Gary O'Neil sacked by Wolves | OneFootball

Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the departure of Gary O'Neil as first-team manager.

O'Neil had been under pressure since the start of the season, with Wolves forced to wait until November for their first win of the season against bottom-side Southampton.

"We're very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future," said chairman Jeff Shi as Wolves confirmed O'Neil's exit.

With 12 losses in 18 games across all competitions, O'Neil has criticised the club's failure to replace key departures but also turned on his players following the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town, insisting some were making unacceptable mistakes for Premier League players.

O'Neil was seen as a smart hire when he joined from Bournemouth in August 2023 and he enjoyed an impressive debut campaign, earning himself a new contract and significant praise for a 14th-placed finish, but he was ultimately unable to maintain that positive momentum.

Since the 2023 summer transfer window, Wolves have sold Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, and O'Neil had voiced his disappointment towards the decision to target younger players to replace a number of proven Premier League talents.

Matheus Cunha arrived from Atletico Madrid but has been followed by a number of players lacking in experience at such a high level, with O'Neil bluntly confessing he did not believe they were ready to play.

Wolves will now begin the hunt for a new manager, who will look to get the best out of the squad and steer the team away from the relegation battle in which they have found themselves.