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Mendes to the rescue?
32 Plays5 days ago
Nathan & Chris discuss the latest updates on the managerial news seeping out of Wolves this week.
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Transcript
Introduction of Nathan and Change in Hosting
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome in, everyone. Welcome back to Daily Wolves. It is, of course, me, Chris, and you're getting bored of my voice by now. So I've got company this time just so it's not always me. So with me today is Nathan. Hey, Nathan.
00:00:20
Nathan
Hey Chris, hey everyone, hope we're all keeping well on this fine, fine Tuesday morning.
Relief Over Changes in the Team
00:00:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, I am. I'm feeling, um I think, as I mentioned yesterday, or on the most recent pod that went out, it's a sense of I guess relief more than anything else.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't really say it's joy,
Discussion on Team's Downward Spiral and O'Neill's Departure
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
but it's a sense of relief that something is happening, that things are turning one way or another, things are moving.
00:00:38
Nathan
No.
00:00:47
Nathan
yeah yeah i think um the feeling is sort of mirrored here as well it's just that it'd been so long with the same stuff and the same Yeah, I mean, it was way past its due date for O'Neill to be moving on and for just some change to happen, as you say. I mean, it can't keep going on the way it was. So yeah, a refreshed feeling, which feels like a really weird thing to say when you're second from bottom and a fair few points off safety. But hey, we're at a bit of positivity to start the episodes as we always try and do.
Speculation on New Manager Appointment
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so as we record this, um, just to summarize where we're at timeline wise, it is Monday evening on the 16th of December. As of the moment of recording, there is still no official confirmation from wolves on who the next managerial signing will be.
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm putting that out there just in case by the time this episode is heard by someone. There is confirmation of who the next signing will be, but we're all pretty confident at the moment, based on all the information coming out from a variety of sources on the interweb ah of the name I mentioned last night, Vitor Pereira, I think I've pronounced that wrong, doing it off the top of my head.
00:01:52
Nathan
yeah Yeah.
00:01:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before we get into the whole managerial ah freight train,
00:01:58
Nathan
Nailed it.
Analysis of Recent Game and Defensive Issues
00:02:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did want to take a moment because ah now that I've got you here, Nathan, just to rewind a bit to the weekend and get your, I haven't had a chance to speak to you and get any of your thoughts about that, that terrible outcome, that terrible game and all of the, all of that.
00:02:16
Nathan
Yeah.
00:02:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, where like, did you watch the game and and just taught me through your experience?
00:02:20
Nathan
Yeah.
00:02:23
Nathan
It wasn't a good one. Similar to so many recent weeks. yeah I was able to watch the game. I think it's another massively disappointing afternoon and another one where it was just more of the same issues coming up again and again where we concede soft goals and set peace goals. and We're in situations yet again where our players are losing their heads. and ah Yeah, and there there are points where I felt sorry for certain people and whether that's sort of the the management team or the players themselves because sometimes we have been slightly unlucky, but this was just a a summary. If there was a game to summarise how our season's gone, I think the Ipswich game was was pretty much there, wasn't it? It was like, yet again, we fall behind to what was a
00:03:15
Nathan
a circus goal, I mean, their first goal, whatever's going on there, it's just a complete mess. And then we do, you know, we've got that period of kind of the heads go down and players are in a bit of a slump and then they do well, to be fair to them again, sort of that, that fight was there and they proved that they were sort of playing for the club and giving everything they've got and worked so hard to get back into the game and earn that sort of getting that goal back.
00:03:42
Nathan
to then go and throw it away in the most needless fashion is just, yeah, just sums us up, really.
Critique of O'Neill's Management and Team Discipline
00:03:49
Nathan
You know, we've got some quality going forwards. We create chances. We can we can dominate games in the Premier League for for periods, but then our defending ultimately lets us down. And I think it was, yeah, it was long overdue that O'Neal was kind of on, well, on the chopping board for these poor results, really.
