Gary O’Neil has admitted he must control himself better in the future after he failed to contain his celebrations when Wolverhampton Wanderers completed their comeback win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Running down towards the corner flag, the head coach ignored Premier League protocol as he left his technical area to lap up the moment Mario Lemina scored the 97th-minute winner.
Although perfectly understandable given the extraordinary nature of the Wolves turnaround, O’Neil has implied that the extent of his celebration was perhaps bordering on unprofessional. Many will have enjoyed seeing the manager so delighted and connected with the fanbase—journalists included—but the responsibility remains for managers to keep in check.
“That was probably my biggest celebration! I don’t know what happened, really, just lots of energy, and I couldn’t stand still,” O’Neil said in the post-match press conference, with a giggle. “I had to run somewhere, and we’re not allowed on the pitch, so the side of the pitch was one of the last options. I’ll try and control myself better in the future,” O’Neil continued.
It’s not the first time this season that Wolves have beaten a top-four side at home, as the Old Gold completed a famous 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the end of September. There are more opportunities to come for similar results, too, as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal are still yet to visit Molineux this term.
