Is Rob Edwards a good manager or should he go?

[Jefe]

Not sure im defending him maybe im abit more realistic than others. If i thought swopping manager would have solved everything then yes but im seeing a similar pattern to previous managers. I do think Edwards was signed with next season in mind with us in the championship

Naturally, the problems at the club run much deeper than Rob Edwards, and far predate his arrival.

However, the manager is the tip of the spear. If that tip is blunt then you must replace it with another, sharper tip - so the shaft (the players) can drive that penetration fully through -- okay, I'll stop with the spear analogy.

No matter the state of the rest of the club, if the manager is the wrong man, then nothing good can possibly follow from it.

 

[superwolves]

How has that preparation gone would you think?

Obviously not as planned but not surprisingly either

 

[superwolves]

Like he prepared Luton on relegation?

Why did boro give him the job

 

[Wolf316]

Why did boro give him the job

Because his mate is their Head of football.

 

[Contrarian]

I rarely come on here. Its just the one i happened to be on. Weve seen this with previous recent managers yet they then go to new clubs and people realise that maybe he wasn't as useless as we thought?

Which ones would they be? It's easy to rattle off a list of our managers who, after leaving us, never exceeded what they did with us:

Mick McCarthy, Mark McGhee, Colin Lee, Hoddle, Lambert, Zenga, Lage, Connor, Turner, Jones (never managed in PL after us)... Looking at that list, you have to think that if you want to end your career in football management , come to Wolves!

The list of those who weren't as useless as we thought:
Graham Taylor. A long time ago.

Can't think of any who we thought were useless who later succeeded. Both Nuno & JL were not considered useless by most and were hounded out by the owners for ambition, not failure.

I really can't think of any manager we got rid of, who we regretted, other than Nuno. O'Neil remains to be seen. Either way, the reality is that as a club, we've generally a) get poor managers b) hang on to failing managers too long. We've done this so often, it's in the clubs DNA, it seems. The club has been a gravy train for mediocrity for too long and other than a brief 3 years, that seems to be where we are heading again. Perennial "they're a big club, they really should be doing better". Why bother with the stress and attention of the PL, when you can earn ££££££ in the CHampionship operating in 2nd gear?

RE fits the bill exactly. A sensible means of achieving mediocrity, without rocking the boat.

 

[superwolves]

Because his mate is their Head of football.

Doesn't say much for there recruitment either then if that was the deciding factor

 

[Wolf316]

Doesn't say much for there recruitment either then if that was the deciding factor

Absolutely

 

[superwolves]

Which ones would they be? It's easy to rattle off a list of our managers who, after leaving us, never exceeded what they did with us:

Mick McCarthy, Mark McGhee, Colin Lee, Hoddle, Lambert, Zenga, Lage, Connor, Turner, Jones (never managed in PL after us)...

The list of those who weren't as useless as we thought:
Graham Taylor. A long time ago.

Can't think of any who we thought were useless who later succeeded. Both Nuno & JL were not considered useless by most and were hounded out by the owners for ambition, not failure.

I really can't think of any manager we got rid of, who we regretted, other than Nuno. O'Neil remains to be seen. Either way, the reality is that as a club, we've generally a) get poor managers b) hang on too failing managers too long. We've done this so often, it's in the clubs DNA, it seems. The club has been a gravy train for mediocrity for too long and other than a brief 3 years, that seems to be where we are heading again. Perennial "they're a big club, they really should be doing better". Why bother with the stress and attention of the PL, when you can earn ££££££ in the CHampionship operating in 2nd gear?

RE fits the bill exactly. A sensible means of achieving mediocrity, without rocking the boat.

Going back to Nuno he had plenty of criticism and doubters on here. Then was it Lage who ended up managing in the champions league. Lopetegui didnt get chance for his criticism he made the decision himself. Gon as you say was useless but that is now up for debate again then perraira who seems to be doing ok at the moment. As with most managers my opinion is they are reliant on the whole to have good players to work with. Lampard was useless we dont want him but hes just won the league with coventry will Edwards be the next on the list

 

[Contrarian]

Going back to Nuno he had plenty of criticism and doubters on here. Then was it Lage who ended up managing in the champions league. Gon as you say was useless but that is now up for debate again then perraira who seems to be doing ok at the moment. As with most managers my opinion is they are reliant on the whole to have good players to work with. Lampard was useless we dont want him but hes just won the league with coventry will Edwards be the next on the list

Nobody can know for sure. Which is why clubs should have high quality experts in place making these kind of difficult, judgemental decisions.

