What Wayne Rooney has said on Rob Edwards to Wolves - He's backed Middlesbrough fans | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has given his verdict on Rob Edwards' decision to leave Middlesbrough for Wolves.

Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney admits he has sympathy with Middlesbrough supporters as head coach Rob Edwards prepares to leave the club to take over at Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Edwards only arrived at Middlesbrough in June when he signed a three-year contract to replace Michael Carrick, and his side emerged as surprise automatic promotion contenders after an excellent start to the season in the Championship.

The 42-year-old previously spent four years at Wolves as a player before serving as a coach and interim manager, and he was first linked with a return to Molineux following the sacking of Vitor Pereira earlier this month, but the Midlands outfit saw their initial approach rejected by Boro on Thursday.

However, after making it clear that he wished to speak with Wolves, Edwards was stood down for Boro's game against Birmingham City on Saturday, and the two clubs have now agreed a compensation figure in the region of £2 million, with confirmation of his appointment expected imminently.

In Edwards' absence, assistant coach Adi Viveash led Boro to a 2-1 victory over the Blues that saw them move back up to second in the table, and they will now have two weeks to find his permanent replacement during the international break.

A host of names have been linked with the Teesside outfit in recent days, including Brian Barry-Murphy, Tony Mowbray, Steven Gerrard and Alex Neil, but Gary O'Neil, who rejected a return to Wolves last week before they turned their attention to Edwards, is believed to be the club's top target.

As Edwards closes in on a move to Wolves, Rooney admitted that he can understand why Middlesbrough supporters are disappointed at losing their head coach so early in his tenure, but he also claimed that it is wrong to expect too much loyalty from managers in the modern game, particularly as they are often not given enough time by clubs.

When asked on Match of the Day if Boro fans are right to feel aggrieved by Edwards' imminent exit, Rooney said: "I think they've got a point, he hasn't been there for that long.

"Middlesbrough obviously brought him in after his time at Luton, so I think they've got a point.

"But then we also see clubs getting rid of managers now after two months of being at the club, so you can question loyalty that way as well.

"For him, it's a good opportunity, but I can understand the Middlesbrough fans and why they would be upset with it."

Middlesbrough anger is understandable at controversial Rob Edwards, Wolves situation

Having been sacked by Birmingham City after just 15 games in charge almost two years ago, Rooney knows more than most about the harsh world of football management, and he is right to point out that owners often do not show patience towards managers, so it is perhaps unfair for them to expect loyalty in return.

However, Edwards frequently spoke of his affection for Middlesbrough during his brief tenure at the Riverside Stadium, as well as calling for unity and togetherness with supporters, so his exit is particularly controversial in that context and does not reflect well on the soon-to-be Wolves manager.

The fact Edwards is leaving a side flying high in the Championship for a side sitting rock bottom of the Premier League and looking destined for relegation will also increase the frustration of the Boro faithful, but if the club get the next appointment right, his departure does not have to spell the end of their promotion push.