Dawson wanted at Wolves "until his 40s" as boss O'Neil heaps praise on veteran
West Ham fans gave him the nickname of ‘Ballon D’Awson’ - and Wolves boss Gary O’Neil says he’s showing no signs of slowing down.
The veteran defender returns to the East End where he gave three years’ of solid service before jumping ship to Molineux 12 months ago. Dawson turns 34 years old in the New Year and has been a mainstay as the Black Country club righted itself after Bruno Lage’s spell in charge of the club.
O’Neil says that he identifies with Dawson as he himself played until well into his 30s - and he says there is no sign of the centre-half fraying around the edges. “Dawse doesn’t need any allowances in training," he said. "He’s not at that point - yet. He’ll probably be offended by the fact that we’re even discussing this.
“I often ask him: ‘Are you okay today, Dawse, need anything?’ And the reply comes back: ‘No, I’m good.’ I think I relate well to him. I have a decent grasp on how he’s feeling and why. I think he likes proving to people that he can do this to a high level.
"I see that in him every day - how much pride he takes in his performance. If we do a 3 v 3 he wants to do that 100 per cent properly, if we’re running he’ll do that properly and I think that translates itself onto the pitch as well.”
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The athleticism and power needed to compete in the Premier League means any player’s longevity in their 30s will come under the microscope. O’Neil said that while playing at the age of 40 in the top-flight is possible, it’s also a huge ask in the modern game.
Dawson has been backed to earn a new deal with Wolves (Leila Coker/REX/Shutterstock)“You can see in certain positions that it’s possible," he said. “But you won’t see too many because of the speed it moves at. Dawse looks after himself, he’s in great shape. He does everything properly. He’s really low maintenance for a really high output. As a manager, they’re the ones who you can can your hat on every week.
“I’m delighted with how well he’s done and hopefully we can keep him going for some time to come. And he’s giving himself the best chance of doing that. Maybe he’ll sign a seven-year deal and we’ll be rocking him out at Molineux into his 40s.”
Gary O'Neil is a big fan of the centre-back (Getty Images)A victory over Burnley and point against Nottingham Forest have maintained Wolves’ upwards momentum. O’Neil added: “The last two home games weren’t exhilarating but if you take four points from every two home games in the Premier League, you’ll be in a good spot. It was a good return.
“I’m really pleased we found a way to come out of it with points. Going into this, West Ham are going well, particularly at home, they’re high up the league, so it will be a stern test.
“It’s a big club. I didn’t realise how big until I went there. Massive following. I’ve fond memories of my time as a player there. They’re progressing. It’s a game where we have a good chance of giving the best of ourselves and getting something out of it.”
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