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Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 2023/24 Season
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Former Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil has been announced as the new manager of Wolves, replacing Julen Lopetegui on a three-year deal.
Lopetegui's exit from Molineux was confirmed on Tuesday - just three days before the 2023-24 Premier League season begins.
O'Neil led Bournemouth to 15th last season but was sacked on 19 June.
"Gary's a highly motivated young coach with strong principles," said Wolves' sporting director Matt Hobbs.
"It's an opportunity to do something different with an up-and-coming British coach and from the people we met, Gary was clearly the right person."
The 40-year-old is Wolves' fourth manager in just over two years.
His first assignment will come on Monday when Wolves travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Several candidates were considered as Lopetegui's replacement but O'Neil was the preferred option after his presentation during the interview with the Wolves hierarchy left a strong impression.
Hobbs added: "His attention to detail, thoroughness and history of developing players impressed us - he's worked with both young and experienced players.
"The detail he showed with his tactical work, including against us last year, gives you confidence about the work he and his staff put into every game.
"He's very forward thinking, very driven, like he has a point to prove because he did a great job at Bournemouth."
As a player, O'Neil made more than 450 appearances for clubs including Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham, QPR and Norwich.
He took up his first coaching role in August 2020, when he became assistant manager with Liverpool's Under-23s. He joined the coaching set-up at Bournemouth under former manager Jonathan Woodgate in February 2021.
The Cherries named O'Neil as interim boss following the sacking of Scott Parker after a 9-0 defeat against Liverpool in August 2022.
He was made the permanent manager in November, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the option to extend by a further 12 months, after picking up 13 points from 11 Premier League games to guide the south coast club from 17th to 14th.
During his time at Vitality Stadium, O'Neil managed the team for a total of 27 matches in all competitions, winning 11, drawing 6 and losing 10 - departing with a win ratio of 40.74%.Lopetegui took charge of 27 games at Wolves during the same period, winning 10, drawing 6 and losing 11.
Lopetegui's exit from Molineux was confirmed on Tuesday - just three days before the 2023-24 Premier League season begins.
O'Neil led Bournemouth to 15th last season but was sacked on 19 June.
"Gary's a highly motivated young coach with strong principles," said Wolves' sporting director Matt Hobbs.
"It's an opportunity to do something different with an up-and-coming British coach and from the people we met, Gary was clearly the right person."
The 40-year-old is Wolves' fourth manager in just over two years.
His first assignment will come on Monday when Wolves travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Several candidates were considered as Lopetegui's replacement but O'Neil was the preferred option after his presentation during the interview with the Wolves hierarchy left a strong impression.
Hobbs added: "His attention to detail, thoroughness and history of developing players impressed us - he's worked with both young and experienced players.
"The detail he showed with his tactical work, including against us last year, gives you confidence about the work he and his staff put into every game.
"He's very forward thinking, very driven, like he has a point to prove because he did a great job at Bournemouth."
As a player, O'Neil made more than 450 appearances for clubs including Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham, QPR and Norwich.
He took up his first coaching role in August 2020, when he became assistant manager with Liverpool's Under-23s. He joined the coaching set-up at Bournemouth under former manager Jonathan Woodgate in February 2021.
The Cherries named O'Neil as interim boss following the sacking of Scott Parker after a 9-0 defeat against Liverpool in August 2022.
He was made the permanent manager in November, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the option to extend by a further 12 months, after picking up 13 points from 11 Premier League games to guide the south coast club from 17th to 14th.
During his time at Vitality Stadium, O'Neil managed the team for a total of 27 matches in all competitions, winning 11, drawing 6 and losing 10 - departing with a win ratio of 40.74%.Lopetegui took charge of 27 games at Wolves during the same period, winning 10, drawing 6 and losing 11.
Man Utd 1-0 Wolves: Gary O'Neil says Jon Moss admitted penalty error
Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic in the final minute of added time but no penalty was givenWolves boss Gary O'Neil says elite referees manager Jon Moss told him he "could not believe" his side were not given a penalty at Manchester United.
The hosts won 1-0 at Old Trafford thanks to Raphael Varane's header.
O'Neil was furious his team did not get a late penalty when United keeper Andre Onana crashed into Sasa Kalajdzic and failed to make contact with the ball.
"Jon Moss said it was a blatant penalty and should have been given - fair play to him, he apologised," said O'Neil.
"I have spent a lot of time with him today to understand the new guidelines, trying not to get myself booked in the first game, which I have failed in.
"But fair play to Jon for coming out and saying it was a clear and obvious error - he couldn't believe the on-field referee didn't give it and can't believe VAR [video assistant referee] didn't intervene.
"It probably made me feel worse, actually, because you know you are right. I feel worse about leaving with nothing. Live, I was told they didn't think it was a clear and obvious error."
Moss, who was appointed general manager of England's elite referees within Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in April, sought out O'Neil between his broadcast and written media obligations.
It is understood PGMOL chief Howard Webb also contacted Wolves officials after the game to apologise for the mistake.
Simon Hooper was the on-field referee who did not punish the incident while Michael Salisbury was the VAR.
In April, Salisbury was stood down for a game after he did not intervene to award Brighton a penalty in a defeat at Tottenham while also acting as the VAR.
Former leading referee Webb spoke before the season began about his desire to drive up standards and reduce high-profile mistakes.
'Nothing happened'
Onana disagreed with O'Neil and Moss, saying the incident was just a natural coming together of players.Asked if it was a penalty, the Cameroon international said: "No, goalkeepers make decisions, sometimes you are right, sometimes you are not.
"I made a decision and I am responsible for everything. For me it was contact between two big guys and nothing happened. But for us, the most important thing was to win and I am happy for the victory.
"Of course I was confident [a penalty would not be given]."
United manager Erik ten Hag said "it can always happen" when asked if he was concerned whether Hooper was going to the monitor as he moved towards the side of the pitch.
In fact, the referee was going to book O'Neil for his protest, in line with the zero-tolerance policy for any managerial aggression towards officials this season.
"I spoke to Howard Webb every Sunday last season around decisions that didn't go our way," said ex-Bournemouth manager O'Neil. "I felt it was attached to us being Bournemouth.
"I don't think officials are favouring one side, I just think it is human nature if there is something you are not quite sure on, you, me, everybody would be impacted by the Old Trafford crowd and the fact it is Manchester United. But VAR should be able to give a penalty."
