Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has acknowledged that the team’s start to the season is shaping up to be a disaster. The club has only managed to secure one point from their first seven games, putting them in a challenging position as they prepare to face Manchester City this weekend.
O’Neil has been forthright in explaining the difficulties Wolves have faced, pointing to a tough fixture list, injuries, and key player departures over the summer. Despite the dismal start, he remains optimistic about the team’s prospects for improvement.
Reflecting on the team’s current situation, O’Neil stated, “Points-wise it has been very bad. We sit here now seven games in with one point and if you don’t look into the depths of how and why, then it looks like a disaster. But if you look into the situation you will easily see there is enough there to have a real clear view that we can turn this around.”
Expressing his confidence in both himself and the players, O’Neil affirmed, “I have 100 per cent belief in myself and the playing group that together we will show everyone that we are more than capable of competing at this level.”
Acknowledging the urgency of the situation, O’Neil emphasised, “The longer it goes on the more urgent it becomes but I am comfortable with that. These situations of where we are at the moment is nothing I haven’t seen or faced so I am really confident I can help the group in this moment and turn it around.”
He added, “I understand one point from seven isn’t good enough but we need to prove we are better than that. That tipping point will come soon. We can’t sit here forever and say we’ve had tough games and lost some important players in the summer. Now what? At some point it’s going to come and we need to get it going.”
On the injury front, Wolves will be missing Hwang Hee-chan for the upcoming match against City due to ankle ligament damage sustained while on international duty with South Korea. O’Neil provided an update on Hee-chan’s condition, stating, “It’s not nothing, there is something there, he’s damaged a ligament inside his ankle. From now it will be a couple of weeks, nothing overly long.”
Looking ahead, O’Neil sees this as an opportunity for Hee-chan to recover and regain his form, saying, “It gives him a chance to try and get himself sharp and fit and gets himself in a really good spot.”
Despite the challenges, O’Neil remains resolute in his belief that Wolves have the capacity to overcome their current struggles and turn their season around. With a tough match against City looming, the team will be looking to rally together and demonstrate their resilience on the pitch.