My totally amateur assessment, based only on following the game for nearly 60 years, is that Edwards is the middle zone, being neither good nor terrible.

What you say about having good players is true. Although they no longer have total power, identifying those players is part of the managers job, too. Good managers attract good players, generally. Good players don't want to play for mediocre managers. There's a bit of a feedback loop there. Some managaers have a knack for identifying the good - and the bad, who need moving on. Others don't.

Not sure there is any sign of Edwards being able to build or rebuild a team, which is what we need. I would not be surprised if the Luton promotion ends up as the high point of his career. Even he manages another 20 years. Like McGhee etc, there's a lot of lower level clubs who would take him on a slowly declining fall down the leagues.

 

[superwolves]

Nobody can know for sure. Which is why clubs should have high quality experts in place making these kind of difficult, judgemental decisions.

My totally amateur assessment, based only on following the game for nearly 60 years, is that Edwards is the middle zone, being neither good nor terrible.

What you say about having good players is true. Although they no longer have total power, identifying those players is part of the managers job, too. Good managers attract good players, generally. Good players don't want to play for mediocre managers. There's a bit of a feedback loop there. Some managaers have a knack for identifying the good - and the bad, who need moving on. Others don't.

Not sure there is any sign of Edwards being able to build or rebuild a team, which is what we need. I would not be surprised if the Luton promotion ends up as the high point of his career. Even he manages another 20 years. Like McGhee etc, there's a lot of lower level clubs who would take him on a slowly declining fall down the leagues.

Id agree Edwards wouldn't have been my choice hes unproven at premier level. Why he got the job only jeff knows but i would say hes a better option for the championship which is the level were now at. The mess isnt Edwards doing it was the recruitment of players with the money generated from selling our best players thats caused us to get relegated. I would hope Edwards has knowledge of whats required to be successful in the championship what type of players hes going to need and brings a knowledge of suitable recruits due to recently managing in the league

 

[DanishWolf]

He wasnt isolated when they went down to 10 men we have plenty of players in forward areas. The problem was knowing how to break down there defence. Hwang would have been as asset in that match

Fair point. We did have more possession when 11 vs 10. But both Armstrong and Tolu still had very few touches, in fact the least of any player playing 90 mins which still suggest a lack of connection.
Talking about not knowing how to break down there defence. Who'd be in charge of a plan on how to do that?

 

[wolfslair]

Fair point. We did have more possession when 11 vs 10. But both Armstrong and Tolu still had very few touches, in fact the least of any player playing 90 mins which still suggest a lack of connection.
Talking about not knowing how to break down there defence. Who'd be in charge of a plan on how to do that?

Exactly, pretty passing and possession mean NOTHING if you aren’t creating chances or actually threatening the opponent.

to only have one shot on target in a game where you played against ten men, is frankly woeful.

It is why he was a complete coward and ran off down the tunnel to hide from the criticism and ire he earned by his own pathetic management

 

[superwolves]

Fair point. We did have more possession when 11 vs 10. But both Armstrong and Tolu still had very few touches, in fact the least of any player playing 90 mins which still suggest a lack of connection.
Talking about not knowing how to break down there defence. Who'd be in charge of a plan on how to do that?

Having a player in the squad capable of going past a player would be an asset for a start

 

[Wolf316]

Exactly, pretty passing and possession mean NOTHING if you aren’t creating chances or actually threatening the opponent.

to only have one shot on target in a game where you played against ten men, is frankly woeful.

It is why he was a complete coward and ran off down the tunnel to hide from the criticism and ire he earned by his own pathetic management

We only had one against Spurs so that’s two games two shots on target which is frankly pathetic.

 

[wolfslair]

Having a player in the squad capable of going past a player would be an asset for a start

Rodrigo Gomes? He certainly can, but typically late on when the game opens up

Hugo bueno can also beat a man

Jackson has the pace to beat a man, but we have seldom seen it…… I genuinely ask, if this is instructional as there have been games where he has ghosted past opposing players and gotten in behind

 

[Redhillwolf]

I just try to give a more fair and balanced view of the situation. Same as i did when people were having a go at previous managers one of those Nuno aswell

There is no balance to this though mate unless you are defending yourself! There is ZERO argument to keep him/you! Records don’t lie! Results don’t lie! Borefest performances don’t lie! Not scoring in half your games doesn’t lie! Fans staying away don’t lie! Your record at previous clubs doesn’t lie! Being the worst manager in premier league history doesn’t lie! 3 relegations on your CV in 3 years doesn’t lie! RELEGATION doesn’t lie! There is no balance! If it were scales it would have tipped a long time ago!!! For stability?!…do me a favour! If you spent less time on here Rob maybe you’d have kept us up!…..

