Rob Edwards Steps Back from Middlesbrough Amid Wolves Interest

Rob Edwards, a former player, coach, and interim manager for Wolverhampton Wanderers, has been temporarily relieved of his responsibilities regarding Middlesbrough’s game against Birmingham this Saturday. This decision comes in light of Wolves’ interest in appointing him as their new manager.

On Thursday, Middlesbrough rejected Wolves’ request to discuss Edwards, and he was engaged in discussions with the club’s hierarchy on Friday. Consequently, he did not hold his usual pre-game news conference or supervise the team’s final training session ahead of the Championship match against Birmingham.

It has now been confirmed that Edwards will not lead the team in the home fixture against Birmingham. He signed a three-year contract to succeed Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough’s manager in June, and currently, the team is positioned third in the table as they approach this weekend’s matches.

Sources indicate that Edwards was prepared to fulfill all his responsibilities prior to his removal, with Middlesbrough making the decisions regarding Friday’s training session, news conference, and Saturday’s match. The club is reported to be displeased with Wolves’ inquiry and Edwards’ apparent willingness to consider the opportunity.

Edwards perceives the Wolves position as his ideal role, having made over 100 appearances for the club from 2004 to 2008. He grew up in Telford, a nearby town, and has family in the area; however, logistics surrounding a potential move to Wolves are not believed to be a significant concern.

Wolves parted ways with Vitor Pereira on Sunday after a challenging start to the season, leaving the team four points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League. Following Pereira’s dismissal, BBC Sport reported that Edwards was among the frontrunners to take over, alongside former manager Gary O’Neil.

While Wolves engaged in discussions with O’Neil, he ultimately withdrew from consideration on Monday, allowing Edwards to emerge as the preferred candidate. After retiring from playing in 2013, Edwards transitioned into coaching at Wolves and briefly took on the role of interim manager in 2016 following Walter Zenga’s dismissal.

His early coaching career included tenures at non-league Telford and the England Under-16s. In 2021, he became the head coach of Forest Green Rovers before moving to Watford in the subsequent year, where he was sacked just 11 matches into his tenure.

In November 2022, Edwards replaced Nathan Jones as the manager of Luton Town, leading the club to the Premier League in his first season in charge, although Luton had previous spells in the top flight. The team was relegated from the Premier League in May 2024, and Edwards departed during the 2024-25 season as the Hatters fell to the third tier.