Time may soon be up for Gary O’Neil as the manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers. It has been a simply disastrous season for the Old Gold so far, with just one win and six points on the board after 11 games of the Premier League season.
Unsurprisingly, that has added increased pressure on their boss, who did well in adverse circumstances last term. He guided them to a 14th-place finish and survival in the top flight, although things this term have not gone as well.
If the higher-ups at Molineux decided to sack O’Neil, there have been plenty of replacements linked with the vacant role.
The candidates who could replace O’Neil
There are two unattached Premier League managers who could both make a good option for the Molineux side if O’Neil is removed from his post. They both have plenty of experience in the top flight, and both have a history of rebuilding sides and saving them from relegation. They are both targets for the club, according to Football Insider.
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One of those men is Graham Potter. Although things did not go well for him as Chelsea manager, the Englishman built up a superb rapport at Brighton and Hove Albion, securing a 15th, 16th and ninth-place finish in each of his three full seasons at the club.
He certainly left them in a good way in the long run, with the Seagulls fighting for a European spot; they now sit sixth in the table this term
The other option Wolves have is David Moyes. The Scottish boss is vastly experienced and has managed a number of the biggest sides in England. His best spells came at Everton, where he managed for 11 years, and more recently with West Ham United. He won the Europa Conference League with the Hammers two seasons ago.
Jimmy Thelin, who currently manages Aberdeen, is another contender for the potentially vacant Wolves job. He has a £2m release clause according to Graeme Bailey, and currently has the club level on points with top of the league Celtic in the SPFL.
Recently, a new name has become available, and this manager could be an excellent opportunity for the Old Gold should they sack O’Neil.
The perfect O’Neil replacement
The manager in question here is Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy. Fresh off the back of a successful interim spell at Manchester United, the former PSV Eindhoven boss has been linked with a move to the Midlands as per Spanish reports.
Wolves are ‘among the interested parties’ along with fellow top-flight strugglers Crystal Palace and Leicester City.
The Red Devils legend was brought to Old Trafford by their former manager, Erik ten Hag, last summer, who described Van Nistelrooy as a “very ambitious” coach. He stepped up to take temporary charge at the club when Ten Hag was sacked in October.
The Dutchman did not disappoint and went unbeaten at the helm of the club for whom he scored 150 goals in 219 games. He led four games, winning three of them and drawing against Chelsea. His best win was arguably a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
The former Dutch international has clearly had a good start to life as a manager in English football, even if it was just for a four-game spell.
However, he was also superb as head coach of PSV, winning the domestic cup and finishing second in the Eredivisie. His record speaks for itself.
Van Nistelrooy record at PSV | |
|---|---|
Stat | Number |
Games | 50 |
Wins | 34 |
Draws | 8 |
Losses | 8 |
Goals for | 127 |
Goals against | 60 |
Stats from Transfermarkt | |
It would certainly be a big change for the Old Gold to go from O’Neil, a man who has managed sides at the lower end of the table, to Van Nistelrooy, who has briefly managed at one of the biggest clubs in England.
However, if the opportunity is there, it is arguably something they should grab with both hands. The Dutch legend, who clearly has a great pedigree, would bring a winning mentality and ambition to the club, and hopefully steer them clear of the Championship, which they seem destined for at the moment.
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