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it was um the first i mean the first half was pretty much just uh a doldrum i it was it was just depressing to watch that first half second half it felt typically that you know once we especially once we equalized there was a lot of momentum and there was quite a few chances actually and it felt like it was only going to go one way and then i think i said you know and i'm sure you got the same feeling that in the dying moments when that Firstly, in the like with five minutes to go suddenly it switched like we started to let them back into the game and sitting deeper and almost that I guess that sense of panic of we can't throw this away. And then the moment the ball was headed out for that corner, I was just thinking this is a this is it. This is a goal.
00:04:53
Nathan
Yeah, it's just the sense the the sense of impending doom that we have when we're where going through full games because we can't avoid set pieces. It's a big part of football and unfortunately it is the most obvious thing that we're getting wrong every single week and then the other goals that we're conceding are off the back of lack of confidence, lack of organization. There's just so many things going wrong and again at full time the players sort of get into boiling point and sort of emotions are running high and they they obviously all care very much but yet again, just completely using and losing bottle with it and you know, Koonya ripping glasses off the head of one of the Ipswich coaching staff and then eight Nori got sent off in the process as well.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:05:43
Nathan
I mean, you know, I think those two moments are actually separate to be fair but just complete mayhem. And again, that sort of represents what we've been
Recurring Set Piece Defense Failures
00:05:54
Nathan
about. And it's it's a shame that, I don't know, I mean, the captaincy moving from Lamina to Samedo and all these sort of obviously around the change room, I can't imagine it's a great great place at the minute, but yeah, just whatever's happened under O'Neill just didn't work. And he's had so many chances. And I think that it was long, long, long overdue. I think we've all been saying that now.
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the thing with the set pieces as well, I was chatting to someone earlier and we were like, when when there's always someone free at the far post, why is there never anyone just standing on the post? Like just, we've never got anyone just guarding that area.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're so bad at it. Just put someone, just put, it because if there's a guy there, there's a chance of ah blocking it, but there's never anyone there.
00:06:38
Nathan
Yeah.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
You'd think to me that poor, go back to basics, go back to school, you know, like just fundamentals.
00:06:43
Nathan
I just don't get it. I mean, if you're going to do zonal, actually make sure that you're picking up threatening zones.
00:06:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:06:50
Nathan
But I'm not personally, I'm not a fan of zonal. I know clubs kind of the but big six tend to do like this half and half.
00:06:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:06:59
Nathan
Like they'll have they'll have the blockers, but then they'll still kind of have the main threats sort of being man
O'Neill's Post-Match Comments and Potential Departure
00:07:05
Nathan
marked. If we look at likes of Arsenal who are you know fantastic at their set pieces and it's been one of their main threats this season even defensively they're very good with them and that's kind of the model they go with but the fact that we've just gone with what seems to be almost at times fully zonal, it just didn't make sense to any of us. And we've been trying to decipher it throughout the whole season and O'Neill in his post-match conference after Ipswich is essentially throwing the players under the bus with his comments by saying, you know, if we defend like that and people aren't in the right places, then of course we're going to concede goals.
00:07:40
Nathan
Um, and it, you know, maybe that's kind of a reflection on O'Neill's feeling at the time and feeling like he's coming to the end anyway. Maybe he knew he was getting the boot and maybe that's why he's coming out of that comment at this point. But yeah, just so frustrating. And yet again, it's that they're tallest guy who's not being picked up. Like how, how are we not able to do that?
00:08:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the last few games his press conferences have been giving more and more um like words against what the club have been doing, whether it was about transfers and money and stuff, and then now getting harsher on the players last couple of games. And I do wonder if on top of the actual defeat itself,
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
the the press conference and also the fact that the last two games have seen this like aftermath live on TV and in front of that you know how many thousands of people are in a stadium. the the that this The fact that it's now getting so publicly humiliating of the the lack of discipline that that has possibly had a bigger impact in like, okay, now it's now it's time because it's make it it's it's not just about defeats now, it's actually making us look bad overall.
