Wolves appoint Rob Edwards as new manager

Wolverhampton Wanderers have swiftly appointed Rob Edwards as new manager following the sacking of Portuguese manager Vitor Peirera, who was sacked last week after a series of disappointing performances at the start of the season.

Under Peirera’s tenure, Wolves failed to win a single game out of 11 Premier League games in the dugout at Molineux.

Edwards leaves Championship side Middlesbrough to join Wolves on a three-and-a-half-year deal to return to Molineux, where he spent four seasons with Wolves as a player and had a couple of spells in other coaching roles with the club.

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The 42-year-old manager leaves Middlesbrough less than six months after taking charge at the Riverside Stadium, bringing an end to what is seen as a short stint with the Championship side.

His pre-match press conference for Middlesbrough was cancelled ahead of last weekend’s win over Birmingham City, and prevented Edwards from leading the side on matchday amid talks over his departure.

Edwards’ return to Wolves 17 years after leaving the club as a player, leaving Boro six months into the season, with the North East club sitting second in the Championship behind Frank Lampard’s flying Coventry.

A deal was struck between Boro and Wolves over the weekend, with Wolves having to pay compensation in the region of £3 million.

Edwards will be joined in the dugout by ex-QPR and Rangers coach Watling, who was his assistant at the Riverside.

Wolves Executive Chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well, and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“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.”

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