GARY O’NEIL: WEST HAM V WOLVES PRESS CONFERENCE

Hi Gary, we sat here last Friday talking about the positive run of form you’ve been on. Today, you’ve been named a nominee for Manager of the Month for November, so I guess a lot has changed in a few days. How damaging have the past couple of games been for you personally and for the club?

I don’t think about me personally. I think for the team and where we are in the league. The last two results have let us down from the momentum we created. But there always comes the next challenge, which comes very quickly at West Ham on Monday. There’s a lot in the last two games that the group needs to take on and learn from quickly if we want to have a chance of being more competitive consistently.

Of course, losing two games back-to-back, conceding four goals in both, is not where we wanted to be after recovering from a tough start and a difficult set of fixtures with a good month in November. This wasn’t where we planned to be after the last three or four days.

You’re talking about this game on Monday. As you sit here now, are you confident you will be the man in charge on Monday?

I think I can only keep going until things change. As far as I’m aware, I took training this morning. Players that started have recovered. Players that didn’t play have trained. You won’t find anyone more hard-working and professional than me. Last night, we watched the game back. This morning, we’ve come back in and watched it again. We’ve started to get ready for West Ham. I know I can get the group in a good place to go to West Ham and give their best again on Monday.

You’ve had to face some difficult questions and listen to some chants from the fans that wouldn’t have been nice. Are you hurting right now?

No, I’m not hurting on a personal level. I’m more disappointed for the fan base because I understand how much it means to them every weekend.

A long time ago, I was a football fan myself, and I know how important those days are for you, how your club gets on and how it performs affects how you feel. I know how much they give, travel, and spend to support the football club. So I have a good understanding of how they feel.

As I always say, criticism is part and parcel. Maybe two weeks ago or whenever it was at Fulham, probably less than that, when we stood in front of them and just scored four away from home, everyone was happy to stand there and take the applause. When it doesn’t go so well, you need to stand up, and that will never change. My mentality will always be to face whatever we encounter to ensure that we lead the group and the football club.

The next step from that is to respond, fight again, and be ready for the next challenge.

You mentioned that word fight. You clearly feel you’ve got the fight still for this job. Do you feel the players have the fight and what it takes to get out of the situation you’re in?

They definitely have the courage and the fight.

We’re suffering at the moment by conceding goals that shouldn’t happen at Premier League level. Some are really difficult to coach, like passing to Bournemouth’s centre-forward twice in the penalty area or putting the ball in the wrong place. Even the third goal, the corner that lands two yards under the crossbar, stuff like that. You don’t see those often in Premier League football. We sit them down, show them, and demand better from them. But at some point in a game, you have to deal with those situations.

The players have to find a way to handle them. We’re working very hard and not leaving anything to chance. Everything around game prep and what we need to improve is always covered. The next challenge is West Ham. I haven’t looked at the table in detail, but I’m sure a win will move us back out of the bottom three. Then we can start to look upwards again.

How much pressure do you put on yourself for this game against West Ham? Is it a must-win game or at least a must-not-lose game?

I always focus on the football club’s point of view. I’m not sure how to explain it, but it’s not about me. Wolverhampton Wanderers needs to stay in the Premier League, regardless of whether there are seven managers this season or if I take it all the way through.

We need to find a way to keep this football club in the Premier League. That’s all that matters. Monday’s game will obviously feel huge, as last night’s did, as Bournemouth did, as Fulham did, as Southampton did.

You’re going to have to say it the whole time we’re in and around the relegation zone. We’ll be asked the same question for every single game. Of course, Monday will feel huge, but then on Tuesday, the next game will feel huge for the football club. All I can do is ensure that the players are in the best place possible to give their best. I guarantee that every moment I’m here, I’ll work as hard as possible to make sure that the players are ready to go again.

Julen Lopetegui, the man you replaced here at Wolves, is under real pressure now as West Ham manager. How difficult is that, approaching a game like that, perhaps not knowing exactly who will be in charge come Monday?

