Wolverhampton have appointed a new manager after the shock sacking of their manager just before the season opener. How will the future of Hwang Hee-chan (27) be affected?
English Premier League club Wolverhampton, where Hwang Hee-chan is active, said on the official website on the 9th (Korean time), “The club has appointed Gary O’Neill as the club’s new manager ahead of the new 2023-24 season.” O’Neill and we signed a three-year contract. O’Neill has had a successful season leading Bournemouth to stay in the Premier League,” said an official for appointing a new manager.토토사이트
This news came just a day after the contract with former coach Julen Lopetegui was terminated by mutual agreement. Earlier on the morning of the 9th, Wolverhampton announced that it had decided to terminate the contract under mutual agreement, saying, “Director Lopetegi and the club accepted that there was a difference of opinion on certain issues and agreed to end the contract amicably.”
However, it was merely announcing that it had taken the form of mutual agreement, and in less than a day, the successor was announced, effectively informing the outside world that it had taken the form of hard work. The eyes of the British media are also in the mood to see that coach Lopetegui has been hardened due to conflicts with the club.
This is very shocking news. Coach Lopetegui, a master from Spain, left the team just nine months after taking office as Wolverhampton’s command tower in November last year. In particular, coach Lopetegi played a decisive role in retaining the team, which was in the 19th place in the relegation zone with 2 wins, 4 draws and 7 losses at the time.
However, on the 15th, with only 6 days left before the 2023-24 season PL opener against Manchester United, he suddenly left the team. Although the two do not disclose the reason for the breakup, the British media reported that Wolverhampton decided to replace the manager when Lopetegui showed dissatisfaction with the club’s stingy investment, despite the departure of many players, and the situation in which replacement players were not properly recruited. watching.
Attention is also focused on the future of Hwang Hee-chan, who got a chance under the trust of coach Lopetegi last season. Last season, despite frequent injuries, Hwang Hee-chan scored 4 goals in 19 matches and was favored by coach Lopetegui.
With the appointment of a new coach, this trust building has to be started again, and as a result, the team is in a messy situation, but on the contrary, it is not a bad situation for Hwang Hee-chan to compete for the starting position.
Earlier, Wolverhampton transferred veteran core striker Raul Himenez to Fulham. In addition, other strikers Diego Costa and Adama Traore also left the team as free agents (FA). With three players out of the offensive line, the reinforcement of new players is delayed. Naturally, Hwang Hee-chan’s role is inevitable.
In Wolverhampton’s position, there was a hole in the midfield and defense in addition to the leak of the attack right away. Hubeng Neves, the club’s key midfielder for several years in the early days of the transfer market, has moved to Al Hilal in the Saudi League. In addition, defender Nathan Collins left for Brentford and Conor Cody left for Leicester City respectively. Veteran midfielder Joao Moutinho, who was able to play well as a replacement resource and was also the team’s mental support, also left the team as a free agent.
The situation is like this, but now Wolverhampton is all about a big transfer confirmation that has returned right fullback Matt Doherty, who has been active in the club for a long time, and recruited Tom King as a backup goalkeeper as a free agent. At this rate, Hwang Hee-chan’s competition for the starting lineup is highly likely to be bloodless, and it is a crisis situation in which there is no choice but to worry about relegation at the beginning of the season for two consecutive years.
The 40-year-old manager O’Neill, who became Wolverhampton’s reliever, is the youngest manager of Wolverhampton in the 21st century. In addition, the title of official British manager who took the command of the club in 6 years in Wolverhampton, which mainly appointed foreign managers, was also attached.
Wolverhampton Sports Director (General Manager) Matt Hobbs said, “We are very happy to announce that we have brought O’Neill to the club. He is an energetic young manager and leads the team with firm principles. “I’m happy to see O’Neill achieve so much at Wolverhampton with us,” he said. But I think a change of manager will be an exciting and developing thing for the club. It would be good to judge with optimism,” he said, appeasing the supporters.