Why did time run out for O'Neil at Wolves?

Gary O'Neil was appointed head coach at Wolves last August

The chaos at the final whistle at Molineux on Saturday was only the start of Wolves' problems.

Just 18 hours after their players clashed with Ipswich staff and security, Gary O'Neil was sacked as head coach, the last-gasp 2-1 defeat by the Tractor Boys ending his 15-month reign with the club second bottom of the Premier League.

They are now in talks to replace him with Al-Shabab manager Vitor Pereira.

Chairman Jeff Shi only gave O'Neil his public backing on Thursday and Wolves had been prepared to stick by the manager, willing to provide funds for players in January, but the damage done by Saturday's defeat was too much.

It spilled over as emotions took control and Rayan Ait-Nouri was sent off in the tunnel after clashing with Liam Delap, while Matheus Cunha could be the subject of a Football Association investigation having fought with Ipswich's security.

The indiscipline followed Mario Lemina's outburst when he grappled with Jarrod Bowen following the 2-1 defeat at West Ham last week - losing the captaincy because of it - and Jose Sa's row with fans during the loss to Bournemouth last month.

The issues were piling up and Wolves wanted to remain strong. The decision to part ways with O'Neil is a reluctant one - not least because Shi's words of support last week now look hollow.

It was no surprise to hear the fans turn on the chairman and owners Fosun, rather than O'Neil, during the Ipswich game.

O'Neil was well liked and had the loyalty of the players, but the decision-makers saw no alternative. This season's run of 11 defeats in their opening 16 games continued a worrying trend from the end of the previous campaign.

And O'Neil had already been to the brink once. Sources told BBC Sport there was an acceptance from O'Neil's team that failure to beat Southampton on 9 November could have been terminal. A 2-0 win and a surprise 4-1 win at Fulham in the same month was a stay of execution.

In the end, a calamitous 4-2 home loss to Bournemouth, in which they conceded three penalties, and the hammering at Everton meant a change became almost inevitable.

O'Neil leaves Wolves with only two wins and with a game against Leicester City to come before Christmas.

The loyalty shown by Shi and sporting director Matt Hobbs will be questioned, but Wolves have been here before, replacing Bruno Lage with Julen Lopetegui when they were also second bottom two years ago. They know a mid-season change can pay off even if there is little money to spend this time.

After the defeat by West Ham O'Neil bemoaned losing "£200m of talent" with barely veiled criticism of the ownership.

O'Neil had been working within those limitations. Only last month he spoke about the club still trying to adjust as they adapt to new financial realities, this despite banking almost £100m from selling Max Kilman and Pedro Neto, adding to the £100m raised by the exits of Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in 2023.

"We are still trying to stabilise. After that comes the progression. Discussions around the progression of the club will come later on," O'Neil said.

The requirement to stay within the boundaries of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR) meant Wolves sold prized assets, with Neves and Nunes departing last year.

The days of successive seventh-placed finishes and a Europa League quarter-final spot after promotion under Nuno Espirito Santo are gone. Instead, they face a battle for survival without the ability to spend £30-40m on a player.

Wolves are working to find their new identity, a process O'Neil may argue he has fallen victim to.

Last season's win over Manchester City helped O'Neil convince the early doubters

From 'PE teacher' to 'tactical genius'

Described as meticulous and diligent, O'Neil quickly became the preferred choice to take over from Lopetegui in August last year, days before the start of the 2023-24 season.

He inherited a side which had lost Neves to Al-Hilal and Raul Jimenez to Fulham and released Joao Moutinho. Nunes was then sold to Manchester City for £53m.

Those dealings eased PSR concerns but also spoke of a change of policy fundamental to why Lopetegui quit and O'Neil found himself ushered in.

Not all Wolves fans were ecstatic with the appointment, some labelling O'Neil a "glorified PE teacher" early in his reign. However, that nickname was to fade away as the level of detail in his methods became apparent, helped by an eye-catching appearance on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football show after beating Manchester City 2-1 in September 2023.

Recently, the PE teacher jibe has returned and small details such as a perceived excessive use of an iPad during the game have led to supporter discontent.

O'Neil, whether by accident or design, was also initially successful in helping to develop a siege mentality.

He pulled his squad back from a potential public protest against the video assistant referee (VAR) and referee decisions - where they wanted to refuse to shake officials' hands - but was willing to go on the attack, calling a decision to disallow Kilman's late leveller against West Ham in April "possibly the worst decision I've ever seen".

In October O'Neil received a letter from the FA after his suggestions that officials have an issue with unconscious bias towards bigger clubs.

Wolves' dissatisfaction with decisions led to them tabling an unsuccessful motion to the Premier League to scrap VAR technology this season, although, notably, they failed to gain any support from other clubs.

And their ongoing siege mentality could not mask a late-season slump.

Loss of form and defensive woes

After a 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final loss to Coventry in March, Wolves won only one of their final 10 league games to slip out of European contention and finish 14th.

O'Neil signed a new four-year contract in August, a reward for an impressive season in difficult circumstances. There was also an acceptance that the start of this season would be challenging, the fixture list giving Wolves matches against seven of the top eight in their opening 10 games.

But, before beating Southampton in early November, Wolves had one win from their previous 20 games, stretching back to last season. It was a stat O'Neil had called "irrelevant" yet was impossible to escape.

Defensively, Wolves have bordered on calamitous at times this season. They have kept one clean sheet and shipped 40 goals - the most in the league - with 20 coming from set-pieces, having failed to replace Kilman following his £40m move to West Ham in the summer.

Yerson Mosquera's season-ending injury in September was another damaging blow, although Wolves were clearly struggling badly at the back even before this setback.

A failed experiment with set-piece coach Jack Wilson lasted three months, the team failing to adapt to his methods and becoming more vulnerable at set-pieces.

Wolves were unable to agree a deal with Arsenal for Aaron Ramsdale

A summer of transfer struggles

Wolves went into this season having failed to plug the gaping holes left by the departures of Neto and Kilman.

O'Neil had hoped the financial tide was turning and he would have greater ability to spend, saying in August: "Everyone knows the financial restrictions we have and have been there since I arrived. We have raised good funds in this window and the squad will need help.

"Then there's an understanding the Premier League is tough and if you sell good players it makes you weaker."

O'Neil wanted to strengthen and, on penning his new deal, was under the impression that there was scope to bring in signings capable of making an immediate impact.

Instead, Wolves were priced out of a move for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Southampton from Arsenal, while moves for Burnley duo Luca Koleosho and Dara O'Shea failed, with defender O'Shea joining Ipswich.

A centre-back to replace Kilman was needed and Aston Villa's Diego Carlos was considered.

Instead, valid questions were raised when £10m went on goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and a £17m deal to bring Brazil midfielder Andre to the club from Fluminense. Andre offered excellent value but added to an area where Wolves were already well stocked.

Despite the transfer frustrations, there was a belief internally and from regular watchers that the squad were good enough, with the potential to compete.

A new manager will get the chance to strengthen to some extent come January even if money remains tight. The one requirement will be keeping Wolves in the league.