GEORGE LAKIN WRITES FOR BBCSPORT THIS WEEK AS GARY O'NEIL SURVIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY
Gary O’Neil survives, and his post-match fist pumps to the South Bank speak to his remarkable ability to shift sentiment. Just last week he didn’t know what he was doing, and was told as much.
Marmite pales into insignificance compared with this when it comes to splitting opinion.
The pervading narrative is that O’Neil is still learning on the job – an unpolished diamond and one of the “best young operators” in the game, according to the board.
His future, supposedly, is yet to have even been discussed, such is their faith.
The reality is his youth and inexperience are dubious concepts. Mikel Arteta, Andoni Iraola, Enzo Maresca, Steve Cooper, Arne Slot, Kieran McKenna, Russell Martin and Ruben Amorim are all within five years of him either side, while Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is a decade younger.
Ultimately, he is among his peers.
The adage “it’s the hope that kills you” has taken on a new meaning: the higher-ups’ high hopes for O’Neil feel like a punter who naively believes the “free beer tomorrow” sign chalked up behind the bar.
And yet, despite unconvincing performances, results since Brentford have improved. Arguably, O’Neil has achieved only a point or two less than anyone could have in the four matches since.
To survive long term, however, excuses must stop and philosophies must begin to show. Any side with a spine as strong as the likes of Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina and Santiago Bueno should not be languishing in the relegation zone and still without a distinct identity.
From the shoots of that first win over Southampton, O’Neil must build this team in his image. How Wolves express themselves is a reflection of him: his beliefs, his ideologies, his principles.
At the moment, that screams uncertainty. We look a side lacking conviction and confidence, riddled with fragility, fear and self-doubt, and on the brink of collapse.
Tetchy. Much like our manager.
The noise surrounding him is loud and the fanbase reactive (which can work both ways), but O’Neil’s biggest challenge is undoubtedly – among the chaos – to find himself.
Firefighting will not suffice.
