Wolves next manager: who they could turn to next after Rob Edward 'rejected' claim
Wolves have been dealt another blow as Middlesbrough reject their approach for head coach Rob Edwards
At Molineux, the situation does not threaten to get any easier. Already the Premier League’s bottom club, managerless with just two points to their name, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now finding themselves rejected by top candidates as they look to replace head coach Vitor Pereira, who was sacked on Sunday.
Latest reports on Thursday evening stated that Middlesbrough have ‘rejected’ Wolves’ approach for head coach Rob Edwards, denying the Premier League side permission to speak to their boss with the Riverside outfit currently sat third in the Championship.
Despite Edwards’ status as a former Wolves player and youth team coach, he previously distanced himself from the vacancy, though talkSPORT suggest he may be ‘open to’ the move. ‘Boro have rejected the opportunity for talks, however. The same outlet also now claim that Middlesbrough have cancelled their pre-match press conference ahead of of their Championship clash with Birmingham City, suggesting the club’s stance may have changed.
Gary O’Neil previously pulled out of the running for the role, less than 11 months after he was sacked by the club, leaving an ever-decreasing list of viable candidates who could yet drag Wolves to safety.
Who could Wolves turn to next in manager search?
One man who has frequently been linked with the Wolves job thus far is Erik ten Hag, who is currently out of work after being sacked by Bayer Leverkusen after just three Bundesliga games. It was previously suggested that the Dutchman was ‘not keen’ in the role, though contrasting reports by The Standard have stated he is ‘ready’ to return to England.
This comes amidst reports that Ten Hag has now held talks with Ajax for their newly-vacant managerial role after the sacking of John Heitinga. Premier League fans will hope a move to Wolves is still on the cards, though, as the opportunity to see Ten Hag face off against Ruben Amorim would be one not to miss. On a professional level, taking the Wolves job would be highly risky for Ten Hag with his reputation already struggling.
Another former Wolves player, Robbie Keane has reportedly applied for the vacancy at Molineux. The Ferencváros boss has won trophies in Hungary and with Maccabi Tel Aviv, but has not yet experienced managing in a top European league. He would ultimately arrive with the right attitude to instil into his players, as this would be the biggest break of his managerial career thus far.
Jorge Mendes favourite Sergio Conceicao also in the running
Wolves’ links to Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes are well known, and Mendes has been forthcoming to put forward players and managerial names to take over at Molineux in the past.
One manager to whom he has connections is Sergio Conceicao, who formerly managed Porto and AC Milan and is currently the head coach of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. The 50-year-old would certainly arrive at Molineux with pedigree, but has never played or managed in England in his career. Whether or not Conceicao would be open to leaving behind the riches of Saudi Arabia and taking over at Wolves remains to be seen. Former Old Gold and Benfica manager Bruno Lage has also been linked with a return to Molineux.
These are concerning times for Wolves, as the perfect managerial fit has yet to truly appear despite the club’s urgent need for a resolution to the situation. It is important that Jeff Shi and the board decide quickly which direction they want to go in, or their chances to save themselves from relegation may become increasingly thin.