NafisaWolves manager Gary O’Neil has insisted that the club’s Premier League survival is the priority, regardless of who is in charge, as the team faces a critical period in their fight against relegation.
With the team currently languishing near the bottom of the table following a heavy loss to Everton, O’Neil’s future is under scrutiny, especially with a pivotal clash against West Ham coming up. The pressure is mounting on both O’Neil and West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui, with speculation suggesting that the manager of the losing side could lose their job.
However, O’Neil remains focused on the bigger picture and insists that his primary goal is to keep the club in the Premier League. Speaking ahead of Monday’s game, he said: “I always think of it from the football club’s point of view because… I’m not sure the best way to explain it, but it’s not about me.”
He continued, “Wolverhampton Wanderers needs to stay in the Premier League regardless of whether there are seven managers in this season or whether it’s me that takes it the whole way through.”
The manager highlighted the importance of the upcoming match and others like it, stressing the necessity of focusing on the long-term survival of the club. “We need to find a way to keep this football club in the Premier League, that’s all that matters,” he said. “Monday’s game will obviously feel huge, as Wednesday night’s did, as Bournemouth did, as Fulham did, as Southampton did.”
He added, “The whole while that we’re in and around the relegation zone, we’re going to be asked the same question for every single game, and of course Monday will feel huge. But then on Tuesday, the next game is going to feel huge to the football club.”
Despite the heavy defeats, O’Neil remains committed to preparing his team for the challenges ahead. “All I can do is make sure that the players are in the best place possible to give their best, and I guarantee that every moment that I’m here, I’ll work as hard as possible to make sure that the lads are in the right place to go again,” he said.
Wolves have shown some signs of improvement recently, but with only nine points from 14 games, the pressure is on. After the loss at Goodison Park and the home defeat to Bournemouth, the trip to the London Stadium represents a critical opportunity to turn things around.
O’Neil is under no illusions about the challenge posed by West Ham, acknowledging their attacking threat despite their own struggles. “When you look at the amount of attacking talent that they have, what they’ve been able to add, it’s an unbelievably talented group that we have to go and face on Monday, and that’s the size of the challenge that we need to stand up to,” he said.
He also noted that West Ham’s recent performances, despite poor form, have shown their potential. “They’ve been in some poor form, of course they have, but they go away to Leicester and have 30-odd shots, so they have something there to work with.”
Nafisa
