Wolves star Matheus Cunha has called the now-fired Gary O'Neil one of the 'best' managers he has had amid rumors that Manchester United were interested in the Brazilian.
In what has been a difficult season for Wolves so far, Cunha has been a revelation, with eight league goals to his name. But while it was relatively easy for his team to bat, that is not the case.
With just two wins this campaign, Cunha's team sits in 19th place. And despite being given a vote of confidence after last Monday night's disappointment against West Ham, boss O'Neil has now been shown the exit door after an equally heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Cunha and his stellar form have been linked with a move to bigger players in the form of the Red Devils, although his admiration for both his current club and O'Neil is well documented. However, the manager's dismissal could give Ruben Amorim's side an opportunity.
'For me that's him [O’Neil] one of the best managers I've had in my career. He has improved me a lot,” Cunha told Wolves' official website. “Not only as a player, but he has also helped me stay calm and take control of situations. I can be frustrating and I feel like he can always help me at every point of being a person, a player and a man.”
However, Saturday's 2-1 defeat proved to be the final straw for O'Neil, which will undoubtedly be a blow to Cunha personally. While some may think the loss of O'Neil could ease the Brazilian forward's stance on leaving his current club, the Brazilian has previously spoken about his love for Wolves.
“I feel like this is my home,” Cunha said earlier this season. “I feel the admiration of the fans, and this is something I never thought I would get when I first came here, in a small town in England, which is completely different from my hometown – but now I have feeling like I'm in a small town in England. At home.
“The fans are incredible to me, to my family, and I have only good things to say about my teammates. But to go to the stadium and perform for them feels like I'm at home. I feel like I want to do everything I can to change the situation, because if you play with a little more passion, and not like it's just my job, then I think you put a little more things into it that make the situation can change. ”
Cunha is clearly comfortable with his current employers, but with relegation a real threat and a new manager emerging as an unknown entity, those courting the star, including Amorim's United, may be in luck.
However, Wolves may have to make do without their star man after Cunha was involved in an altercation with Ipswich staff as the post-match scenes turned ugly.
Mirror Football understands that the FA are now waiting to see whether referee Simon Hooper will include the incident in his match report before deciding whether or not to open an investigation, but ex-Premier League referee Mike Dean believes Cunha could be in trouble come.
“Coming back to the suspension, Cunha, the biggest player they have, I watched the footage afterwards,” Dean told Sky Sports. “He elbows one of the Ipswich coaches in the back of the head. Then he takes off his glasses and throws them on the pitch. As far as I'm concerned, I think he's going to get in trouble with the FA.”
Comments