 

[superwolves]

We only had one against Spurs so that’s two games two shots on target which is frankly pathetic.

It is pathetic especially at home. I would put that down to player ability as much as anything else though

 

[superwolves]

There is no balance to this though mate unless you are defending yourself! There is ZERO argument to keep him/you! Records don’t lie! Results don’t lie! Borefest performances don’t lie! Not scoring in half your games doesn’t lie! Fans staying away don’t lie! Your record at previous clubs doesn’t lie! Being the worst manager in premier league history doesn’t lie! 3 relegations on your CV in 3 years doesn’t lie! RELEGATION doesn’t lie! There is no balance! If it were scales it would have tipped a long time ago!!! For stability?!…do me a favour! If you spent less time on here Rob maybe you’d have kept us up!…..

Well when you put it like that what more can i say. I quit

 

[Wolf316]

It is pathetic especially at home. I would put that down to player ability as much as anything else though

Or the tactics of a cowardly manager.

 

[superwolves]

Or the tactics of a cowardly manager.

In what way? Hes not telling players to not attack or make forward runs or get crosses into the box

 

[Redhillwolf]

Well when you put it like that what more can i say. I quit

Is this an exclusive then?…. ;-) LOL! Watching Sky Sports so will wait for the Breaking News yellow rolling bar….. LOL!

 

[Ragnar]

The playing squad is **** and there's only so much you can do with it, I don't think anyone denies that and he did come in from a team in a good position in the Championship because he has an affinity with the club. I know people play that affinity down but both before he was coaching with Wolves and after he'd left Wolves coaching staff I personally saw him at games, not in the boxes in the stands so he does care.

The way he has carried himself though hasn't been good, probably not on purpose but the grinning and joking after games with pundits after we suffered yet another miserable defeat is always going to rankle and then going after the fans after the Arsenal game was very very ill advised. The minor upturn in points has been far outweighed by the negatives and he's now not wanted by a lot of fans who he will never be able to get back on board. I don't think he's shown enough on or off the pitch to continue in the role and I think now the fans in the ground have turned his position is absolutely untenable. With all the other upheaval this summer the last thing we need is a fan base bickering and split on the head coach. They need to act straight after the final whistle of the last game and have the replacement lined up very quickly.

 

[Bugsy911]

Get him gone , I wont renew if he stays.

 

[superwolves]

Is this an exclusive then?…. ;-) LOL! Watching Sky Sports so will wait for the Breaking News yellow rolling bar….. LOL!

Dreaming is for free

 

[Redhillwolf]

Dreaming is for free

Fair play buddy…just Ben Mee retiring on there currently so I’ll keep watching ;-) LOL!

 

[groundhogwolf]

Thought he was an Everton fan? I’m confused.

Bully was a Liverpool fan, who played for West Brom. Not comparing Bull and Edwards, but wonder who Bull’s number 1 club is, even though he supported a Merseyside club as a child and started his career at a local rival?

Sorry Rob my mistake.

 

[superwolves]

Fair play buddy…just Ben Mee retiring on there currently so I’ll keep watching ;-) LOL!

Not sure your gonna be that lucky if you are i hope youve got your lottery numbers on for tonight

 

[groundhogwolf]

Well when you put it like that what more can i say. I quit

If it was only that simple

 

[rubyloo]

maybe the league table tells us if he's a good manager or not?

 

[DanishWolf]

Having a player in the squad capable of going past a player would be an asset for a start

I've seen plenty of squads worse than ours with a better attacking plan and more attacking intent than us. even when facing superior teams.

 

[Wolf316]

In what way? Hes not telling players to not attack or make forward runs or get crosses into the box

He cannot set a team up to attack hence 2 games 2 shots on target one of which was from a free kick which makes it worse.

 

[wolfslair]

In what way? Hes not telling players to not attack or make forward runs or get crosses into the box

It is highly likely he is…… the players have multiple structures, strategies, formations and patterns of play that they are to follow on a match day that they use.

It is 100% manager instruction on this one mate.

 

[QB Wolf]

Sorry Rob my mistake.

I’m not Rob, I’m better looking than him.

 

[lostwolf]

Think I’m actually more depressed by this non entity being our manager than I am about relegation.

Do we actually do anything apart from put a shift in?

Do we have the players to do much more than put a shift in? In my opinion, we don't.

Many of us predicted this, and I think it's important to remember - Edwards joined too early, meaning he's considered guilty for this side's ineptitude. But he's had probably the worst squad in PL history, and it's Fosun's/Shi's, and to a lesser extent Pereira's, fault, not his.

