When Gary O'Neil was sacked by Bournemouth in June, it just had a feeling to it that the decision might come back to bite them at some point.
Fast forward four months and that was exactly what happened on Saturday afternoon when O'Neil's new Wolves team beat his former club 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth had taken the lead thanks to Dominic Solanke tapping in from close range, but the visitors always looked the more dangerous throughout the first 45 minutes, just failing to find the back of the net.
After Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle was introduced from the bench at half-time by O'Neil he made an instant impact, playing the ball forward to the in-form Pedro Neto, who then found Matheus Cunha who unleashed a superb right footed strike from the edge of the box to bring things level.
Lewis Cook then got sent-off for the Cherries, and when it appeared as though the points were going to be shared, O'Neil produced another substitution masterclass, bringing on the 6ft 7 Austrian Saša Kalajdžić, who slotted in an 88th minute winner for his second goal for the club, and to take three points back to the Midlands.
40-year-old O'Neil though maintained such a level of composure throughout it all, one that ultimately his new side has needed since a hectic summer, and showed why he has found himself back in management again so soon at the highest level.
His record at Bournemouth was what I call expected, winning 10 out of his 34 game in charge after he took over from Scott Parker in August 2022, and guiding them to a 15th placed finish in the Premier League table.
For a manager who was taking charge of a football club for the first time, finding himself assistant at Liverpool Under 23's before joining Bournemouth, he did what was needed of him and kept his team in the top flight, that however clearly wasn't enough for a side who now had three permanent managers since Eddie Howe left the club in 2020.
Wolves themselves didn't enjoy the summer either, club captain Ruben Neves leaving to join Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal for a club record deal worth £47m, but the real hammer blow was dealt when boss Julen Lopetegui left in August, just six days before the start of the new season.
Lopetegui had made the club aware for some time that he wished to leave, the main reason being because of the lack of support he was seemingly going to have in the transfer window to bring in players, but it still left a mark on the fans who had labelled him the 'saviour' after guiding them to Premier League safety.
Enter O'Neil then, a chance to prove to his former employers, and to the league itself that he belonged at this level, and straight from the onset you could see a clear desire to make sure he got this right at Wolves.
That first game on the Monday Night Football against Manchester United showed how O'Neil was wanting his new team to play, plenty of pressing, and a real dominance of the midfield area.
Despite creating chances though and looking the better side, they failed to score and eventually went on to lose 1-0.
The result created a positive reaction amongst supporters, and it seemingly felt as though despite it being the first game of the season Wolves were in very capable hands.
A 4-1 home defeat to Brighton was a reality if anything, something which proved the team were far from the finished product already, but the gritty 1-0 away win at Everton the week after showed how this bunch of players were wanting to play for this manager.
Losses to Crystal Palace and Liverpool followed, before a 1-1 draw with new boys Luton, and they were well written off from getting anything against last year's treble winners Manchester City, but how the scriptwriters had got it wrong.
Solid defensively with the five at the back which Wolves fans had grown accustomed to under the Nuno era, and dangerous on the counter attack, the resemblance to that team that burst back into the league in 2018, you could tell from his appearance on Monday Night Football the other night just how much his game plan had worked.
You could say O'Neil has showcased himself as a perfectionist with some performances this season, but his biggest achievement in my eyes has been getting Pedro Neto back to his brilliant best.
When Neto suffered a knee injury back in 2021, before then straining his ankle ligaments in October 2022, limiting him to only making 18 league appearances last season, it appeared quite evidently he was going to take time to rediscover his touch it seemed.
A player who possesses so much pace and quality, his return to form now has Arsenal and other big clubs knocking for his services again, and it could be another hugely important transfer window for Wolves.
The person steering the ship though has them in safe hands, not only did he manage to get sweet revenge over his former club, Gary O'Neil has shown already he has potential to be an excellent manager.
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