Way to ruin career: He turned down EPL for Wolves' pack, they repaid him with sack
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 11.06.26. | 19:10
Rob Edwards found out firsthand that the wolf changes its fur, but not its nature
No good deed goes unpunished.
Rob Edwards learned it the hard way and will undoubtedly remember it for the rest of his life, as his own Wolverhampton Wanderers taught him a valuable but painful lesson.
Back in November, the Wolves were at the bottom of the Premier League - they spent the whole season there - and at risk of breaking Derby County's negative record and becoming the worst-ever EPL team.
They had recently parted ways with Vitor Pereira and desperately needed a new man on the bench, though their chances of avoiding relegation were only theoretical.
At the same time, Edwards was leading Middlesbrough towards a return to the Premier League after a decade-long absence, sitting in the second place in the Championship, five points behind the table-toppers, Coventry City.
But then, the wolf pack called. The 43-year-old, who spent four years at Molineux Stadium as a player, heard the howl of the Wolves and their cry for help, and he answered the call.
At that point, much of the English football public thought he was crazy. Today, they seem to have been right all along.
When he took them over, Wolverhampton had won only two points in 11 games. In the following 27, Edwards and his men collected 18 points more. And although he failed to achieve the impossible and keep the club in the league, the spirits were lifted, and the Wolves seemed to have found stability and a clear path forward, ready for the upcoming Championship campaign and the race for the potential immediate return to the top flight.
Nevertheless, just 18 days after the end of the Premier League season, Wolverhampton sacked Edwards!
"Wolves have parted company with head coach Rob Edwards and his coaching team."
Wolves have parted company with head coach Rob Edwards.
— Wolves (@Wolves) June 11, 2026
We would like to thank Rob and his staff for their professionalism, commitment and hard work during their time at the club.https://t.co/5VFbd14OHs pic.twitter.com/Q0bdXyS6VW
"Edwards returned to Wolves in November at one of the most challenging periods in the club’s recent history and worked tirelessly, alongside his staff, to stabilise the football operation and help move the club forward."
"Following a comprehensive review at the conclusion of the season, the club has determined that a change in leadership is necessary as Wolves enters the next stage of its development."
"While the club recognises the significant challenges faced by Edwards and his staff during their tenure, and acknowledges the commitment and professionalism they demonstrated throughout, it ultimately concluded that a different sporting direction would provide the strongest platform for future success," the club said in the statement released on its official website.
Rob Edwards had no knowledge of his sacking until rumours of Cesar Peixoto's appointment began spreading on social media.
— george (@StokeyyG2) June 11, 2026
He then phoned the club to ask about those rumours and was sacked over the phone.
Edwards was very much present in the process of signing Raul Jimenez and… pic.twitter.com/A4yDHOJ0S6
On top of everything, rumours suggest that the tactician was fired over the phone and that his successor had already been lined up, with Portuguese coach Cesar Peixoto seemingly on course for his first job abroad.
The story could have been even more painful for Edwards if Middlesbrough had had clinched promotion to the EPL, but they lost the play-off final to Hull City 1-0 and stayed in the second tier, failing to achieve their goal, just as their former boss had.
Now, all three parties - Wolverhampton, Middlesbrough, and Edwards - find themselves at the start of a new chapter, and one cannot help but wonder: Who, if anyone, is better off now?