Nice Guy Edwards Out To Prove He Won't Finish Last With Wolves

Rob Edwards' sanction already adorns nan wall astatine Compton.

It is connected a database of Wolves players astatine nan club's training crushed showing those who person made astatine slightest 100 appearances, pinch nan caller head having played 111 times.

Former defender Edwards, who takes complaint for nan first clip against Crystal Palace connected Saturday (15:00 GMT), is Wolves' 11th head successful 13 years - and their 5th since Nuno Espirito Santo near successful 2021.

Nuno is conscionable 1 of 3 to person managed much than 100 games for Wolves successful nan past 21 years - on pinch Mick McCarthy and Kenny Jackett.

Walter Zenga - owners Fosun's first assignment successful 2016 - lasted conscionable 17 games and nan database since Nuno near hardly makes amended reading.

Bruno Lage managed 51, Julen Lopetegui 27, Gary O'Neil 63 while Vitor Pereira lasted conscionable 38 games earlier he was sacked this month.

Wolves person been looking for nan correct man to lead them since nan departure of Nuno - who led them to nan Europa League quarter-finals and 2 seventh-placed Premier League finishes.

As they beryllium bottommost of nan Premier League, winless and favourites for relegation, will Edwards yet beryllium that man?

With conscionable 2 points from 11 games, Edwards arrives astatine a stricken nine pinch nan squad successful hopeless request of inspiration.

According to Opta, Wolves 'deserve' to beryllium sitting connected 11 points and Pereira felt conceding precocious goals against Tottenham, Brighton and Burnley - which costs Wolves 5 points - damaged nan team's mindset beyond repair.

Edwards has been successful a relegation conflict before, aft guiding Luton to a astonishment Premier League promotion successful 2023.

Two years agone nan Hatters fought against nan Premier League drop, which was made much affectional aft skipper Tom Lockyer's cardiac arrest connected nan transportation astatine Bournemouth successful December 2023.

The defender had returned from bosom room aft antecedently collapsing successful nan play-off triumph complete Coventry successful nan May.

Lockyer, now playing for Bristol Rovers, remains successful touch pinch Edwards and believes he will beryllium capable to link pinch nan Wolves squad and reconstruct their confidence.

"He really cares astir his players," said nan 30-year-old. "That was evident successful nan play-off last erstwhile I had to spell disconnected and he recovered retired I was each correct erstwhile he was doing an question and reply and burst into tears.

"When I saw he'd joined Wolves I didn't conscionable want to nonstop a text. I was going to springiness it a mates of weeks and springiness him a telephone because I knew his telephone would beryllium going mad.

"After we played Accrington past play he called maine connected Sunday. He was conscionable ringing to spot really I was getting on, really I was emotion successful nan games, really I was training, really nan family were. There was nary different schedule than he conscionable wanted to cheque successful connected me.

"With everything he had going on, I didn't rather judge it but it conscionable sums him up.

"But he's besides a victor arsenic good - he's not bully each nan time. I person seen him flip his lid now and again, which erstwhile it does hap makes it person much of an impact."

Luton yet went down - and Edwards near successful January this twelvemonth earlier nan now League One Hatters suffered a 2nd successive relegation - but Lockyer saw what nan 42-year-old tin bring to a endurance fight.

"The activity ethic was unwavering and location was this eventual belief we were going to enactment successful nan Premier League," Lockyer told BBC Sport.

"He didn't get immoderate backing successful nan January [transfer window] and still ended up having a hellhole of a fight. I've ever said if he'd had a spot of backing, we'd astir apt still beryllium successful nan Premier League now.

"When you consciousness for illustration you've sewage personification who genuinely cares astir you, it's a batch easier to spell to conflict for them."

Wolves are battling for Premier League survival.

They person scored conscionable four goals from unfastened play, 10 less than astatine this shape past season.

Five consecutive defeats successful each competitions and 9 from 11 successful nan Premier League person near Wolves 8 points from 17th-placed Burnley, who hit them 3-2 past month.

Edwards' caller broadside person mislaid to each 3 of nan promoted teams and gone much than six months without a top-flight win.

The mean tenure for nan existent Premier League managers is conscionable 312 days - down from past season's 439 - pinch Edwards putting his estimation connected nan statement aft swapping Middlesbrough's promotion hunt for a relegation battle.

He already has his period successful Old Gold and nan nine request him to make different ton to guarantee they tin yet person nan stableness truthful desperately needed.

"When you're a shot head your full life is simply a gamble. It's a large consequence - I return risks," said Edwards.

"When we return these jobs we each backmost ourselves - there's a belief and ego we each person that 'I tin beryllium nan 1 who tin instrumentality astir for a while'.

"I haven't joined this nine to beryllium gone wrong a fewer months."