The January transfer window is fast approaching and it’s a pivotal time for Fosun, Wolves, and Rob Edwards.
The former Middlesbrough boss gave up a pretty sweet situation to return to Molineux.
Since arriving, it has been a rough ride. A first win still eludes the 42-year-old, and Wolves fans protesting is only going to add to the pressure.
But Wolves is Edwards’ dream job, and he will want to make sure the risk was worth it by sticking around long-term.
If that means compromising on recruitment to appease the unpopular owners, he’s willing to do so.
Rob Edwards was adamant about taking the Wolves job when the club came calling
Wolves fans, was Edwards brave or foolish to take the job? 🤔
“I will not lie, it has been an aim of mine since I got the under 18s job. It is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
“The opportunity came along and it’s something I wanted to do. Sometimes in life you’ve got to look after you. It was difficult, but this place pulled me in.”
– Rob Edwards (via Independent)
Rob Edwards on board with Wolves recruitment shift
Fans are trying to get Fosun to change their approach at Wolves, but even before the demonstrations dialled things up to 100, they were already planning a significant change.
Wolves’ potential new recruitment strategy hit the news last month as Edwards was settling into his post.
The claim was that Fosun will be focusing less on the wishes of the managers that come and go, putting trust instead in the recruitment team themselves as the main decision-makers.
That would mean less influence for Edwards, but Tom Collomosse says he’s prepared to make that concession.
As he writes in the Daily Mail: “Wolves know they need to reset at many levels and will give greater responsibility to their own recruitment staff as they look to the January transfer window and beyond.
“They also plan to invest and in the past, Wolves have relied heavily on agents when trading, particularly on super agent Jorge Mendes and his company, Gestifute. Yet the failure of the summer window has convinced them to take a different approach, which Daily Mail Sport understands is fully supported by Edwards.”
Where other managers have stood firm in their wishes to have fingerprints all over Wolves’ recruitment efforts, it sounds like Edwards will be happy to take a secondary role.
Collomosse continues: “In the past, Wolves recruitment staff have been frustrated as a succession of coaches rejected their suggestions but that is unlikely to be the case in future.
“Having worked at Wolves for much of the 2010s, Edwards already knows members of the recruitment team and trusts them.”
Could be the end of the road for Jorge Mendes at Wolves
Jorge Mendes has been a key figure at Wolves since Fosun’s 2016 takeover, and he has brought some brilliant talent to the club over the years, players and managers alike.
But his recent efforts have done little but hamper Wolves, and it sounds like the super-agent won’t be relied on moving forward.
Two things can be true.
Mendes did an outstanding job at Wolves over the years, but the relationship has run its course.
Wolves need to start going after the very best they can find, not worrying about who knows who.
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