The battle for survival for Rob Edwards begins, and Wolves will be hoping the injection of a new voice can be what they need to retain their Premier League status.
Edwards has replaced Vitor Pereira as head coach, and Fosun’s idea will be that the new Old Gold chief can repeat the Portuguese’s heroics from last season.
Admittedly, the club are in a much worse position this time around.
The three promoted sides are much stronger, Wolves have a weaker squad, and they are already falling behind 17th place.
Steve Bull has given Edwards advice on turning things around, and that will need to start sooner rather than later.
Jeff Shi and Rob Edwards hatch a plan
In the short term, there has been talk of a ‘new manager bounce’ at Wolves, and it is a common trope within football.
The arrival of Rob Edwards can galvanise the squad immediately, but Crystal Palace star Tyrick Mitchell is not a believer in this theory.
Tyrick Mitchell does not believe in ‘new manager bounce’
Any suggestions that the ‘new manager bounce’ is real do not faze Tyrick Mitchell, who does not believe that is a thing.
The Englishman believes that the arrival of a new head coach instead boosts the level of players and changes the atmosphere, but it is a normal outcome.
Mitchell said (via Crystal Palace), “I don’t think there particularly is [such a thing as a ‘new manager bounce’], but there is definitely a sense of a different atmosphere.
“When a new manager comes in, you want to prove to him why you should be starting. That’s normal. I don’t particularly think it has any real effect [on our approach]; if we play our game and we know what we need to do, then I think we have a good chance of winning.”
Are you confident Rob Edwards will help Wolves avoid relegation?
The renewed sense of competition will be felt at Wolves. Already, Rob Edwards is facing some selection headaches early in his tenure.
It is not a bad problem to have, and with players believing they have a chance to break into the team, that will only improve the Wanderers both on the pitch and on the training ground.
Chance for fringe players to impress Rob Edwards
Rob Edwards will no doubt assess each and every one of his Wolves players, and that will give a chance to members who have found themselves on the periphery.
These players have the opportunity to change their fortunes at the club and truly become key men for the Old Gold over the coming months.
The likes of Fer Lopez, Tolu Arokodare, and Hwang Hee-chan, among others, will have to prove they deserve to start games after a faltering season so far,
Lopez, in particular, can solve a big problem at the club that emerged under Vitor Pereira.
The fresh start is not only a chance for Wolves to survive relegation but also for those to revive or kick-start their Molineux careers.