Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has encouraged his players to continue to lift their game for the rest of the 2023/24 season, with 10 Premier League games remaining and a critical FA Cup tie approaching.
With two months left in the season, few would have predicted Wolves to be two points behind seventh place and one game away from Wembley.
The Old Gold’s position has been largely influenced by the work of Gary O’Neil, who has defied the odds with his small Molineux squad this season.
Despite Wolves being in a lot better position than probably expected prior to the season, the manager has now pushed his players to compete for more with 10 games remaining.
What Gary O’Neil is currently asking of his Wolves players
Following the Midlands club’s hard-fought triumph over Fulham on Saturday, O’Neill told the reporters that he expects more than just comfort from his players.
The 2-1 victory over the Cottagers moved Wolves to seventh place, two points behind West Ham, a position that many believe will allow them to compete in European contention next season.
According to the Shropshire Star, O’Neil has already “spoken” to his team and outlined what he expects of the group despite their previous success this season.
“I’ve spoken to them already, I don’t want the ceiling to come.”
“It’s very easy for us to be on 38 points before the Fulham game, and 38 probably won’t fall down. There’s a major Cup game coming up, so they might think this game isn’t as significant, but it is; they all are.”
“We need to fight now. We can wait until we’re in a mess again, or until we’re fourth from the bottom, before we start fighting. Or we can keep fighting and see how high we can finish in the league.”
“That’s the challenge for the players. Can we not be comfortable, can we not reduce our level at all, and can we keep pushing for every single point to see where we can get?”
Gary O’Neill might lead Wolves to a European finish.
Wolves are not only firmly in contention for some form of European football next season, but the Old Gold are also still competing for the FA Cup.
If the squad wins the trophy, European football will be confirmed, giving O’Neil two paths into a competition with two months of the season remaining.
The manager has made a point of not allowing his players to stop jogging now that they have found a sense of ease, which is sensible given how far the squad has come this season.
When Julen Lopetegui departed abruptly in the summer, the Spaniard expressed major reservations about the group’s strength and size in terms of being competitive in the top division, the same squad that, in March, still has a lot to play for.
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