Former Wolves winger Matt Jarvis has dropped a ‘honest’ verdict on manager Gary O’Neil that will perhaps shock the fans.
Since taking over at Wolves in August 2023, Gary O’Neil has had to deal with several setbacks behind the scenes but has still shown he’s a top man manager.
Whilst the Old Gold have won two of their last 16 games in the Premier League – including zero wins so far this season – O’Neil’s job at Molineux is relatively safe.
He’s had to work under a backdrop of PSR, where the club have been limited to what they can spend but he still managed to bring in several talented players this summer.
Despite O’Neil admitting that Wolves won’t be spending big money in the future, he is settled in his role at Wolves, with the hopes he can improve on last season’s 14th-place finish.
Matt Jarvis didn’t think Gary O’Neil would make a good manager
Although O’Neil has enjoyed a decent spell as manager of Bournemouth and is now well respected at Wolves, former teammate Matt Jarvis didn’t think he would have made a good manager as a player.
Speaking to i, Jarvis said: “If I’m completely honest, I wouldn’t have said manager in the making [when we played together], but what he did as a player, he was the ultimate professional in the way that he approached training, the way he approached games,” Jarvis adds.
“He knows how to win games. He’s played at the top level and you could see he wanted to be a coach and the way he tactically wanted to improve. That dedication has turned into a great opportunity and he has taken it with both hands.”
The pair previously shared a dressing room at West Ham and Norwich while Jarvis also made 175 appearances for Wolves between 2007 and 2013.
To some, those comments on O’Neil would have been surprising to see, but the former Wanderers winger knew him well from their playing days together.
Now, Jarvis believes O’Neil has shown exceptional development as a manager, adding: “You can see the development in him, you can see the development in his players and their style of play. And I think that just shows what he can do and the character he is.
“The players coming in are exceptional talents, otherwise they wouldn’t have signed them, and it’s about knowing the surroundings, the pressures, and everything that comes with playing in the Premier League. Gary’s got that.”
What is a successful season for Gary O’Neil and Wolves
So far, it isn’t looking like a season of promise for Wolves, who have only taken one point from a possible nine against Arsenal, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.
Next up is a home clash against Newcastle United on Sunday before the Old Gold embark on a tough fixture schedule as they play Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester City in three of their next five.
It would be bold to assume Wolves would take many points from those games, with it looking likely they’ll struggle instead and they could leave them scrapping near the bottom.
That is a position many have tipped the Wanderers to be in, and while the fans would to challenge Europe, a mid to lower-half finish in the table is a more realistic aim.
Indeed, after not spending much in the summer, the fans can’t expect much more than mid-table at best, with anything greater than that a bonus.
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