Impact of Player Outbursts on Club's Image
00:08:52
Nathan
Yeah, it's those those sorts of public outbursts of of lack of discipline, as you say, are just never good because it's just piling the pressure onto everyone at the club. And on top of that, it makes us, the fans look at it and go like, these are professional footballers. you know the These aren't kids. this These are people that are meant to be role models. And when they're acting like that, I know that it's a high stress environment and none of us here talking about it can fully comprehend what it's like to be in those situations, but there's still a minimum level of how you should carry yourself around.
00:09:31
Nathan
And I think it's, yeah, I'm assuming that all the players are going to feel really disappointed with, with sort of the way they've reacted to some of that, because no matter what it is, if you're going to get angry and sort of throw your toys out the pram, do it in the changing rooms.
00:09:44
Nathan
Don't do it on the pitch. Cause it just makes everyone at the club look silly.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, because it and the thing that bugs me as well, and I don't know if anyone's talking about this, but and I know in the heat of the moment, again, people don't think about this stuff, but you mentioned the fact they're role models and they're professionals, and yeah, people get emotional, but also, most of that stuff, because it always happens on the touch line near the dugouts, that at Molyneux, that's like the family enclosure side.
00:09:49
Nathan
No.
00:10:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
like That side is that lower area. is all family enclosure and kids and things. And as a parent, I'm very aware that kids who idolize these people are watching them then react and push people and shove coaches and, you know, have to get dragged off and stuff like
Role Model Concerns and Need for Professionalism
00:10:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
that. And it's not I ah possibly taking this a bit too extreme, but like as a parent, I i don't want I don't want to be taking my kid to a game.
00:10:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Where they idolize or respect like these players getting paid hundreds of thousands of pounds, whatever it is. And then for them to see them pushing everyone and fighting and thinking that that's, that's okay. Because they, they're doing it week in week out. And it's just for me, that's why I was so frustrated and spoke about yesterday. I'm really, I don't want my, that going on at my club.
00:10:58
Nathan
No, no. And it, as you said, it's such a poor showing. And the fact that it happened in the previous fixture with Lamina sort of throwing his toys at the pram as well with, with, you know, his altercation with Bowen and ah some of the false coaching staff. And that it's happened again straight away in the next game. That's almost the part that left me the most disappointed in the
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:11:22
Nathan
clearly none of the chats and even the the removal of Lemina's captaincy and Sumeido becoming captain for the game against it, you know, all of that really had no effect. And that's the most worrying part is, as a squad, if you see your captain react in that way in the game against West Ham, I mean, we could talk about Lemina individually, but just generally as a squad, your reaction should be, oh, that's bad that we shouldn't be doing that. And there should be a real talking to as the whole squad going, in this is unacceptable. And the fact that his captaincy was removed showed how important, you know,
00:11:52
Nathan
O'Neill saw that as a sort of, yeah, outburst. And then for it to happen, for two players to be involved in something in the game straight afterwards, it's just so poor. So, you know, here's fingers crossed to whoever comes in, if it is going to be this Vitor Pereira. That's one of the first issues, right? Just the basic standards of discipline. You know, so, yeah.
00:12:28
Nathan
So yeah, hopefully Vitor Pereira can sort of bring in some, just some more discipline to that squad, because that ultimately is the first thing that needs, yeah, so it's the first thing that we need to sort in. The basic standards, not only on the pitch with regards to basics of just marking your men, being goalsides,
00:12:48
Nathan
being switched on defensively with back passes and the minor basics of football, but also and unfortunately also with sort of the off the pitch stuff and being able to just keep a keep a lid on your emotions. And I think it's just a theme of the squad and it might be because of the some areas of inexperience and maybe it's also because some of the senior players are naturally quite emotional
Vitor Pereira's Potential Impact on Team
00:13:12
Nathan
players. If we think of Lamina and Cunha being some of our main figures in the in the dressing room, they're both quite emotional which is some of the reason why we enjoy watching them so much but also at times they can have a negative effect but it's just that yeah just just calm it down and clearly O'Neill wasn't able to keep a cap on it throughout the whole season so hopefully hopefully this new manager who who from what I've read and I didn't hadn't really heard of him too much prior to all the news over the past few days
00:13:43
Nathan
um but from what I've read he's got a decent reputation when it comes to keeping discipline within sort of changing rooms and he's apparently someone who's quite stern of his word so potentially that is why wolves are looking at him
00:13:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, while we ah calm down ah for a second and before we move on to like what's going on now with the all the management news, just take a minute to remind everyone that this podcast is part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your Premier League team.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Premier League, women's football and fantasy football, a unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make us your first listen every day. Global Sports Podcast Network, every club, every day. Yeah, so that news broke. The news broke on Sunday morning of, um you know,
00:14:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, was's anyone wasn't it? The time is like, the days are blending together. play Days are blending together. Of the you know Gary Neil being relieved of his post, which, you know, the entire, pretty I think, to be fair, I mean, I'm i'm i'm sure that there probably is a few people out there who maybe thought he was still the guy. I'm not going to say everyone, but the majority of people probably thought it was long overdue.
