Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer were thrilled to watch Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil exact revenge on former club Bournemouth.
Wolves traveled to the South Coast on Saturday afternoon, with all eyes on manager Gary O’Neil.
O’Neil kept Bournemouth in the Premier League last season until being fired in favor of Andoni Iraola.
Wolves immediately pounced, appointing O’Neil as Julen Lopetegui’s replacement, making this his first visit to the Vitality Stadium.
O’Neill’s Wolves came back from a goal down to win 2-1, with Sasa Kalajdzic scoring a late winner against the 10-man Cherries.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer comment on Gary O’Neil
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have now spoken out over O’Neil’s comeback on The Rest is Football podcast.
Lineker called O’Neil’s comeback against Bournemouth the “Premier League moment of the weekend.”
Lineker commented that, while O’Neil downplayed his position as the game’s principal character, he will have cherished overcoming his old club – even if only inside rather than openly.
Shearer emphasized that O’Neil must have been eagerly anticipating a victory with Wolves when they faced Bournemouth, considering the significance of gaining three points.
Shearer reiterated his opinion that Bournemouth’s decision to dismiss O’Neil in the first place was unwise and unjust, while expressing his delight that Wolves were comfortably positioned in the Premier League standings.
Lineker remarked, “We might have witnessed the standout moment in the Premier League this weekend with Gary O’Neil’s triumph as Wolves’ manager against Bournemouth. Bournemouth had let him go at the end of the previous season, even though he had done an admirable job keeping them in the Premier League. In his post-game interview, he claimed, ‘It’s not about me at all.’ But let’s be honest, it was, wasn’t it? Ultimately, it’s about securing three points for your team, but deep down, he must have felt a sense of vindication.”
Shearer concurred, saying, “That’s exactly what he must have been thinking. Leading up to this week’s match, he must have been fervently hoping to leave Bournemouth with those crucial three points. They currently occupy the 12th spot with 11 points, looking down at Bournemouth, the team that let him go. We all believed it was an ill-advised and unfair decision.”
O’Neil highlights how quickly football can change
The Premier League season is far from over, so Wolves supporters should avoid premature celebrations even after Saturday’s victory. Nevertheless, this win was particularly satisfying, highlighting how quickly circumstances can change in football, as evidenced by O’Neil’s situation.
Last season, Bournemouth appeared content with O’Neil in defense but then opted for Iraola, who is currently struggling under the weight of mounting pressure. Meanwhile, O’Neil is impressing with Wolves.
When Bournemouth parted ways with O’Neil, Wolves had hoped Julen Lopetegui would stay, but he didn’t. In this context, O’Neil stepped in during a worrisome summer transfer window, and he’s now doing an excellent job, including defeating his former club.
We can only hope for more successes from O’Neil and Wolves, as triumphing over Bournemouth, despite the intense emotions involved, is not the ultimate measure of their potential.
Leave a Reply