Ex-Wolves boss 'lead contender' to make stunning PL return and manage relegation battle rivals
Wolves are embroiled in a relegation battle in the Premier League as they look to avoid dropping into the Championship under Rob Edwards
Wolves remain bottom of the Premier League table after their first 13 fixtures. They are still without a win and are inside the drop zone along with Burnley and Leeds United. Nine points separate them from safety behind West Ham in 17th position.
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Rob Edwards was picked as their replacement for Vitor Pereira last month. The ex-Watford and Luton Town man made the decision to leave Middlesbrough in the Championship to take on the top job at Molineux. He has lost his first two matches in charge against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
Former Wolves man Gary O’Neil in contention for Leeds United
Former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil is a candidate to replace Daniel Farke at Leeds United, as per ex-scout Mick Brown, via Football Insider. Farke is under growing pressure at Elland Road following the Whites’ tough start to the season. They are in the bottom three and have found the step up from the Championship tricky so far.
Former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers man Brown has said: “Gary O’Neil is one of the options Leeds will be having a look at. They’re looking at a few options already because they will want somebody lined up and ready to come in if they do decide to get rid of Farke. O’Neil has a strong reputation after his time at Bournemouth and Wolves, and he’s still highly rated in those circles, he’s been spoken about a lot.
“He’s got experience in the Premier League and keeping teams up, which is always a bonus and something I’m sure Leeds will be looking at. Plus, he’s going to be available to step in immediately which will be another boost to his chances of getting that job, if it’s something he is interested in. It’s a bit of a different style to what they’ve got at the moment, but they feel they need a change if they are going to turn things around, so I expect he will be a leading contender.”
What now for ex-Wolves manager Gary O’Neil
O’Neil has been weighing up his options following his exit from Wolves in December. He has been out of the dugout for just under 12 months now. The 42-year-old hasn’t rushed into any jobs and has been carefully considering his next move.
The Londoner spent his playing days as a midfielder with the likes of Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham, QPR, Norwich City, Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers. He hung up his boots in 2019 and subsequently delved into the coaching world. O’Neil started out as a coach at Liverpool before switching to AFC Bournemouth in a similar capacity.
The Cherries promoted him to their first-team boss in August 2022 after their decision to sack Scott Parker and he did a steady job with the Dorset club before he was surprisingly given the chop. Wolves then handed him a route back into the game and he went on to win 32% of matches before he was sacked. He is now being linked with Leeds and has emerged as an option for the Whites.