Rob Edwards has spoken out about his recent move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, explaining why he felt he couldn't turn down the opportunity despite his relatively short tenure with Middlesbrough. Edwards' departure from Middlesbrough, where he had only been in charge since June 2025, to take the reins at the Premier League's bottom club, Wolves, has been met with mixed reactions, particularly from Middlesbrough fans.

Edwards acknowledged the difficulty of his decision, stating he "wouldn't have considered leaving" Middlesbrough for any other club than Wolves. He emphasized the unique pull of Wolves, a club where he previously played for four years and also served as a coach in two separate spells. He said that managing Wolves was always his long-term ambition.

"I was in a great job at Middlesbrough, we did well, but this was something I've wanted to do for a long time and the opportunity might never come again," Edwards said. He added, "I want to be respectful towards Middlesbrough and I know I would have let them down. But I have to live my life, enjoy it and take risks. We are not around for a long and I didn't want to look back in the future and think 'Maybe I should have given (the Wolves job) a go".

Wolves approached Middlesbrough for Edwards' services, initially facing rejection before agreeing to a compensation deal that allowed talks to proceed. Reports indicate that Wolves paid Middlesbrough around £3 million to secure Edwards and his assistant, Harry Watling.

Edwards takes over a Wolves team that is currently at the bottom of the Premier League with only two points from eleven games. He replaces Vítor Pereira, who was sacked earlier in November. Edwards recognizes the challenge ahead, describing the club as being in a "difficult spot". However, he also sees it as "an opportunity for us now and I know we're in a difficult spot, but there are still 27 games to go, so there's an opportunity here for us to do something really special, and that appeals to me".

Edwards' move has been described as a "risk". Some believe Middlesbrough have a better chance of being in the Premier League next season than Wolves. He faces the immediate task of trying to maintain Wolves' Premier League status. Beyond that, he aims to "build on our identity and a connection with everybody again".

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi spoke of a "reset moment" for the club and views Edwards as a key piece in that process. "We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach's philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that," Shi said.

Edwards' first match in charge of Wolves will be at home against Crystal Palace.