Gary O’Neil sack latest: Manager ‘won’t be in charge for next Wolves match’
Gary O’Neil is now expected to lose his job as Wolves’ manager following the defeat to West Ham after a dismal start to the season.
This is according to former Man United, Aston Villa and West Ham scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the manager’s position has now become untenable.
Many expected O’Neil to be dismissed following the shock 4-0 defeat to Everton, but he was given a stay of execution ahead of the clash with fellow strugglers West Ham.
His failure to win that game, suffering a 2-1 defeat after goals from Thomas Soucek, Jarrod Bowen and Matt Doherty, has all but called an end to his time at Molineux.
The Black Country side are second-bottom of the Premier League table, four points from safety, and have lost ten of their 15 games so far.
Brown pointed to the lack of defensive stability in O’Neil’s side as the main reason for his position, with Wolves having conceded 38 goals at an average of 2.5 per game.
Their two wins so far game in back-to-back games against bottom side Southampton and high-flying Fulham, but they have since conceded ten goals in three games against Bournemouth, Everton and West Ham, ramping up the pressure.
Wolves set to make Gary O’Neil sack decision after West Ham loss
Upcoming games against Ipswich and Leicester have been earmarked as good opportunities to pick up points, but there is a growing feeling O’Neil will not be in charge for those fixtures.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience working closely with under-pressure managers in his previous roles, insisted that he would be surprised if the Wolves boss holds on to his position.
“Gary O’Neil’s position is untenable at this stage,” he told Football Insider.
“They play some good football at times, but they can’t defend. It always comes back to that.
“The game’s going on, they’re playing alright, then they concede. They go again, then they concede again.
“They’ve lost some important players, with Kilman probably the most important of those, and have failed to replace them properly.
“But it’s on the manager to deal with that situation. If he can’t sure up his defence, they’re never going to start winning games.
“Just when they looked like they might have turned a corner, they started losing games again.
“After that loss to West Ham, I struggle to see how he comes back from this position.
“They’re in the bottom three and are starting to be cut adrift, and they’ve played almost everybody at this stage so you can’t blame their fixtures any more.
“I fully expect him to lose his job and would be surprised if he’s still in charge at the weekend.”
In other news, Matheus Cunha is stalling contract talks amid exit links.
For more Wolves and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.