Rob Edwards needs to hit the ground running at Wolves, and that requires preparation over the international break.
Luckily for Edwards — but maybe not for the players themselves — there has been a significant drop in the number he won’t have available.
Last month, Wolves broke their record for most internationals in one break, with 17. This time around, it seems the team’s poor form has attracted attention on the international stage, with just 11 of Edwards’ squad heading off on duty.
- Emmanuel Agbadou – Ivory Coast
- Jhon Arias – Colombia
- Jean-Ricner Bellegarde – Haiti
- Tolu Arokodare – Nigeria
- Santiago Bueno – Uruguay
- Tawanda Chirewa – Zimbabwe
- Hwang Hee-chan – South Korea
- Jose Sá – Portugal
- Jorgen Strand Larsen – Norway
- David Moller Wolfe – Norway
- Jackson Tchatchoua – Cameroon
That decrease has come for a few reasons, but three key players have seemingly been dropped due to form.
Rob Edwards will have three key Wolves players after international snub
Some of the players left at home have nothing to play for. Marshall Munetsi’s Zimbabwe, for example, are out of contention so saying he’s been dropped isn’t a fair reflection.
But for Ladislav Krejci of Czechia, and Joao Gomes and Andre of Brazil, it’s a different situation. They seem to have been plain snubbed.
That’s great news for the new Wolves hire. Edwards has to model his starting XI around these three players, so being able to work with them over the next two weeks is a huge help.
Fer Lopez has also been left out of the Under-21s squad, and Edwards will no doubt see that as an opportunity as well. Lopez has to show more for Wolves, but there’s clearly ability to unlock.
These are good things for a new manager, but it may point to issues on the horizon.
A problem from a Wolves player’s perspective
As much as Edwards will benefit in the short-term from his players missing out on national team selection, it could cause issues in the medium term.
With the World Cup — and the U-21s Euros — on the horizon, players will want to give themselves the best chance to make it back into contention.
Could that mean agitating for a January move?
You would hope those players wouldn’t jump ship, but recent transfer history really makes anything seem possible.
It’s hard to shine playing for the worst team in the division, and if Edwards can’t turn it around, that could cause Wolves problems when the winter window opens.