Rob Edwards 'worry' revealed after Wolves sacking | OneFootball

FLW's Wolves fan pundit feels that the manner in which he moved to Molineux may be a red flag for clubs who may want to hire him

A lot was said about the manner in which Rob Edwards left Middlesbrough to join Wolves in November. It was a big risk in his career, and one that, ultimately, hasn't paid off.

Edwards' stock wasn't that high when Boro offered him the dugout role at the Riverside. After defying all the odds and taking Luton Town into the Premier League, he was unable to steady the ship back in the Championship, and the Hatters' relegation to League One may have been avoided if he'd stepped away earlier than he did.

Middlesbrough gave him a chance to revitalise his career somewhat, and he took that chance immediately, winning seven of his 15 games in charge of the Teesside club and leading them to an unlikely top-two place.

That led a Wolves side who were already cut adrift and winless at the bottom of the Premier League to register their interest after sacking Vitor Pereira. Telford-born Edwards has a long-standing relationship with the Molineux-based club, spending four years there as a player, and a switch there allowed him to move closer to home.

But, given the chance that Middlesbrough took to bring him in when not many clubs would have wanted to, eyebrows were raised at the perceived lack of loyalty he showed to his former employers.

In the end, Edwards was sacked after overseeing what seemed an inevitable relegation in another act that questions loyalty, as the 43-year-old found out from rumours on social media, and is once again searching for a new club this summer.

Wolves fan pundit debates how easy it will be for Rob Edwards to find another EFL job

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There's no doubt that Edwards still has the quality to be a good manager in the EFL, as seen through his time at Middlesbrough and then at Wolves.

Despite still finishing bottom of the Premier League, the work that the 43-year-old did at Molineux to begin cultivating a culture back at the club didn't go unnoticed, and the manager was reportedly instrumental in midfielder Andre signing a new deal, and both Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez dropping to the Championship to sign for them this summer.

However, FLW's Wolves fan pundit, Thomas Woodhall, worries that the way Edwards "burnt bridges" at Middlesbrough would be a massive red flag for any club who may be thinking about bringing him in, despite his clear upside as a manager.

"Ability wise, I don't think he'll struggle at all [to find another EFL job]. However, because of the bridges he burned at Middlesbrough and, I suppose, the lack of loyalty he showed there, I think clubs will struggle to hire him on the basis of, if something better comes up after 10,20,30 games, he might leave," he said.

"He won't have a problem ability-wise. I just worry for him that he's tarnished his name a bit.

"The way he came to Wolves, I thought it was great, but for his career, I don't think it was the best thing for him."

Woodhall believes that, if it isn't another EFL job that he takes next, he could see Edwards take a job abroad at one of the subsidiary teams of a football group, as former Wolves boss Gary O'Neil has done with Strasbourg.

"I could see him doing what Gary O'Neil has done, joining a City Group team or a BlueCo team, something like that," he suggested.

"Going over to the French league or the German league, I think he could get away with that. He definitely has what it takes."

Rob Edwards may have to follow in Gary O'Neil's footsteps this summer

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With how far into the offseason that Wolves sacked Edwards, there's a limited number of managerial vacancies in the Championship that the 43-year-old could take.

Burnley are the only second-tier side who are currently on the hunt for a new manager. Wales boss Craig Bellemy is the current frontrunner, with Steven Gerrard and Danish manager Kasper Hjulmand also linked.

Ipswich Town are also on the lookout for someone to lead them into the new season after Kieran McKenna departed on a high following promotion back to the Premier League, but a move for Edwards could be deemed rather underwhelming at Portman Road after he took Wolves down.

So, if the 43-year-old is eager to get back into management this summer, a move to a foreign league, perhaps to a club under the umbrella of a top English club, like Strasbourg, could be the way to go.

Or, he could take some time and see where the managerial market is after the opening months of the campaign in the EFL. As Woodhall said, he has the capacity to manage again in the Championship.