At this point, I don't care whether Edwards is our manager next season. He's done little to make a strong claim to deserve the job, but as I've said he had very little to work with and it was almost a given that we'd be in this position because of the side we have.

Just cast your minds back to Fulham away... these (and some of those who've already left like Munetsi) are a useless bunch of players on any metric you care to use.

An unpopular opinion, but I feel a bit sorry for Rob Edwards and so I haven't joined in with slating or abusing him. I think we should keep the focus on Fosun.

 

[lostwolf]

There is no balance to this though mate unless you are defending yourself! There is ZERO argument to keep him/you! Records don’t lie! Results don’t lie! Borefest performances don’t lie! Not scoring in half your games doesn’t lie! Fans staying away don’t lie! Your record at previous clubs doesn’t lie! Being the worst manager in premier league history doesn’t lie! 3 relegations on your CV in 3 years doesn’t lie! RELEGATION doesn’t lie! There is no balance! If it were scales it would have tipped a long time ago!!! For stability?!…do me a favour! If you spent less time on here Rob maybe you’d have kept us up!…..

Or... the teams with the worst players in the league, like us and that Luton side, are (almost) guaranteed relegation. People love to imagine football isn't as financially determined as it is, but... it usually is.

Sell your best players in an already struggling side and not only fail to replace them but swap the likes of Nelson Semedo with the likes of Jackson Tchatchoua and Rayan Aït-Nouri with Bueno/Wolfe, to name but two downgrades from an already poor side, then eventually you be ****ed.

 

[brianm]

So let's say in a very good case Rob Edwards leads Wolves to automatic promotion next season. What would the team have to look like for you to be excited about the 27/28 premier league campaign? What might he show in that Championship winning season that would feel like the next time would be a lot better?

The squad would almost certainly be more balanced, but the same or lower cost/wage bill, right?

I have a very hard time imagining this.

 

[Mugwump]

Id agree Edwards wouldn't have been my choice hes unproven at premier level. Why he got the job only jeff knows but i would say hes a better option for the championship which is the level were now at. The mess isnt Edwards doing it was the recruitment of players with the money generated from selling our best players thats caused us to get relegated. I would hope Edwards has knowledge of whats required to be successful in the championship what type of players hes going to need and brings a knowledge of suitable recruits due to recently managing in the league

His knowledge didnt help him either at Luton or Watford. A point i also keep making is you dont need knowledge of whats required to be successful in the championship to achieve success. It can help, but its not a prerequisite. You need quality and an ability to perform over knowing a league.

The recruitment mess isnt Edwards ( Although, Angel Gomes is obviously an Edwards led signing and he's hopeless ), but the way he's approached games for us is on him. Said it before, he literally sets us up not to lose in games where we have nothing to lose. The Sunderland game is a brilliant example of his mentality. Didnt matter if we won, lost or drew the game, but his comments after the game were about us " getting a result " and "we've got to make sure we dont lose this " show where his mentality is. We didnt need to get a result by drawing, it doesnt matter if we lost the game now we are down.

If he showed some more positivity even with this limited squad, fans would get behind him more.

 

[old wittonian]

I don't think Edwards has very much of the blame for this season, maybe around 1% blame. The squad is shocking. However, putting that to one side, I have said this before but if you are a relegated club searching for a manager to take you back up, does this one stand out?

- Won League Two title
- Sacked after 10 (ish) games at Watford
- Playoff win with Luton
- Relegated with Luton
- Sacked with Luton on their way to another relegation
- 15 (ish) games at Middlesbrough before jumping ship

Take the Wolves connection away. Does this really make any sense at all?

Wolves have one or two seasons in The Championship with more money and pulling power than almost everyone, we need to make the most of it.

Didn't he also **** off from Forest Green Rovers?

 

[Redhillwolf]

Or... the teams with the worst players in the league, like us and that Luton side, are (almost) guaranteed relegation. People love to imagine football isn't as financially determined as it is, but... it usually is.

Sell your best players in an already struggling side and not only fail to replace them but swap the likes of Nelson Semedo with the likes of Jackson Tchatchoua and Rayan Aït-Nouri with Bueno/Wolfe, to name but two downgrades from an already poor side, then eventually you be ****ed.

Agreed and add to that a massively inferior manager and you get what we got. He’s league one standard mate it’s that simple.

 

[wolfslair]

I’m not Rob, I’m better looking than him.

Have the wolves recruitment team set up your interview yet?

As with your beauty and brains you have blend of two things we need!!!!