Wolves chairman Jeff Shi's column: Backing Gary O'Neil to turn the club's season around

I was born in 1977, 100 years after Wolves was founded. Of course, this means I did not witness many of the best times of the club’s history, including the glory days of Billy Wright and Stan Cullis, when Wolves pioneered European club competitions - a legacy we are celebrating 70 years on this week.

Looking at Wolves’ journey since 1977, I firmly believe we are experiencing one of the most competitive and successful periods in the club’s history. Considering the immense challenge of the Premier League, our sustained presence in the top division, and achievements such as reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, this era represents a high point in modern Wolves history.

Over the last nine years, since Fosun’s ownership began in 2016, Wolves have seen incredible highs and endured tough lows. Throughout this time, success or failure has never been down to a single individual - it has always been about the collective. Football is, at its core, a team sport, and that principle extends beyond the pitch.

Owners are a part of the team, of course, as well as fans, management, staff, players and coaches, all of which are crucial. It’s not reasonable to attribute victories solely to those on the pitch or to place frustrations entirely on those working behind the scenes, or vice versa. We share success and challenges equally.

Competing in the Premier League consistently for a long time is never smooth or predictable, especially in a league that grows more dynamic and competitive each season. Financially, Wolves operates under a model of prudent funding from its owners and is not yet fully self-sustainable - the investment comes when necessary and is based on business rationale.

Business sense plays a key role in all our decisions, with our strategy and operations constantly evolving to adapt to the ever-changing football industry and global landscape. Of course, this year, injuries to key players have also been particularly challenging, and I hope for better fortune in 2025. Yet, it is during testing times like these that the true character of a team is revealed.

Looking back, our journey hasn’t always been easy. In July 2016, I met Kenny Jackett for the first time, just after our takeover, and he warned me that if there were not enough additions to the squad, we would probably be relegated. He was genuine and he was right in his concerns. Even with further signings, we still struggled that season, including a five-game losing streak that had me considering contingency plans for League One.

In 2017, when I was in Shanghai, I had a late-night three-hour call with the leadership team about the coach choice for the following season. While they were keen to retain Paul Lambert, I had already made the decision to sign Nuno. Of course, I had the same empathy that they had for Paul, and I didn’t think he had done a bad job at all.

November 2020, the night of Raul Jimenez’s injury at Arsenal, remains one of the most shocking moments I’ve experienced as Wolves chairman. It wasn’t just devastating for Raul but marked a turning point for the club. That night, I understood that some challenges are beyond control, no matter how hard we work. It became clear that it was the end of our first rising cycle and the start of a new chapter of rebuilding.

In 2022/23, after 15 games, we had just 10 points - a situation not unlike where we find ourselves now. The noise on social media was deafening, but I learned an important lesson: during tough times, we must focus on meaningful actions rather than emotional distractions. One such moment led me to fly to Bilbao to meet Julen Lopetegui - a decision that brought clarity and results, even in difficult circumstances.

I don’t need to familiarise supporters with what happened next in the summer of 2023, they all know it. But because of that, the destiny of Gary O’Neil and Wolves met at an unexpected moment, and I remain grateful to Gary for stepping into such a demanding situation just days before the beginning of a new season, and for his commitment to the club every day since then. While he knows that improving our results quickly is essential for everyone associated with the football club, we are united in supporting him as all of us strive to make that progress happen.

Even in what I believe to be Wolves’ best decade in half a century, tough moments are inevitable. Success isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about how we respond to them.

Patience, resilience, and well-thought-out solutions have always been the foundation of Wolves’ progress.

While emotions make football special, success in the game is largely a science.

Emotional reactions may come first, but lasting success requires calculated, scientific solutions. Finding the right formula isn’t always easy, and it often takes time. But once it’s discovered, results will follow.

It’s human nature to fear losing something valuable, but I believe there’s a more positive way to view it. What we have now isn’t something we take for granted; instead, we treasure it and work tirelessly to protect it and nurture it.

I believe in the power of positivity because negativity achieves nothing. Just as atoms remain atoms, how we perceive, combine, and connect them defines their collective value, and positive energy grants the group of atoms life and vitality.