Wolves dismiss Rob Edwards after seven months

Wolves have sacked head coach Rob Edwards after just seven months following their relegation from the Premier League. The club had previously maintained a united front and insisted they were behind the 43-year-old, who was appointed last November.

Cesar Peixoto, who guided Gil Vicente to sixth place in Portugal's Primeira Liga during the recently completed season, has been linked with the job at Molineux. Edwards’ assistants Harry Watling and Paul Trollope are also departing from the club.

Wolves had already started preparing for the Championship by signing Kieran Trippier on a free transfer from Newcastle, with Edwards being instrumental in the deal, while Raul Jimenez returned with his Fulham contract expiring at the end of the month. Technical director Matt Jackson stated last month that the club’s hierarchy supported Edwards as they aimed to rebuild the squad. "The plan and the goal is to get promoted straight away but we understand a lot of change has to take place," Jackson said.

Edwards left a Championship promotion race with Middlesbrough to replace Vitor Pereira, but won only five of his 30 games in all competitions, losing 16. Wolves finished bottom of the Premier League, and Edwards had recently called for change at the club. "We’re a collective and I’ll take responsibility of course but it’s not an effort thing, it’s the fact that we’re the worst team in the league. That’s the bottom line," he said at a Q&A hosted by BBC Radio WM last month. "I’ll be careful what I say because I’ve got to work with the boys as well for the next couple of weeks but we’re not good enough.

"That’s the situation we came into. I knew coming here in November, I might be sitting here in front of a lot of very angry people because this place is in a mess. I wanted to come here, I wanted to try and help."

Staff at Molineux were stunned by the decision, which also surprised Rob Edwards and his coaching team. Jackson was given the responsibility to dismiss Edwards just weeks after stating the club was united. His comments about alignment could potentially haunt him and the club.

Edwards had been working on changing the culture of the club, but that plan will now be abandoned. Midfielder Andre signed a new deal, while Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez joined on free transfers, partly due to Edwards’ influence. Edwards departed Middlesbrough in November when they were second in the Championship, planning to push for promotion with a better squad.

Despite doubts from fans, the club appeared aligned in strategy for the Championship. Edwards’ six-month tenure cost Wolves close to £4m, and hiring Peixoto would also be a financial commitment, as he has never managed outside Portugal.