That pleasure does not extend to those with a dog in the fight at West Ham or Wolves, mind, and particularly Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil, who both faced chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from their own supporters in midweek.
It is bleak at West Ham, who are 14th with 15 points, but bleaker at Wolves – 19th with just nine points – and there is an unshakeable sense that something will give when the two sides meet on Monday at London Stadium, in what is surely for both managers a must-not-lose showdown.
What could have otherwise been viewed as a Monday Night Football dud therefore has some edge, with a handful of available managers likely tuning into Sky Sports with their phones on loud, waiting in the wings for the third Premier League sacking of the season to take place.
It seems highly likely, too, so will Lopetegui or O’Neil follow Steve Cooper and Erik ten Hag? And is there a chance both clubs act after Monday’s match?
Here we explore the possibilities, and zero in on Wolves’ awful 2024 and the names in line to replace O’Neil should he be shown the door, with one name standing out among supporters.
Win, lose or draw: What will happen to O’Neil after West Ham vs Wolves?
If Wolves beat West Ham… O’Neil would likely be safe. The manner of the victory would be scrutinised by Wolves’ hierarchy, but it would represent a third win in five games, while O’Neil would hope to point towards an improved defensive display that helped secure the win.
The only chance of O’Neil going after a win is if Wolves chairman Jeff Shi and sporting director Matt Hobbs believe West Ham may beat them to the punch on a potential replacement.
If Wolves lose to West Ham… then O’Neil’s time is probably up. It is difficult to follow a 4-2 home loss to Bournemouth and 4-0 defeat at Everton with yet another defeat, and with this match falling after a weekend where relegation rivals could pick up points – Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Leicester are all at home – then it could pile further pressure onto this result before a ball has even been kicked at London Stadium.
If Wolves draw with West Ham… it is the “result no one wants”, one Wolves fan told The i Paper, as it leaves both clubs in limbo. A point could see West Ham and Wolves choose to stick, but equally they could both be disappointed by the draw and end up sacking their managers.
With Leicester moving for Ruud van Nistelrooy, there could also be a sense that now is the time to act, meaning a double sacking is not out of the question if both clubs find they are chasing the same target.
Who could be Wolves’ next manager?
Graham Potter: With recent gigs passing him by – including England, Manchester United and Leicester – Potter remains available having last managed Chelsea until he was sacked in April 2023. He is emerging as Wolves’ No 1 choice, the Telegraph reports, but there are doubts over whether Potter would want to return at a club battling relegation.
David Moyes: The former Everton and West Ham manager is available and could be willing to help put out this fire, that is providing he is not waiting for an old club to come back grovelling.
Sergio Conceicao: Wolves’ Portuguese connection could continue in the form of appointing the former Porto boss, who left the role in the summer after winning the Portuguese Cup, when they beat Ruben Amorim’s Sporting in the final.
It was a bright note to end an otherwise forgetful season soured by a fallout over personnel late on, while he previously won the Primeira Liga three times with Porto on top of three more Portuguese Cup victories. Conceicao is also reportedly being considered by West Ham.
Two outside contenders are Rob Edwards, the Luton Town manager who played for Wolves from 2004 to 2008, and Mark Robins, who recently and controversially lost his job at Coventry City and would not have to more far to take on this role.
Wolves fans ‘absolutely staggered’ O’Neil is still in charge
Poor Dazzling Dave, to use his moniker for his coverage on Always Wolves Fan TV, with The i Paper having now approached him three times this season – each occasion worse than before, in terms of his club’s position, that is.
In September, O’Neil had credit in the bank. In November, he was “into his overdraft”. Now he is lucky to be in a job.
“This has been bubbling away for a little while,” Dave tells The i Paper this time around.
“There was an upturn in November but many felt it was papering over the cracks. That was proven true with Bournemouth and then Everton, when the team looked like they met each other for the first time just before the match.
“O’Neil is a really decent bloke but I think he has to go down the divisions to build up his managerial experience, and maybe he’ll come back to the Premier League another time.
“He should have gone after Bournemouth, but if I was the chairman I would have sacked him at half-time at Everton. I’m absolutely staggered, along with most fans, that the following day he did the press conference for the West Ham game, where he said he hadn’t had any conversations with Shi or Hobbs.
“The club have either got their head in the sand or are talking to people behind the scenes. Regardless of what happens against West Ham, win, lose or draw, a change is needed. We are sleepwalking into relegation.”
Gary O’Neil’s Wolves record in full
- Matches: 61
- Wins: 20
- Draws: 11
- Losses: 30
- Points per game: 1.16
Stats correct on 6 December via Transfermarkt
On the manager he believes should replace O’Neil, Dave adds: “We need someone with real gravitas, we’ve got some fantastic players and can score goals, and need to bolster our defence in the January transfer window, so the one person I’d love for us to go in for is Conceicao.
“He’s the closest we’re going to get to [former boss] Nuno Espirito Santo, to be honest. I think he would be the perfect choice and he would have the respect that would pull the players together.”
Where did it go so wrong for Wolves and O’Neil?
It has been a shambolic year at Molineux. Disregarding the promoted and relegated trios, no Premier League club has performed worse than Wolves in 2024.
Their haul of 27 points from 32 games this year is one point less than Everton, and Wolves also boast the worst goal difference in 2024 as well, scoring 42 goals and conceding 70.
Seven wins, six draws and 19 defeats: that’s relegation form, and a far cry from the start they made under O’Neil when he was appointed in August 2023.
Wolves beat Manchester City in September last year, then Tottenham in November and Chelsea in December. They beat Chelsea and Spurs again in February, two victories that defied how the rest of this year would play out.
After five wins in seven stretching from 4 February to 9 March, the tide then turned when they lost 3-2 at home to Coventry in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Since that defeat nine months ago, Wolves have won three league games – against Luton, Southampton and Fulham – and one cup game, against Burnley in the Carabao Cup.
The back-to-back wins over Southampton and Fulham seemingly spoke of a team playing for their manager, of a corner finally turned, but defensive calamities followed. Three penalties conceded in the 4-2 defeat at home to Bournemouth, and then two Craig Dawson own goals in the 4-0 loss at Everton.
Some of that may be bad luck, but some of the play during those incidents was inexcusable, and has put O’Neil on the brink.
What has O’Neil said about his future?
Addressing the press the day after their 4-0 defeat at Everton, O’Neil said he would not change his mentality going into the West Ham match.
“I can only keep going until things change,” O’Neil said. “I took training this morning and you won’t find anyone more hard working and professional than me.
“The criticism is part and parcel. Maybe two weeks ago at Fulham [when we] scored four away everyone was happy to take the plaudits, but when it doesn’t go well you need to stand up. My mentality won’t change, I’ll always front up.”
When going over to face the Wolves fans at Goodison Park who chanted for his sacking, O’Neil said: “I go over there to see them because I appreciate every single one of the Wolves fanbase. They have given me unbelievable support since I arrived at the football club.
“We managed to produce some unbelievable stuff last season – away at Chelsea, Tottenham and West Brom – with a team that was heavily tipped by most of the nation for relegation, but we were nowhere near it, ever.
“We enjoyed that together, so now that it is tough I am happy to go over there and look them right in the face and take any criticism they want to throw at me. I accept responsibility for my part in that and that will not change how I feel about them and what they have given me over the last 15 months.”
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