00:14:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I know I did and so it was a relief as I say to to see the post and then the anxiety of okay but now now where do we go because we've heard that various names have turned this job down in the last couple of weeks and then out of nowhere this name Vitor uh what was his surname again?
00:15:11
Nathan
Yeah.
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pereira, Vitor Pereira. Thank you, Nathan.
00:15:16
Nathan
Pereira.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Vitor Pereira is suddenly, like suddenly jumps to the front as like the potential leader leading candidate. And as of this point, late on Monday night is by all accounts, like the guy they are far into negotiations in terms of contracts and the buyout clause with his club at the moment.
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, what you said, Nathan, you've looked him up. I have to, um, what did you make of his CV?
00:15:39
Nathan
Yeah.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you want to go a bit more into like his experience?
00:15:49
Nathan
Yeah. It's, um, it's a bit of an odd one. It's a bit of a weird one. And, and I don't really know how I feel about it. Obviously for the first couple of games, sort of, he's coming into a very, very difficult situation. And unfortunately for him, the runner fixtures are not going to be favorable by the time he's had a chance to properly work with the squad, but he's got, he's a bit of a journeyman. So, you know, he started off at Porto and that was his longest spell in management where his assistant and then full-time coach from sort of 2010 to 2013.
00:16:20
Nathan
And then after that, he's not spent more than two seasons at any club, I'm right in saying. So he kind of jumps around and he, you know, he has had some success where he's been, you know, he's won the league with Olympiarchos. He also won the league in China with um Shanghai, but, and he's managed in Brazil and he's he's obviously Portuguese and speaks very, very good English. So he's got a bit of a, it's a bit of a left field kind of,
00:16:47
Nathan
you know, appointment if it does go through. And it's it's one that I really don't know how to feel about it. I mean, we kind of spoke about it briefly before we started recording that it looks as though he he's coming in for the short term, given his CV and the fact that he kind of bounces around. But ah I don't know. I don't know how I feel about that because um if David Moyes were to come in, I'd also think that he'd be in for the short term as well. I don't think I'd see David Moyes as a long term manager, but At the same time, this guy's obviously got this big CV. Maybe he sees wolves as the project as well. And you know it doesn't get much bigger than managing in the Premier League. So yeah, it's it's it's a really interesting one.
Balancing Leadership and Friendship in Management
00:17:31
Nathan
And um the fact that he's also another one of Mendez's clients and Mendez the super agent who has bailed us out a few times in the past and brought in some of the unbelievable talent that we've had.
00:17:43
Nathan
it it maybe be is um ah also a sign of what's going on behind the scenes at Wolves with them sort of bypassing the the sporting director and just going straight back to Mendez to find them their guy. So it's it's an interesting time, I can imagine there's a lot of rumblings going on and Yeah, it'll be interesting to see um what what happens and what decision they do make.
00:18:07
Nathan
But if it is this Vittor Pereira, it's just, I just find it interesting.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, me too. I think um was a couple there's a couple of things there and I'm glad you mentioned them because otherwise I was going to make sure we did that the whole, this being a Mendez client and yeah, by all accounts potentially having ah like leapfrogged Matt Hobbs on this one and just gone and swooped in to get this done quickly as like an emergency break glass kind of thing, come and help us out because we can't get the people we want.
