Wolves have appointed Rob Edwards as their new head coach after leaving Middlesbrough to join the side at the bottom of the Premier League.
Edwards has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Molineux.
The 42-year-old had been in talks with Wolves since Saturday after being given permission to speak to them after being sent off in Boro’s Championship game against Birmingham.
Middlesbrough will pay between £3m and £4m in compensation.
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Free to watch: Highlights of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Wolves
Edwards will take over a team with two points to go without a win in the Premier League after Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea left him eight points safe.
He will be joined by fellow Middlesbrough transfer Harry Watling, who has taken on the role of assistant head coach, with more behind-the-scenes staff to be confirmed in the near future.
Boro had initially turned down an approach from Wolves for Edwards, who only hired him in June, but he missed Friday’s training session and pre-match press conference before the club agreed to allow him to meet with his former club.
Sky Sports News reported that Edwards is a candidate to take over as Wolves manager after Vitor Pereira was sacked on November 2nd after starting the Premier League season without a win in the first 10 games.
Edwards has a history with the Wolves, appearing in over 100 games during his time with the Wolves as a player from 2004 to 2008.
The former Luton Town manager was part of the club’s coaching staff, working with the Under-18s in 2014 before being promoted to a first-team coaching role in 2015. He then became head coach of the U23 team in 2019, a position he held until joining Forest Green Rovers in 2021.
Wolves chairman: ‘The whole club needs to refresh under Edwards’
Wolves executive chairman Jeff See says the entire club needs to be revamped with Edwards’ philosophy.
“I know Rob very well and have watched him develop in various jobs. He is a very good guy, knows the club, the city and the fans very well and is very talented. He showed tactical awareness when he was a youth coach here, but since taking the first-team job he has started to develop his identity, character and leadership.”
“We need to revamp the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are in a new chapter for the club and Rob will be an important part of that.”
Wolves head of professional football development Matt Jackson said: “Rob and his staff have proven so far that they are very good at changing the culture, giving players confidence right away and laying the foundations for a really positive future. He loves bringing change to the team on the grass and embracing tactics in different situations.”
“The energy that he brings from the field, we have to bring it onto the pitch. We have to be realistic about where we are and we definitely have to take responsibility. We now have to instill that belief in our players quickly and think that Rob will be a great cultural addition to the whole football club.”
Meanwhile, Boro revealed that Edwards has “made it clear” that he wants to leave the club and join Wolves.
A statement read: “Middlesbrough FC can confirm that Rob Edwards has officially resigned from his position as head coach after agreeing a contract with Wolves.
“Rob had signed a three-year contract with us over the summer, but after he made it clear he was keen to join Wolves, we reluctantly agreed a pay scale for himself and one of his first-team coaches, Harry Watling.”
O’Neill: Wolves need major reset
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Former Wolves manager Gary O’Neill has explained to David Jones why he decided not to return to Molineux to replace Vitor Pereira on Saturday Night Football.
Former Wolves manager Gary O’Neill believes Edwards needs to oversee a major reset to get the club back on track.
Mr O’Neill discussed returning to Mr Molyneux, but chose to withdraw from the candidacy.
“I think it’s an interesting transition they’ve gone through,” O’Neill told Sky Sports.
“Obviously they lost a big player in the period that just left. But they spent a lot of money in the last summer period. They supported Vitor (Pereira).”
“So far, this team they’ve put together hasn’t been able to produce results. They’re in a transition period from our group. It’s a more physical group, but maybe not as technical. It’s going to require a big reset.”
“Rob (Edwards) has already done a great job at Middlesbrough so I’m sure he sees a good opportunity here to work with this group and give them a chance of survival in the second half of the season.”
Why Wolf for Edwards?
Rob Edwards returns to Premier League with Wolves
Adam Bate of Sky Sports:
It may seem difficult to explain why Edwards left Middlesbrough, who are in automatic promotion to the Championship, without a win in 11 Premier League games, to join Wolves. Boro’s chances of remaining in the top division next season are looking slim.
Edwards drew much praise for dealing with some emotional challenges during the season’s impressive top-flight win at Luton. He was rebuilding his reputation in the North East after failing to halt Luton’s slide.
While his goodwill with the general public may evaporate following this controversial move, his ties to Wolves run deep.
The 21-year-old, who joined from Aston Villa, hasn’t just made centuries for the club. Edwards took his first steps as a coach at Molineux, where he was on the staff of Kenny Jackett, Walter Zenga and Paul Lambert, and even managed two games as interim manager in 2006. He grew up in the Midlands and has family in the area. It’s still at home.
And managers tend to do themselves a favor.
Despite Wolves’ woes, we will see a team full of international players who need organization and confidence. For now, there is still a chance for the Premier League. And it’s very difficult to turn them down.
Edwards leaves Boro fans with a bad aftertaste
Sky Sports EFL Editor Simeon Gollum:
Even in his short time at the club, it felt like Rob Edwards had done a lot to unite and win over the fan base. Good results and a great start have obviously helped, but it’s also his personality and character that has won Middlesbrough’s support. In other words, his departure left behind an aftertaste.
One moment in particular comes to mind. Back in September, Edwards quickly responded with applause after fans sarcastically cheered for Morgan Whitaker to be replaced. “We’re family,” he said. “If we’re going to move forward and move forward, we all have to come together, the staff, the players, the fans.”
If you try to position yourself as a manager that way, you will inevitably expose yourself to criticism if your actions don’t match your words. And in soccer, words like this can quickly come back to sting.
Boro owner Steve Gibson may also regret giving Edwards the chance to rebuild his reputation after his disappointing end to Luton Town. The club sit second in the Championship and are well on their way to rebuilding, with a real chance to push for promotion after eight years out of the Premier League.
This campaign feels like one of the most wide-open campaigns in years. Of the current top six, Stoke are the most recent club to enter the top flight. Stoke were relegated in 2018, a year after Boro.
In our last game we showed the character, determination and quality within the squad as we defeated Birmingham, who were in good form without Edwards. And there’s still a chance for someone to come in and take the club forward. This is an attractive proposition for those in a very advantageous position. But losing their leader and the feel-good factor they’ve built is definitely a big blow.
Wolves’ upcoming games…
22nd November: Crystal Palace (h) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm, 30th November: Aston Villa (a) – Premier League, kick-off 2.05pm, live on Sky Sports 3rd December: Nottingham Forest (h) – Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm, live on Sky Sports 8th December: Man United (h) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports 13 December: Arsenal (a) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
