Wolverhampton Wanderers finally picked up their first win of the Premier League season just before the international break, as Gary O’Neil‘s Old Gold downed fellow relegation-threatened side Southampton 2-0.
This could well be the springboard needed to pick up even more victories, with the West Midlands outfit unbeaten in their last three now in the top-flight, having picked up back-to-back draws before this desperately needed win.
However, despite that rare three points finally being picked up to the delight of the Molineux masses, there’s plenty of talk that O’Neil’s future at the club is still on unsteady foundations.
Managers who could soon replace O’Neil
Before this pivotal win, it was understandable that O’Neil was under some pressure in the Wolves dug-out, with his side conceding goals by the bucket load with no golden victory in sight.
Around that time, the rumour mill was going into overdrive as to who the ex-AFC Bournemouth manager’s successor was going to be, with the likes of David Moyes and Graham Potter thrown into the mix as bosses who have considerable Premier League experience.
All of that talk has died down now somewhat, with O’Neil hopeful that he has bought himself some extended time in the Old Gold job post with some green shoots now visible.
But, fresh rumours seem to indicate Wolves are now looking at this brand-new alternative to the likes of Moyes and Potter, who could be a real statement appointment by the powers that be at Molineux in moving on from O’Neil’s up-and-down tenure.
This manager in the dug-out could also get even more out of Matheus Cunha, who has been a bright spark all campaign long even as his side occupy a spot in the Premier League drop-zone.
The bold manager who could soon replace O’Neil
The new name emerging into the limelight to be the under-fire Wolves manager’s successor is Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who is on the hunt for an exciting new opportunity after walking away from Manchester United recently after Ruben Amorim’s grand arrival.
Van Nistelrooy had been on the Coventry City list as a potential replacement for Mark Robins, but Football Insider has revealed that the Dutchman wants to remain in the Premier League as he attempts to embark on his first main manager gig in England, with Wolves, Southampton and Crystal Palace all reportedly eyeing him up.
Van Nistelrooy would prove to be a hit as interim Red Devils boss after the wheels had finally come off the dire Erik ten Hag era, steering Man United to three wins from four, with Bruno Fernandes in particular loving life under his temporary guidance.
Fernandes would pick up four goals and two assists under the ex-PSV Eindhoven manager’s impactful stint at the Theatre of Dreams, with this not being the only set-up Van Nistelrooy has been responsible for that has seen an attacking midfielder shine, as his PSV team also heavily relied on a player in this spot during the 2022/23 season.
Top five Eredivisie goalscorers (22/23) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Player | Games played | Position played | Goals scored |
1. Xavi Simons | 34 | CAM | 19 |
2. Anastasios Douvikas | 32 | ST | 19 |
3. Sydney Van Hooijdonk | 33 | ST | 16 |
4. Santiago Gimenez | 32 | ST | 15 |
5. Luuk De Jong | 24 | ST | 14 |
Sourced by Transfermarkt | |||
Looking at the table above, Van Nistelrooy – who typically utilises a 4-3-3 system – clearly gets more out of attacking midfielders when given full freedom to leave his imprint, with Xavi Simons lighting up the Eredivisie under his stewardship with 19 goals bagged in just 34 games.
Matheus Cunha is no doubt keeping tabs on the manager situation at Molineux, perhaps hopeful that a fresh boss will come in soon like the Man United icon, considering he also can explode into life from this position.
Last match, Cunha scored and assisted in his team’s 2-0 win over Southampton from this spot on the pitch, with his total numbers for Wolves here reaching seven goals and four assists from just ten games.
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Therefore, if the Old Gold hierarchy do decide a change is necessary, Van Nistelrooy could be high up on their names of replacements, with Ten Hag previously praising his assistant for having “so much experience“, despite his relative youth in the coaching game.
Such an appointment could then see Cunha’s game perhaps taken to another level, to truly fashion him into something of an attacking monster at Molineux.
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