00:18:11
Nathan
I don't really know how I feel about it right now. How do you feel about it, Chris?
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so, in this guy comes, and yeah, I mean, obviously, if he gets the job, I'm gonna, you know, like we always should do behind a new manager, I'm gonna get behind him and hope that this is gonna, because we've got to, right?
00:18:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got to, we've only got half a season left, we've we they this has got to work. So, I mean, I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt, but upfront, yeah, there's some uncertainty because of the fact that it almost feels like when you look at the CV,
00:18:55
Nathan
Yeah.
00:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
The success he had at Porto, arguably he inherited that team, like you say, he was assistant coach before he was the lead coach. And then it was already, so it was already pretty strong team and it had the likes of Metinio in, ironically, and, and like a very strong team that he kind of walked, like leveled up into and then won two titles. And then after that, I was kind of like banded around all over the place. But like I said, as always wants to play in the managing the Premier League. So this might be what he's been waiting for this whole time and a chance to prove himself ah again, ah at the highest level and ah yeah if he's got discipline um I mentioned on on yesterday's pod when I was ranting solo about you know I feel like we've seen that arguably one of the issues potentially O'Neill had is that he's become too much of a friend
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Rather than their leader, you know that because that that's a fine line in management management. Yes, you've got to be able to put your arm around people and Comfort them but you don't want to just be their best buddy because then when you need to put your foot down and you need to Make those tough choices and discipline people.
00:19:58
Nathan
Yeah.
Need for Consistency in Team Performance
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're not gonna they're not gonna respect you in the same way so if if this guy can come in and be I don't say distant but like create that
00:20:14
Nathan
yeah
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
that thing of okay, this is this is how it is, this is what you're doing, in and get everyone almost back to basics, because we need we keep talking about back to basics, especially at the back. And we've got, we say it time and again, we've got talent, we score, and I'm not worried about scoring goals, we can score goals.
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just want some consistency, particularly in the back, so that the players know what they're doing.
00:20:33
Nathan
Yeah.
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like O'Neal has potentially ah overcomplicated things again and again by trying to constantly shift and make different changes to find the right thing for every game. And you know sometimes it's not that complex, right? Sometimes you just need to have everyone know what they're doing week in, week out, and then work from there.
00:21:01
Nathan
Yeah, as you said, just building that consistency, I think is one of the main things and he's going to have to do it and do it really fast.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:07
Nathan
He's got, you know, the nature of the Premier League is fixtures are always, you know, four or five days away. You know, it's never, it's never a ah long turnaround and hopefully um over the the January transfer window, he can get in a couple of guys that we badly need in defensive positions, and so he mainly sends a half.
00:21:26
Nathan
and But just, as you said, bringing in that this pin. But also, I agree with you on the O'Neill front of him being maybe too much of a friend to the players, or at the very least, whatever he was saying wasn't getting across to them, as he's quite clearly put across in previous press conferences.
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
because they all say how much they love him. Sorry, they all they've all, every time they're asked about him, they all come out in a really, put and and it doesn't feel like just a fake press line.
00:21:42
Nathan
And the fact...
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
They all, and even some of the posts they're putting out afterwards, they all seem to like him as a person, but that doesn't mean he is a leader.
00:21:47
Nathan
Yeah.