No, I haven’t even considered who will be in charge. We obviously assume that Julen will be in charge. They have an incredible group of players.

When you look at the amount of attacking talent they have and what they’ve been able to add, it’s an unbelievably talented group that we have to face on Monday. That’s the size of the challenge we need to stand up to. They’ve been in poor form, of course, but they went away to Leicester and had 30-odd shots. They have something there to work with. We need to go there and find enough in our own way to put in a performance that replicates the Fulham one, replicates the resilience we showed at Brighton, and finds a way to deliver a solid performance on the road.

Is it something that can be resolved, or can it only be resolved in January if you’re able to be active in the transfer window?

I’ll give every moment I have between now and then to improve with what we have because you can’t control the rest. I can only control what I have in the building. So, I’m working hard to try and do that right now.

You mentioned last night the incredible support you’ve felt from fans during your time here. Can you expand on that?

I think it came at what felt like a tough time. We spoke about what probably wasn’t the most popular appointment with the man I replaced and the clubs and nations he’d managed, and maybe the part of the journey I was in. Then the nature of how the manager left and the noise around where the group was expected to be.

But for the fans to unite with the playing group and push us the way they did last season will always be one of my fondest memories throughout my whole career. There were some special moments where we dug deep, found ways to achieve incredible results, and were never in danger of relegation. We were a hair’s breadth from going to Wembley.

All this happened amid the challenges we faced, the financial issues, and trying to fill the gaps left from before. To have been united with the fans through all that difficulty was a special season for me. Of course, this one’s been difficult, and I understand their concerns and criticism of our results and the goals we concede.

I understand all of that. But I guarantee we’re doing everything we can with the group we have to give it the best chance. We’re reassessing and trying different combinations in defence. We’ve tried five at the back and four at the back, and we’ve changed goalkeepers. We’re working very hard to get the best out of what we have. We need to make sure it’s better next time.

In terms of those players, did many speak up in the dressing room after the game? Can you describe the atmosphere?

There was real disappointment around the nature of the defeat because, as it may sound like a broken record, you start the game and create fantastic chances from good play that we’ve worked hard on. Then you suffer another huge setback from a free kick going straight in the goal.

The last 12 to 15 minutes of incisive play to get Jorgen through on goal is all forgotten, and the crowd turns. You have to find a way to climb another mountain. So there was disappointment because they know they let a game get away. To have done that two games in a row needs a strong response, and we need to make sure we stand up now. They understand that.

They know enough senior players are in there, so the changing room was disappointed, of course. But after the recovery this morning and getting themselves back in a better physical place, they’ll return tomorrow mentally refreshed and ready to fight again.

As you saw, we suffered a tough result against Bournemouth and started the game on the front foot against Everton. They’ll be ready to do so again at West Ham. The real key is finding a way not to make errors that kill our chances in matches. We have to find a way because it’s tough to fight back from them all the time.

Is it likely to be the same squad? A similar team?

Yes, very early on. I think everyone’s come through the game okay. Pablo’s calf was sore on Tuesday morning, so he didn’t travel with us. It was a recurrence of the calf injury he had before. We’ll see how he goes later in the week. I think the guys came through the game okay. I don’t think there are any issues. So yes, the squad is likely to be very similar to what it was.

Is it times like this when you check your phone and figure out who your friends are in football, with people reaching out that you’ve played or worked with before?

Yes, I’ve had fantastic support from people with good knowledge of the game and some nice messages from those who understand what we’re going through. It’s an opportunity for us. I know it won’t seem like it from outside, but when you’re under this much scrutiny and pressure, it’s a chance to show what you are and what you’re capable of.

I’m really looking forward to the next few days, as I did leading up to Southampton, where we heightened our focus around that game. We managed to really get into our work with good detail and focus, and that’s what I plan to do between now and Monday.

Just finally from me, your son proudly posted about your Manager of the Month nomination. Did he? How are the family? Are you trying to protect them from some of this?

