Wolves chairman Jeff Seay has publicly backed manager Gary O’Neill, claiming the club are “united” in backing the under-pressure boss.
The Midlands club are 19th in the Premier League after winning just two of their 15 league games this season and have lost each of their last three against Bournemouth, Everton and West Ham.
Monday’s 2-1 defeat at the London Stadium led many to assume the worst for O’Neil as fans begin to turn against the 41-year-old, but Shi insists club chiefs are still behind him.
Writing in his column about the Express and Starhe said: “I don’t need to familiarize the supporters with what happened next in the summer of 2023, everyone knows that.
“But because of this, the fates of Gary O’Neil and Wolves met at an unexpected time, and I remain grateful to Gary for stepping into such a demanding situation just days before the start of a new season and for his commitment to the club every day since.
“While he knows that a rapid improvement in our results is essential for everyone associated with the football club, we are united in supporting him as we all strive to make this progress.
“Even in what I believe is Wolves’ best decade in half a century, tough times are inevitable. Success is not about avoiding challenges. it’s about how we react to them.”
Wolves’ ownership group Fosun has also been criticized by supporters following the sale of key stars such as Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes and Max Kilman and a lack of reinvestment in the club.
But Xi defended the club’s hierarchy, insisting Fosun’s ownership coincided with one of the most successful in the club’s history.
He added: “I firmly believe that we are experiencing one of the most competitive and successful periods in the club’s history.
“Over the past nine years, since Fosun ownership began in 2016, Wolves have seen incredible highs and endured tough lows.
“Throughout this time, success or failure has never been about a single individual – it has always been about the collective.
“Football is, at its core, a team sport and this principle extends beyond the pitch. The owners are part of the team, of course, as are the fans. It doesn’t make sense to attribute victories solely to those on the field, or to entirely discredit those working behind the scenes, or vice versa.
“We share success and challenges equally. Business logic 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.”
