Former Portsmouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough midfielder given managerial breakthrough at Bournemouth alongside ex-Fratton Park team-mate

The 39-year-old has been given his first shot at senior management after being put in temporary charge of the Cherries.

It follows after Scott Parker was sacked on Tuesday morning after last weekend’s 9-0 hammering by Liverpool at Anfield.

Despite guiding Bournemouth to the top flight, one win in his opening four Premier League games brought an end to his time at the Vitality Stadium.

O'Neil makes the step up from his senior coaching role at with the Cherries after being the ex-Spurs midfielder’s right hand man in the dugout.

The former Blues favourite is set to take charge of his first game as interim boss on Wednesday evening when his side welcome fellow strugglers Wolves.

Joining the 39-year-old on the touchline is ex-Fratton Park team-mate Shaun Cooper, who has been appointed assistant coach on a temporary basis.

The duo will have a tough task on their hands with Bournemouth sat 17th in the Premier League, while Wednesday’s tie sees them come up against Bruno Lage’s troubled side.

Indeed, the appointment marks O’Neil’s maiden breakthrough into first-team management after two years as a coach with both Liverpool and the Cherries.

The former midfielder joined the Reds’ under-23’s set-up in 2020 before becoming Jonathan Woodgate’s first-team assistant in February 2021.

After heading into coaching following his retirement, O’Neil has previously stated his desire to one day become Pompey boss after spending 11 years as a player at Fratton Park.

The midfielder came through the ranks at PO4, where he amassed 192 outings and scored 17 goals as well as playing a crucial role in the Blues’ promotion to the Premier League.

Alongside the former West Ham man in the dugout is Cooper, with the pair playing alongside each other before the defender joined Bournemouth in 2005.

The 38-year-old also graduated from Pompey’s academy and made seven outings before making a second return in 2013, where he featured 26 times over a 12 month period.