Gary O'Neil confirmed as Wolves manager following bombshell 24 hours for Premier League club
Gary O'Neil has been confirmed as the new manager of Wolves
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Gary O'Neil has been confirmed as Wolves' new manager.
The 40-year-old is returning to the Premier League after being brutally sacked by Bournemouth earlier in the summer, despite keeping the Cherries in the top flight.
O'Neil will replace Julen Lopetegui, who departed the clubv 24 hours ago after growing fed up at Wolves' failure to bring in new signings.
A statement read: "Wolves have appointed Gary O’Neil as the club’s new head coach ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Wolves have given a three-year contract to Gary O'Neil
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"The highly regarded young coach moves to Molineux on a three-year-deal on the back of a successful season in charge of AFC Bournemouth, where he gained plaudits for improving performances and maintaining the club’s Premier League status.
"At 40 years of age, O’Neil becomes the Wolves’ youngest manager this Millennium and is the first permanent British coach to lead the club in six years, bringing Premier League experience after playing and managing at this level."
Addressing the appointment, sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “We’re delighted to welcome Gary to the club.
"He’s a highly motivated young coach with strong principles and very well thought of by everyone he has worked with, and we’re excited to see what we can achieve together at Wolves.
“Our players have shown their quality during pre-season, and I believe Gary and his team will continue to coach and improve them and will have success working with this group.
“Everyone at Wolves is looking forward to welcoming Gary, offering him their full support and working collaboratively to help the club to keep pushing forward together.”
Lopetegui had previously been expected to stay.
But with Wolves refusing to make big signings, the Spaniard left by mutual consent on Tuesday night.
It quickly became apparent that O'Neil would be taking charge of the side, who managed to avoid Premier League relegation last season.
Wolves will lock horns with Manchester United in their opening game of the season on Monday (8pm).
They confirmed the departure of Lopetegui on Tuesday in a statement that read: "Wolves and Julen Lopetegui have reached an agreement to part ways, ending the Spaniard’s nine-month reign as head coach at the club.
"Lopetegui joined Wolves in November and successfully guided the club to Premier League safety, however, the head coach and club acknowledged and accepted their differences of opinion on certain issues and agreed that an amicable end to his contract was the best solution for all parties.
"Talks have been ongoing in recent weeks, held with the utmost respect and cordiality, affording the club time and space to begin work on finding a successor, while also ensuring that Julen and his backroom staff could continue their planned preparation to ensure the playing squad would be in the best possible condition for the start of the Premier League season."
Hobbs said: “On behalf of everyone at the club I’d like to thank Julen and his staff for their dedication and hard work during their time at the football club.
"They were brought in with the primary aim of keeping the club in the Premier League last season, an objective which they achieved with games to spare.
“While our ambition had been to move into the new season together, it is public knowledge that there were differences of opinion on some key topics, and it was agreed by all parties that it would be best to part ways ahead of the new campaign.
“After a successful pre-season, full of hard work and good performances, Julen and his staff leave the squad in great shape ahead of the season opener next week, which will give his successor the best possible platform for success.
“We wish Julen and his team the very best of luck for the future, and they will always be welcome at Wolves.”
Lopetegui himself said: “I wish Wolves and everybody at the club the very best of luck for the future, and thank them for the opportunity granted at the time to take charge of this wonderful club.
“It has been an honour to enjoy this adventure in the day-to-day company of Matt Hobbs, Matt Wild, head of player care Lisa Hollis and every single employee of the club; whom I wish to thank for their support and help at every moment.
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Wolves parted ways with Julen Lopetegui on Tuesday
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“Also, of course, I want to thank the players, who have always given the maximum to achieve our objectives, and especially the fans that made me feel like one of them from the very first moment and have always been amazing to me, my staff and my family.”