Gary O’Neil believes the moves Wolves have made in the transfer window will give the team greater competition for places as they look to make it back-to-back Premier League wins when facing Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The signing of Enso Gonzalez and Santiago Bueno on Thursday was added to by the arrival of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Tommy Doyle before the transfer window closed for another four months, and the Wolves head coach feels with the injury to Joe Hodge in the Carabao Cup meeting with Blackpool in midweek, the Manchester City loanee will strengthen the midfield area, as O’Neil prepares to go head-to-head with Roy Hodgson this weekend.
On the arrival of Doyle
“He had a really good season last year at Sheffield United and he’s a talented boy, he’s well-educated footballing-wise having come through the academy at Manchester City and will be good with the structure and how we like to play.
“We’ve been a little bit short in central midfield, especially with the injury to Hodgy in the week, so it gives us another number in there and gives us a different type of player that we’ve had in there over the last few weeks.
“Competition for places is key and adding quality and someone who we think is going to be able to affect games at this level for now and for the future.”
On Hodge’s injury against Blackpool
“We haven’t had the results back on the scan yet, but the early noises are saying three to four weeks, but I could still be three or four weeks off that once we get the full report across.
“But when I saw it and how it happened I expected to lose him for even longer than that, so if it is those lower numbers we’ll be really pleased with what it looked like.”
On Matt Doherty’s brace
“He’s been a little bit behind the group fitness-wise because he joined the group later so didn’t have as big a pre-season as the others, so we were trying to get him up to speed.
“I wanted to have a look at him in that lower position, especially if we ever play a back five, he can be the one on the right of the three, and when he got his wish and we played him higher up, he tried to get a hat-trick. It was a nice reminder for me that he can arrive at the back post and be a good threat going forward as well.”
On getting to grips with the job
“You get up early and go to bed late – that’s pretty much the structure of the day and then do it again the next day. But I’m enjoying it. I’m delighted to be back in here, and with the transfer window and some many games with a group you haven’t really got to know yet means it’s busier than normal, but I expected that.
“I’m doing what I expected to be doing and once we get further along the line the processes will get smoother and the things that take an hour and a half will take half an hour and we’ll just constantly improve those processes.
“There’s a real good support here for me. My coaching staff are fantastic and help take a lot of it, then the recruitment team and Matt try to help me where they can, so there’s enough support in place so I don’t feel like I’m drowning and I’m enjoying every minute.
“Everything will be done at the top level that it needs to be and we’ll be ready to go on Sunday.”
On taking on Crystal Palace
“Crystal Palace will be a difficult one. I will change a few things up around how we will approach the game and how we go about it. I’m sure we have enough in the changing room to cause Crystal Palace problems, but they’re a good side.
“I watched them against Arsenal and they were well in that game, obviously got a decent result away to Brentford, and won already on the road at Sheffield United, so they’re a good side, they have good players, with an experienced manager. It will be a tough game, and a tough place to go, but one that we feel if we can give a really good version of ourselves we have a real good chance of taking something from.”
On going head-to-head with Roy Hodgson
“I have an unbelievable respect for Roy. I spoke to him at the end of last season and to be an elite manager and work at the top of the level that he has, and still put the work in every day to put a team out at the weekend that can compete at Premier League level, it’s a huge achievement and I have nothing but respect for him.
“I know how hard I work every day to try and get the group looking a certain way when it goes out there, so for Roy to still be able to produce that having had all these years in the game at the age he’s out, and he still shows a bit of fire on the touchline, is very impressive.
“He’s 36 years older than me, so I’m definitely not looking that far ahead. Firstly, I need to make sure this Wolves job is a great success and we can give the fans a club they can be proud of. They’ve been some tough times recently that the fans have had to suffer through, but we want to help them to get everything back on track.”