O'Neill's Leadership Struggles
00:21:58
Nathan
Yeah and it's it's interesting isn't it because we we talk often about you know ex-pros becoming managers and how that transition works and you've got people like Frank Lampard and Gerard and people like that who will command that instant respect they meant might not be fantastic tactically and having not been in management for a long time but The fact that they were such high level pros means that they'll go into a dressing room and they'll have that respect instantly rather. Whereas O'Neill, if he is becoming mates with them and he's going for that kind of, you know, I was recently a pro style management and
00:22:34
Nathan
sort of almost ah ah the unit idea behind it and him being almost on their level and just being manager by title and you know that's kind of the feel that we were getting from it but the players are thinking well you've you've hardly played at our level you know in your playing career you know he was a for most part of his career so championship journeyman had a couple of few seeds in the in the prem but was never never set in the world alike whereas some of the players in in the wolf squad are are internationals so it's
00:22:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:23:03
Nathan
Yeah, it's an interesting dynamic, but one way or another, regardless of the managerial style, he wasn't getting across what he was trying to get across, ah which ultimately is why he's got the sack. So yeah, hopefully this guy is coming in with where he's got a bit more experience in his back. He's got a massive CV. He's managed big name players.
00:23:21
Nathan
um notably at Porto, as he said, Mutino, and he had likes of Otamendi in that squad and Danilo and all players like this. So, yeah, fingers crossed this this new bloke comes in with a little bit of an iron fist to start stuff off.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there's two things I'm really curious about off the back of this being a Mendez client and potentially the club thinking, bugger this, we're in trouble again, we need to, and it hasn't been working what we're doing, we need to maybe go back to some of the old formula. I'm curious how long a contract they're going to give this guy, you know, because that's going to, that's, that's really, really intriguing. Is it just going to be a one year to see where where we end up division wise or are they going to just go all out again because they have this tendency to give people really long contracts all the time and it's not necessarily the right thing to do he needs to earn if he does if this is for him a project of i want to be a premier league manager and do it then make him make sure he keeps up by giving him the one year and making him be like you've got to you've got to do this um
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then the other is in the January transfer window, are we going to see on the back of this Mendez rewards, payoffs, like exchanges, because this is a Mendez client and there's going to be other factors to this, you know, like, okay, well I'm giving you the, I'm giving, I'm getting you, I'm getting you this emergency manager. So now we're going to do a deal.
00:24:43
Nathan
Yeah. Yeah. And I
Hope for Managerial Change to Boost Team Spirit
00:24:45
Nathan
think, I mean, to be honest, if whoever comes in can get us out of the situation, obviously they'll deserve a long-term contract with whatever bonus they'd like because this is the most dire position we've been in in a long, long, long time.
00:25:04
Nathan
ah Even the the season where we're getting relegated from the prem in, what was it, 2012 now, 2011, if I'm getting my years right.
00:25:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:25:14
Nathan
But yeah, we're talking those levels, if not lower. So it's it's really, yeah, worrying time, but hopefully this sort of, new energy can give us can give us that manager bounce because I think we've been craving for something.
00:25:29
Nathan
should We just needed one change and we were hoping for it to be something that happens on the pitch but unfortunately it's come to the point where we just need, yeah, that backroom staff change and it what what a new manager brings in is that kind of every player is going to be looking over their shoulder going, oh, is my is my spot secure?
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:25:47
Nathan
So it ultimately brings the levels up a little bit because everyone's going to be wanting to perform for a whole new management team. And I'm hoping that that pushes the likes of Rodrigo Gomez, Forbes, Huang even, not about attacking players, but even the defensive players like Lee Mo and Dotty players that haven't seen as much game time, whether you know I think it's the right choice to be starting them or not. But
Criticism on Player Selection and Game Time
00:26:13
Nathan
just those players to start pushing the first team players or the players that are starting, we can recount a lot more because
00:26:21
Nathan
Yeah, I think we just need that competitive spirit back because now it just, I don't know.
00:26:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
but also to reward them when they do and like do well in the chance or you know bench them when they're not because I've said before I was getting really frustrated because it felt to me like O'Neal struggled to make choices to bench people he thought were integral whether because Lamina was captain and I felt like he should have been benched at various points for the season because his form has just not been there and his behavior on top of that now as well
00:26:26
Nathan
it It just, it's not been right. It doesn't feel right at all.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's so like, just, you know, he's walking around shaking his head all the time and looking just like he's on the brink of, whether it's exploding in frustration or crying, you know, I just don't want it on the pitch. Like get yourself together, sort it out. And then, you know, Gedge comes on every now and again and makes an assist or scores a goal. And then he's back on the bench and like, you know,
00:27:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
The people that are coming on and doing well, and Doyle, you know, comes on occasionally, has a cracker. I mean, Brighton saved like a one-on-four situation. I know there's an element of luck, but he still had to make an anticipated mood and put himself in the right place. But then the point is he immediately looks up, plays the pass, creates an opportunity, and he showed it again when he came on in the second half. On Saturday, he was like the brightest spark of that whole game.
