Wolverhampton Wanderers have turned to a familiar face in their bid for Premier League survival, appointing former defender Rob Edwards as their new manager.
The 42-year-old returns to Molineux with the club in a dire situation, sitting bottom of the table and without a win in their opening 11 league games.
A Club in Crisis
Edwards arrives as the direct replacement for Vitor Pereira, who was dismissed last week despite having signed a new contract recently. Pereira had initially steadied the ship after replacing Gary O'Neil last season, but a disastrous start to the current campaign sealed his fate.
The statistics make for grim reading. Wolves have lost nine of their 11 matches and are already eight points adrift of safety. They hold the unwanted distinction of having scored the fewest goals and conceded the most in the entire division.
Edwards' Return to Molineux
Rob Edwards is no stranger to the club, having made over 100 appearances for Wolves during his playing career. He arrives after compensation was agreed with Middlesbrough, where he was in charge of a team sitting second in the Championship table.
Despite that promising position, Edwards has been tempted back to his former club. He brings valuable top-flight experience, having famously guided Luton Town into the Premier League for the first time in 2023.
A New Chapter for Wolves
Wolves executive chairman, Jeff Shi, expressed his confidence in the appointment. "I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs," Shi stated. "He's a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented."
Shi emphasised the need for a fresh start, saying, "We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach's philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that."
Matt Jackson, Wolves' head of football development, highlighted Edwards' ability to instil confidence quickly. "Rob and his staff have demonstrated previously that they can be really good in shifting the culture, getting confidence quickly into players and building foundations for a really positive future," Jackson said.
The immediate task for Edwards is monumental: to transfer his positive energy onto the pitch and secure the club's Premier League status.
