Wolves sack Rob Edwards has sent shockwaves through English football after the club decided to end his tenure just seven months into the job. The move is despite earlier public support from the club’s leadership after their relegation from the Premier League.
Edwards departs Molineux, alongside his assistants Harry Watling and Paul Trollope. His resignation comes after a tough run of form with Wolves finishing with just five victories in 30 games in all competitions. The team ended up as bottom of the Premier League table with a complete turnaround in the Championship season.
The timing of the decision is more surprising. Technical director Matt Jackson had recently commented on alignment in the club’s leadership and long term planning, just weeks ago. During that period, the message was one of stability and unity in Edwards’ rebuild efforts.
But it seems the direction it’s taking from within has changed rapidly. The move came as an shock to both Edwards and his staff, according to reports, and was made as they were preparing for the Championship season.
Edwards had been involved in the early days of the rebuild area in squad changes. The club picked up Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez for free transfers and midfielder Andre also dropped his chips. The moves signalled that there would be a programme of moves designed for promotion.
Results were still variable from a performance standpoint. It would also seem that there was little momentum behind the game as a highly competitive relegation battle had taken place. In contemporary football, the direction this game takes in the early stages can be the difference between a manager’s job and his or her joblessness, particularly at clubs whose immediate promotion hopes are high.
