O’Neil: “Pretty much as I expected”

Gary O’Neil says the January transfer window is “pretty much as I expected” with just ten days left to go before it slams shut.

The Cherries have so far shipped out three players on loan in James Hill, Emi Marcondes and Jamal Lowe, however, have only been able to bring in one new recruit.

Dango Ouattara completed his move to the Dorset club earlier in the week and could face Nottingham Forest today. 

Despite a lack of in-comings so far, O’Neil is not phased by the window and the extra pressures it can bring – especially to a new head coach.

“Yeah, It’s fine,” the Cherries head coach told BUzz News when asked  if he liked the circus of the transfer window.

”I am fortunate to have the support of the club and the recruitment team.”

The rookie head coach made it clear where his priorities lie, though, ahead of today’s Premier League game against Forest, but also acknowledged the other aspects of the job he needs to be on top of to have a successful window.

“I am just preparing for the games of course,” he added.

”But then, yeah, making sure I know enough about the players we are trying to sign, where we are on certain things.

“Some things move fast, sometimes there are injuries , sometimes deals are likely, then unlikely, so yeah things move around.

“It is pretty much as I expected.”

O’Neil has experience himself as a player on moving during the January transfer window after swapping Middlesbrough for West Ham in 2011 and the former midfielder explained how he dealt with moving in the winter window.

“I think every individual will deal with it differently,” he said.

 “I was always okay with just focusing on the game.”

Just three days before his move to the Hammers, he played for Boro in a 1-1 draw against Preston, but he was not concerned with getting injured or jeopardising the deal as he played the full 90 minutes.

“So that game at Preston, I would have been focused on for Middlesbrough,” he recalled.

“Then as soon as I put the West Ham shirt on, I was fully focused and fully committed to giving everything for West Ham.”

O’Neil’s commitment to whatever to team he is part of is a strength that will serve Bournemouth well. Drawing on his own experiences’ will give the Cherries the right focus both on the field and with the off-field noises that surround the transfer window.

He added; “That’s only me speaking from my experience – I was fine with being able to block out the noise and things that were going on outside, and be fully focused on the job in hand and making sure I was always ready to perform.

“January or the summer, it didn’t really feel any different for me.

“Every time you go out you are being judged by the world for whoever is watching, so just be ready.”

 

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