Home
Though the heavy festive fixture list used to be easier for Gary O’Neil, the old legs are moving a little faster knowing he has fired Wanderers back to winning ways.
The former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder produced a perfect late Christmas present for Phil Parkinson with his winner against Rotherham United on Boxing Day – and now the 35-year-old has an upset against Stoke City in his sights.
Wanderers could climb out of the bottom three for the first time since mid-November if they avoid defeat tomorrow afternoon in their final game of 2018.
And O’Neil has a feeling that things will get better in the New Year for the Whites now some of the pressure has been lifted.
“It’s a great dressing room, so the lads are always positive,” he said. “We work extremely hard and get everything we can out of each other. But when you keep coming out the wrong side of these one-goal defeats – do well against Norwich and lose, do alright against Leeds and lose – it starts to drain. You can feel it in the fans as well.
“That win just gives you that next bit of belief and you feel like you can go and do it again.
“We’ve tried to improve quality in training. We’ve tried to keep the ball better, try to create chances, make sure the delivery is better, but at the end of the day if you give everything you’ve got you have to hold your hands up if a team beats you with more quality.
“This season we’ll continue to give everything. I’m sure with the size of the squad, the players we’ve got, we’ll have enough to be outside the bottom three at the end of the season.”
O’Neil was brought in on a short-term contract by Parkinson after a successful summer trial and hopes his recent performances show he is worth an extended deal to the end of the season.
The Bolton boss has consistently pointed out O’Neil’s value to the dressing room, and his ability to guide younger players on the pitch after amassing close to 500 league appearances during a 17-year career to date.
Even in the midst of a hectic Christmas schedule the midfielder says he is enjoying the challenge.
“I find the games okay, it’s in between and making sure you recover,” he said. “If we played Saturday-Saturday I’d have no problem at all but with the quick turnaround it gets a little bit trickier when you get to my old age.
“I am still enjoying it and I’m still keen to play. As long as I can run up and down, I’ll be okay.
“With everyone there’s a trade-off. When you get someone who’s older, like me, you get the experience but you might not get as much energy or legs as you’d out of the younger lads. But we need everyone, we need the younger players who have the enthusiasm.
“The experience is a tough one. It isn’t something you can see. It’s just passing on bits of info when it gets tight, like at the end, keep everyone organised. I’ve tried to pass on the many experiences I have had so far.
“The squad manages itself. It’s honest, it’s hard-working and I’m pleased for the boys because they have had some tough afternoons recently.”
O’Neil has found himself playing a different role since his return from injury at the start of December, shifting from defensive central midfield to the right wing.
With such a short turnaround between the Rotherham and Stoke games, the veteran would not be at all surprised to see changes in the team on Saturday.
But whether he keeps his own place or not, O’Neil hopes the squad can keep some momentum going against a side relegated from the Premier League last season.
“We need a bit of a run,” he said. “It has been tough, as everyone is aware.
“The Rotherham game wasn’t pretty, it was a proper scrap but at least we came out on the right side of it. Now we have got to push on.
“We have got a lot of midfielders and wingers – and in the last couple of games he’s decided to play me tucked in off the right. On another day it might suit to play two out-and-out wingers. I’m pleased to be a part of the squad and help out however I can.”
Source
The former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder produced a perfect late Christmas present for Phil Parkinson with his winner against Rotherham United on Boxing Day – and now the 35-year-old has an upset against Stoke City in his sights.
Wanderers could climb out of the bottom three for the first time since mid-November if they avoid defeat tomorrow afternoon in their final game of 2018.
And O’Neil has a feeling that things will get better in the New Year for the Whites now some of the pressure has been lifted.
“It’s a great dressing room, so the lads are always positive,” he said. “We work extremely hard and get everything we can out of each other. But when you keep coming out the wrong side of these one-goal defeats – do well against Norwich and lose, do alright against Leeds and lose – it starts to drain. You can feel it in the fans as well.
“That win just gives you that next bit of belief and you feel like you can go and do it again.
“We’ve tried to improve quality in training. We’ve tried to keep the ball better, try to create chances, make sure the delivery is better, but at the end of the day if you give everything you’ve got you have to hold your hands up if a team beats you with more quality.
“This season we’ll continue to give everything. I’m sure with the size of the squad, the players we’ve got, we’ll have enough to be outside the bottom three at the end of the season.”
O’Neil was brought in on a short-term contract by Parkinson after a successful summer trial and hopes his recent performances show he is worth an extended deal to the end of the season.
The Bolton boss has consistently pointed out O’Neil’s value to the dressing room, and his ability to guide younger players on the pitch after amassing close to 500 league appearances during a 17-year career to date.
Even in the midst of a hectic Christmas schedule the midfielder says he is enjoying the challenge.
“I find the games okay, it’s in between and making sure you recover,” he said. “If we played Saturday-Saturday I’d have no problem at all but with the quick turnaround it gets a little bit trickier when you get to my old age.
“I am still enjoying it and I’m still keen to play. As long as I can run up and down, I’ll be okay.
“With everyone there’s a trade-off. When you get someone who’s older, like me, you get the experience but you might not get as much energy or legs as you’d out of the younger lads. But we need everyone, we need the younger players who have the enthusiasm.
“The experience is a tough one. It isn’t something you can see. It’s just passing on bits of info when it gets tight, like at the end, keep everyone organised. I’ve tried to pass on the many experiences I have had so far.
“The squad manages itself. It’s honest, it’s hard-working and I’m pleased for the boys because they have had some tough afternoons recently.”
O’Neil has found himself playing a different role since his return from injury at the start of December, shifting from defensive central midfield to the right wing.
With such a short turnaround between the Rotherham and Stoke games, the veteran would not be at all surprised to see changes in the team on Saturday.
But whether he keeps his own place or not, O’Neil hopes the squad can keep some momentum going against a side relegated from the Premier League last season.
“We need a bit of a run,” he said. “It has been tough, as everyone is aware.
“The Rotherham game wasn’t pretty, it was a proper scrap but at least we came out on the right side of it. Now we have got to push on.
“We have got a lot of midfielders and wingers – and in the last couple of games he’s decided to play me tucked in off the right. On another day it might suit to play two out-and-out wingers. I’m pleased to be a part of the squad and help out however I can.”
Source