Wolves are preparing for a fresh start under Cesar Peixoto, who has been handed the task of securing an immediate return to the Premier League following the club’s painful relegation.
Their drop from the top flight last season was particularly brutal—they were all but doomed with months still to play, and at one stage, there were genuine concerns they might break Derby County’s unwanted points record.
In reality, the decline had been brewing for years. Poor recruitment across multiple transfer windows, alongside questionable decision-making under former chairman Jeff Shi, left the club in a fragile state. That approach not only frustrated supporters but also irked several managers, including beloved former boss Nuno Espírito Santo.
Gary O’Neil references Wolves during Ipswich unveiling
Gary O’Neil, now appointed at Ipswich Town, was another manager who felt he lacked proper backing during his time at Molineux.
The 43-year-old started brightly but saw things unravel quickly, leading to his dismissal just months into his second season.
O’Neil was especially frustrated by the lack of support in the January window—Wolves went on to lose an FA Cup quarter-final at home to Coventry with a threadbare squad, which he viewed as a glaring missed opportunity.
Speaking at his first Ipswich press conference, O’Neil pointed to the difference in club operations as a key factor in his move.
“I learned a lot from the Wolves spell. That’s a club run very, very differently to this one,” he said upon arriving in Suffolk. “That’s why I’m here and why I was so keen to take over here.”
Wolves need to show they’ve learned from past errors after O’Neil’s remarks
Mistakes have piled up at Wolves over the years, and after a long stint in the Premier League, relegation began to feel inevitable.
Jeff Shi, the man chiefly responsible, paid the price with his dismissal last season. Early signs under Nathan Shi—who is unrelated—have been more encouraging.
Wolves have made shrewd moves in the market, bringing in Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez while also holding on to Andre.
Nathan Shi will argue he’s shifting perceptions of the club, but the real judgement will come over the coming months—and likely beyond—given the scale of the rebuild required.
Wolves fans respond to O’Neil’s Ipswich press conference comments
Unsurprisingly, O’Neil’s remarks sparked plenty of discussion on social media. Some supporters called out what they saw as hypocrisy—pointing out that O’Neil had been in talks to return to Wolves before Rob Edwards was appointed, suggesting he was open to working with Fosun again after all.
Still, others backed his view. One fan admitted Ipswich have been better run in recent times, while another felt O’Neil’s critique was justified.
A third supporter suggested Fosun should use O’Neil’s words as fuel to drive improvement going forward.
