David Ornstein: Wolves ‘considering’ appointing former Man United manager | OneFootball

Wolves Managerial Maze, O’Neil Talks Lead the Way

Wolverhampton Wanderers are deep in discussions to bring Gary O’Neil back to Molineux, with Erik ten Hag and other names still on the table, according to David Ornstein for The Athletic. This is a club staring down the Premier League abyss, eight points from safety, winless since April, and caught between nostalgia and reinvention.

O’Neil’s sudden re-emergence feels like football’s version of déjà vu with stakes. He arrived late in summer 2023, steadied a sinking ship, delivered safety and an FA Cup quarter-final run, earned a four-year deal, and then, as the article reminds us, was ditched four months later, “with Wolves 19th in the league table, four points from safety.” Football rarely forgives memory lapses, yet here we are circling back.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag intrigues. His Manchester United tenure yielded a League Cup in 2022 and an FA Cup in 2023, yet he also oversaw their slide to eighth place and an early sacking the following autumn. As Ornstein notes, the Dutchman “was sacked by Bayer Leverkusen in September after just three games in charge.” Reputation versus recency, prestige versus risk.

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Context Matters at Molineux

There is logic behind the O’Neil option. He knows Wolves’ structure, culture and the squad’s emotional temperature. The club’s ongoing instability, from Julen Lopetegui’s dramatic late exit to Vitor Pereira’s swift downfall, demands someone who can weld continuity and clarity. O’Neil, for all his turbulence, has been a competent firefighter.

Yet the Premier League pit is deeper now. Wolves have collected just two points from ten matches this campaign and “were eight points from safety at the time of his dismissal.” Fresh scars, fading confidence and a fanbase craving identity. Re-appointing O’Neil would signal pragmatism, but also a retreat to familiarity rather than bold evolution.

Other Candidates Buzzing

Erik ten Hag, Rob Edwards and Michael Carrick shape an eclectic shortlist. All bring varying philosophies, reputations and degrees of risk. Ten Hag is elite pedigree, yet twice sacked in 18 months. Carrick guided Middlesbrough close to Premier League contention, while Edwards has a growing reputation for team-building discipline.

Wolves’ decision sits within a poisoned timeline. They host Chelsea next, hardly the softest reset. As the club states, they will “finalise the appointment” soon, with youth coaches James Collins and Richard Walker covering in the interim. This interlude cannot stretch. A dressing room can only hold its breath for so long.

Pressures, Stakes And Identity

O’Neil’s story is riddled with irony. He once inherited chaos after Lopetegui’s exit. Now he may inherit chaos after his own removal. As one could frame it, “I know what this squad needs because I know where we were heading last time.” Familiarity may be their life raft, or it may drag them further under the waterline.

This is not only about who comes in, but who Wolves want to be. Structure matters, identity matters, alignment matters. They must choose someone who stitches the sporting department, not simply patches performances.

Our View, EPL Index Analysis

A Wolves supporter reading this will feel their pulse climbing. So much feels recycled. We are clinging to old answers while watching other clubs innovate. Bringing Gary O’Neil back makes sense emotionally and logically, but it still stings that we let him go in the first place. Why repeat mistakes just because we fear the unknown?

What worries fans most is not the name, but the plan. We have lurched from Lopetegui to O’Neil to Pereira, each with different ideas and needs, leaving a squad stitched together like a mismatched formation on a rainy Tuesday at Stoke. If O’Neil returns, the board cannot expect him to perform miracles. We need recruitment clarity, January backing and a structure that keeps us from spiralling again.

There is also the Ten Hag question. Big name, trophies, pedigree, but bruised confidence and Premier League scars. Would he see Wolves as a project or a parachute? Fans fear becoming a rebound club for fallen giants.

Right now survival feels like climbing a mountain in slippers. No win since April, eight points from safety, and performances that sap belief. Whoever arrives must ignite spirit, restore shape and rebuild faith, not only in the squad but in the boardroom’s long-term thinking.

Hope is fragile. Fear is loud. Stability, not just sentiment, must guide this decision if Wolves are to stay in the Premier League jungle.