Middlesbrough have taken the dramatic step of cancelling their pre-match press conference amidst a formal approach from Wolverhampton Wanderers for their manager, Rob Edwards.
Wolves Make Their Move
The Championship club called off the media briefing scheduled for Friday after Wolves saw a formal approach to hold talks with Edwards rejected on Thursday. The Premier League's bottom-placed side, fresh from dismissing Vitor Pereira last Sunday, have identified the 42-year-old as their top choice to take charge.
Edwards, who signed a three-year deal with Middlesbrough last summer, now faces a major career decision. To secure a return to his former club, he would have to resign from his role in the North East.
Edwards' Wolves Connection
The attraction for Wolves is clear. Rob Edwards is a former Wolves defender, having made over 100 appearances for the club, and later worked within their academy setup before moving into senior management. This long-standing connection and his coaching record make him a highly admired figure at Molineux.
Despite the swirling speculation, Edwards remained publicly focused on Middlesbrough earlier this week. After Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Leicester, he stated, "It's exactly the same, nothing has changed... I'm just concentrating on my job here at Middlesbrough. That's absolutely my only focus." He added that his wife and daughter were keeping him updated on the news, as he himself was paying no attention.
Immediate Consequences and Next Steps
The immediate fallout is that Edwards will not face the media on Friday, sparing him a grilling on his future. This leaves Wolves' hierarchy, led by Jeff Shi, scrambling to make a new appointment. They had hoped to have a manager in place before Saturday's tough away trip to Chelsea.
For now, first-team duties at Wolves will be handled by coaches James Collins and Richard Walker, who will be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge. This marks the club's second managerial change in just 11 months, heaping pressure on the struggling side to stabilise results ahead of a demanding winter schedule.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough prepare to face Birmingham City on Saturday, with their manager's future now the dominant storyline.
