watch our summary of Gary o'neil's press conference
Gary O’Neil believes that the strong bond between players, staff, and fans has been crucial for Wolves in their Premier League and FA Cup run this season.
Expectations for O’Neil’s team were low at the start, but he has set high goals for them to progress in the cup and climb the league table. A positive result against Newcastle United would help in achieving this.
Regarding team fitness for Saturday, Hee Chan won’t be playing. Joao Gomes had cramp but is feeling better. The squad is preparing for the Newcastle game and will finalise the team selection closer to the match.
O’Neil is excited about the upcoming challenge at St James’ Park against Newcastle, who have faced injury struggles. Despite the difficulties, he anticipates a tough match against a resurgent Newcastle side.
He is pleased with the team’s performance in February, considering the absence of key players. The togetherness within the squad has been a significant factor in their success this season.
O’Neil aims to keep raising the bar for the team, pushing them to achieve higher targets. He emphasises the importance of unity, hard work, and resilience in the face of challenges for continued success.
GARY O'NEIL ON NEWCASTLE UNITED
“I’m extremely happy. I think every single player in the squad should be really proud with what they’ve been able to produce because we know how small the group is and we have missed key players at most part of this season.
“We spent a long time without Pedro [Neto], a long time without Channy and Rayan also when they were away, and now a long spell without Matheus Cunha, and at all those moments, the lads have found a way to dig in, keep producing results and keep picking up points. This weekend is probably our toughest test so far in terms of the efforts the lads have put in over the last few days, and it will be the first time that we’re without two of our five main attacking players.
“I don’t think we’ve had to go without two of them before, so it will be a real big test for us, no doubt, especially with the quick turnaround, but the group have continued to surprise a lot of people this season, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can respond to yet another challenge.