O’Neil’s comments over Wolves depth have been questioned
After the draw with the Clarets, O’Neil spoke strongly about Wolves’ small squad, directing his frustration at Fosun’s lack of financial support to strengthen the numbers in January.
While the Englishman’s frustration is completely understandable given how well he has orchestrated his side this season, journalist Liam Keen questioned the 40-year-old’s timing of the outburst.
Speaking on Episode 334 of the E&S Wolves Podcast, Keen said:
“He said it during a time when Wolves are starting to struggle a little bit, I think it was a decent enough point [against Burnley].”
“That for me is interesting timing, it’s a way of saving face to some extent and also getting reasons out there early before these final eight games of the season. That is what any smart person who wants to preserve their reputation will do.”
While the Wolves expert took the time to recognise the truth to what O’Neil was saying, as well as sympathising with his dissatisfaction over the lack of movement in the January window, Keen admitted that the issues shouldn’t be a ‘surprise’ for the boss.
“He was aware of the financial situation before he arrived at the club, the club have a strategy in place now to get through this PSR difficulty that they are following through with and that they have been really clear about from the beginning, so that shouldn’t come as a surprise to Gary O’Neil.”
Gary O’Neil’s comments stressed the importance of a strong summer
Playing academy stars beyond the levels of their experience and quality is far from what O’Neil would want to do at Wolves however, this is the position he currently finds himself in.
The Old Gold’s room for more injuries is nearing full capacity, with the manager already scraping the barrel to field a capable XI to battle in the Premier League.
Wolves have a lot to thank the Englishman for this season as the issues come at a time when the club aren’t threatened by relegation although, O’Neil will still want to end the campaign on a high.
It’s imperative that Fosun find a way to both keep finances in check and hand the boss the funds required to rebuild in the summer, with a situation like last year, not an option.