00:27:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
from my opinion I don't know about yourself but like he showed again why he should be getting more game time because and it allows the likes of Larsen and Konya to make a run because they know he's gonna they know he's gonna play a ball over the top or into the channel or wherever it is and and he's got a good range of passing
00:27:41
Nathan
Yeah.
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, but the, and again, g wedge came on and looked, you know, dangerous and created moments. And, but these people, they just seem to go back to the bench and O'Neill never wanted to actually give them more minutes. And I feel like at times when he's been frustrating and always putting Bella guard on, always putting people in the wrong position and playing Gomez on the wing and Lamina at center back, it's like, no, just put the bright people in the right places and, and reward them when they do well and bench them when they're not. It doesn't seem that complicated.
00:28:26
Nathan
No, andnna but I mean, you know, it's, it's such an easy thing to do as to, we've got the the luxury of hindsight with a lot of these decisions, right? And I think it's, it's difficult when O'Neill's obviously working with the squad week in week out.
00:28:38
Nathan
And I think that Lamina sort of Doyle situation, and I know sort of Andre was the one who was, who was poor against Ipswich, but Lamina in my opinion had a fairly good game against West Ham.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:28:51
Nathan
Well, for a moment, I thought what yeah he did put on a fairly good captain's performance where he was, you know, felt like he was everywhere in that first half and especially start the second half. And I just. It's difficult one because I don't know whether I'd have dropped.
00:29:04
Nathan
I definitely think removing the captaincy is the right thing. But then in that situation, does O'Neal get rid of Lamina from the starting lineup because of his off the pitch actions as well?
00:29:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:29:14
Nathan
In my opinion, maybe you do do that because of how important discipline is at this moment in the season, not only with our behaviour, but also with what we're doing on the pitch. and But yeah, it's it's a difficult one, but whoever does come in, as you said, there needs to be some sort of, to us as fans, we're not seeing much clarity on whether, as you said, good performances are being rewarded. We don't really know what's going on behind the scenes, but We are seeing players come off the bench, as you said, and Gonzalo Guedes is probably the most, you know, the perfect example of that is every time he comes off the bench, something is happening and he's not been given many stars at all.
New Manager Bounce and Upcoming Fixtures
00:29:53
Nathan
So something there, there's a disjoint somewhere because even though I'd like to see Gomez do very well and he's young and he's a bright spark and whatever, his performances have been below standard this season. He's not.
00:30:07
Nathan
he's not been a threat going forward.
00:30:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't think so, no.
00:30:09
Nathan
I don't know if he's had any goal involvement at all yet, I don't think. So yeah, it's just, you know, if the facts, the facts aren't lying and the eye test isn't lying. So what, what, what is O'Neill seeing that we're not sort the question?
00:30:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's going to be curious. and Before we um finish up with a couple of ah points, I will just again take a moment so to breathe and recover and give Nathan a chance to recover. To remind everyone that here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we did spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform and Zancaster came out the clear winner.
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr. Well, Nathan, I suppose the the biggest question I have for you right now, not to put you on the spot or anything, is do you think Do you think that it's too little too late? Are we on the way down? Or do you think there is still light at the end of this tunnel?
00:31:20
Nathan
Look, I think there's, I'm an eternal optimist, what I like to think I am, especially on these podcasts, obviously. I think there is light, I think there's massive amount of quality in the squad and if you can get a tune out of these international players then there is is definitely hope. We can go on a run, I do believe that. It's just about hopefully getting that tune and we want we want to see a team that's playing with with the values and the sort of
00:31:53
Nathan
the the spirit that O'Neill's had them playing at the start of last season, sort of that fearless attitude. If we see that, then I think as fans, we can go back to enjoying watching the Wolves again, because at the minute, it's we're just not in that place.
