Wolves appoint Rob Edwards as new manager makes controversial move

Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed Rob Edwards as their new manager, sealing his controversial move from Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough.

Edwards, 42, leaves the Championship club less than six months after taking charge at the Riverside Stadium, in a move that has left the North East club furious. 'Boro cancelled his pre-match press conference ahead last weekend's win over Birmingham City and stood Edwards down from leading the side on matchday amid talks over his departure.

'Boro were upset by Wolves approach, accusing them of breaking Premier League rules. Wolves had an approach to speak to Edwards rejected by 'Boro on Thursday, before he made clear his desire to leave. Eventually, over the weekend, a deal was agreed between the two clubs, with compensation in the region of £3million.

Edwards has agreed 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.

His decision to return to the West Midlands has been widely criticised, but it's understood Edwards was keen to return to Wolves not just to lead a Premier League club, but also to work while living back at home with his wife and young son.

Wolves 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.”

Edwards will be joined at the club by Harry Watling, who takes on the role of assistant head coach.

The former Wales international defender initially joined Wolves in 2004 and left for Blackpool after exactly 100 league appearances. He also spent a brief period as Wolves' caretaker manager after Walter Zenga's sacking in 2016.

He earned a draw and a defeat in his two games in the dugout and was part of Paul Lambert's coaching staff as the Scottish boss helped stave off the threat of relegation, and later had a spell in charge of Wolves' Under-23s.

Since then, he has had managerial spells in non-league and the lower leagues, as well as a stint as head coach of England's Under-16 side. He also managed Watford and Luton in the Championship, leading the latter to promotion and a subsequent 18th-place finish in the Premier League.

Edwards takes over from Vitor Pereira, who was sacked by Wolves after a Premier League defeat at Fulham . Pereira left after leading the club to just two points from their first 10 Premier League games, with an eight-point gap to safety.

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