No, they’re okay. It’s not their concern. They’re happily living their family life. I don’t involve them in this.

This is for me to focus on, and he’s 11 and has his own worries about school. Hopefully, he got good grades and trains well this evening. He’s oblivious to the stuff that goes on around me, which is how it should be.

Thank you. Gary, the fans last night were disillusioned at the end. For those going to West Ham, what would be your message to back you from the start?

I think I’ve always been consistent with my message to them about how much I appreciate their support and how much the team needs them. But they also need us, and there’s a responsibility on us.

I can guarantee that no matter how it looks, everyone is giving everything. So, of course, we need to improve and turn our form around to move away from the relegation zone. But I want them to back their football club. We’re going to West Ham, and we’ll give everything we can, with me at the front of that.

I was going to talk to you about your future because some have interpreted what you said last night as if you felt your time at this club was coming to an end, whether this week, next week or the week after. Is that not the case?

No, my interviews last night were from a manager who had just lost 4-0 away from home and was deeply disappointed with the game. I answered questions openly and honestly. There was no consideration around anything beyond this. I swear to you, I’m not concerned about my future at all, only the club’s future.

I knew the task’s size when I took over. It’s not often that managers walk away from Premier League clubs, and that’s what happened here. Since then, it’s become even more difficult with the players we’ve lost and the situation we face. All I’m trying to do is make sure that the group gives their best every week. We’re coming up short more often than not, but we are giving everything and will continue to do so.

Hi Gary. Have you had any conversations with Matt Hobbs and Jeff Shi since the final whistle last night about yourself?

No.

Would you expect to have had any conversations?

I don’t expect anything. I come into work and do my job, same as every other day.

First one here this morning, last one here last night. Making sure everything’s checked off from last night’s game and ready for Monday’s game. I’ll make sure we can push the players again, and that will continue.

You mentioned some of the senior players. This club has sold its captain in the last three years now. Coady, Neves, Kilman. Quite a few senior players were out there last night. Have you got enough leaders?

I think we are a young group in terms of Premier League experience. I know Hee Chan comes under some criticism when I put him on the pitch, but he has Premier League calibre.

He was our top goalscorer last year. Sometimes realism needs to be attached to the situation and around some of the boys, what we signed them for, and when they’re ready. We’re working hard to get them ready as quickly as we can.

Pedro Lima was not signed to help with the Premier League campaign this season. Rodrigo Gomes was meant to help in bits as backup. Carlos Forbes is similar, very young, no Premier League experience. There’s a lot to consider when making these decisions.

And the spotlight then turns to the senior ones because of the scrutiny. When many goals go in, people look at how they respond. But they are a good group. No matter how it may look, it can be tough with body language when you’re constantly facing setbacks.

To be at Goodison Park and be 2-0 down again, even though you know you’ve had some good moments with the ball, it can be hard. But when they come into the changing room at half-time, they’re ready to go out and fight again in the second half. When they come in this morning, they’re ready to go to Upton Park on Monday and fight again.

We can only ask them to give their best. I’ll continue to find the right answers to give us a better opportunity in the next match. Can I just ask you, there’s been a bit of confusion.

First, the narrative was there were problems with PSR, then Matt Hobbs said there are no issues. When you talk about challenges, what are those parameters?

To go into detail would be wrong because I don’t know. It’s not really my area of expertise. Mine is to work with the group. But there’s been enough said about the club trying to be self-sufficient for the foreseeable future. I guess we’ll be the only ones trying to do that. But I knew that when I came.

I knew the situation. In the summer, maybe we missed a couple of bits we were trying to do. But that’s football. That happens. Now I have to answer these questions because you ask. But I don’t consider them. I only focus on my group, my role, how we reconnect with the supporters, and how we put results on the board. Because the rest isn’t going to help anyone.

So we get ready, we go to West Ham, and we put in the best performance we can. And we try to leave with some points. Thank you.