Talking about Gary O’Neil, Wolves forward Matheus Cunha recalled the moment he realized the 41-year-old was the appropriate manager for him. Cunha recently concluded his most productive season to date in terms of goals scored. In just his first few months with the club, he scored 22 goals in all competitions, quieting the skeptics.
Cunha had some struggles for Wolves under Julen Lopetegui and was frequently criticized for not being clinical enough. But under Gary O’Neil, the Brazilian was considerably better in the closing third in 2023–24, tallying 14 goals and dishing out eight assists. Cunha has acknowledged that, given that O’Neil had evidently been hired by another manager in Lopetegui, he was very concerned when O’Neil initially assumed the position.
However, Cunha soon won him over, and he has since described the moment he realized O’Neil was the right manager for him. Recalling his treatment by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil during a match against Manchester United, Matheus Cunha
There was plenty of skepticism when O’Neil first arrived at Wolves.
Even though he performed a fantastic job of keeping Bournemouth in the Premier League, most supporters were not overly impressed with his selection—especially considering that Lopetegui was the previous manager. But after watching the team in the first game against Manchester United, worries were swiftly allayed. Although Wolves lost 1-0, they were by far the superior team and were extremely unfortunate to not have gained at least a point. Andre Onana’s challenge of Sasa Kalajdzic should have resulted in a penalty for the visitors.
Cunha played a great game that night, but O’Neil pulled him off in the closing minutes. This, along with a few other events, gave the athlete confidence that he was in capable hands.
He recalled it as follows in an interview with the E&S: “We often make jokes about this! “I played one of my best games here at Old Trafford against United, and in the 77th minute, he changed me.” “Oh my God, I thought to myself, this season will be difficult with this coach. What can I do because it’s my greatest game and he’s altering me? We always grin and laugh about it. “I had a bad reaction to the Brighton game after two games and started acting erratically, saying that training wasn’t the best. Gary approached me and told me, ‘I’m with you, I’m not your enemy.'” It can be challenging to embark on a new journey with someone, but I’m here to support you.
“Even though I’m Brazilian and quite sensitive, I will never forget how he saw me as more than just a football player. He wanted to help me become the best version of myself, not just achieve outcomes. “His performance in the role is evident to all. My amazing coach gives everyone a lot of support. Together, everything has made it easier for me to present my best self to everyone.
O’Neil’s management of Cunha has been brilliant
It’s very evident at this point how highly Cunha regards O’Neil. The head coach of Molineux and the former Atletico Madrid player seem to have a very sincere friendship based on his continuous compliments. He also stated in the E&S interview that he has never had a stronger working relationship with a manager than he does with O’Neil. O’Neil has said in the past that he and the player had “fascinating conversations” about positions and tactics. Cunha also never hesitates to approach his boss for a conversation; according to O’Neill, Cunha visited his office the morning of Manchester United’s 4-3 loss at Molineux to talk about various aspects of that match.
It’s wonderful to see how well they get along, and maybe Cunha can keep prospering under O’Neil’s leadership. The South American’s objective for the upcoming season should be to contribute to more goals than the 22 he did the previous one.
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