00:32:07
Nathan
So I think, yeah, the immediate future, I just want to enjoy watching the team play and not having that, as I said earlier, just the sense of, yeah, impending doom every time the ball goes out for a throw in or someone fouls someone and a half.
00:32:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is atrocious.
00:32:21
Nathan
And I'm thinking, oh, gosh, this is,
00:32:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, we are we're currently five points adrift.
00:32:23
Nathan
a shot on target at the very least for them.
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, you know, two wins, you're potentially back in amongst it.
Challenges in Upcoming Schedule
00:32:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But still, you look at the coming fixtures, the next game is huge.
00:32:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yes, even if the new manager is in before then, he's not really going to get to do anything in that time other than get to like meet everyone and met pencil together a sheet team sheet based on things that people tell them and it's you know it's going to be yeah there's not going to be a massive change is there um but you but like you say you could still get the new manager bounce and people trying to prove themselves win their spot all that kind of stuff that there is still potential there but then after that it's you know, man you at home, Tottenham away, and this is all close together over the Christmas season, then Forest at home, I mean they're flying, they, ah Nuno's got them doing the things that we used to do, and it, I'm terrified to be honest with you, and then Newcastle away on the 15th of Jan, Chelsea away,
00:33:22
Nathan
They are flying. Yeah.
00:33:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Arsenal at home, I mean, you know, because the problem is this November, December period, we spoke about what, a few weeks back, this was the period.
00:33:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is the problem, isn't it? This is the period where we were like our season. This was the bit of our season that was our season after that tough start that did was ended up being so bad for us.
00:33:47
Nathan
this This was the easy games. This was, yeah, yeah.
00:33:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
This was the bit where like, we're going to get our season back on track. And now it hasn't got back on track. And now we've come into the end of that run and it's going to get tough again. And, and they're all close together because there is no international break till March or something like that. So it's, it's going to be, it's going to be tough sledding.
00:34:14
Nathan
Yeah, it is. It is indeed. But I'll tell you what I would say. So my final thought for um this Vitor Pereira is he's had some um some fantastic holiday destinations as places to be as a manager.
00:34:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has. I said...
00:34:27
Nathan
I mean, obviously Portugal to start off with, but like Greece, you know, he's had a bit of a spell in China. He's gone to Turkey. He's um yeah, and Brazil as well.
00:34:40
Nathan
He really loves the exotic places and
00:34:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
in jaza
00:34:42
Nathan
clearly sees Wolverhampton as a am another one of exotic places.
00:34:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. i said I said to Nathan off air, we were going through the locations on the CV now that maybe he just likes to travel.
00:34:46
Nathan
you know Maybe he'll go for a curry in Canuck for a crazy Wednesday Eve. you know
00:34:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe that's the reason ink he's always on the movie. Get your expenses paid to fly from one place to another and set up shop for a couple of years and then go and see another part of the world.
00:34:58
Nathan
yeah
00:35:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe that's it.
00:35:07
Nathan
That's it, and obviously Wolverhampton in the Midlands is higher on his list of um destinations for him to visit.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Clearly, I mean, while it is the hope, you know, when we're close to the back Black Country Museum, home of Peaky Blinders, I mean, get in, you know.
Conclusion with Hope Amidst Uncertainty
00:35:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah All right, everyone. by the time ah so yeah By the time you hear this, we may have announcements, we may not, but by the next episode, hopefully we've got some more news to go on of who's going to be in the dugout for Leicester.
00:35:21
Nathan
Yeah, easy stuff, I can see why.
00:35:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
The most say this crazy thing with now is if just another name just comes out of nowhere and like now is announced, that's going to be the thing that would blow everyone's minds. But anyway, we'll see. Take it easy, people. Try not to stress too much. and The festive season is coming. So, you know, let's ah try and be positive. Because remember, out of darkness come a flight.