Something strange is happening at Championship third-placed FC Middlesbrough: successful coach Rob Edwards is not allowed to coach the team this Saturday on club orders – because he is likely to be leaving soon.
After three games without a win, Middlesbrough FC were hoping to get back on track this Saturday (4 p.m.) in their home game against promoted Birmingham City. But in the hours before kick-off, the action on the pitch took a back seat.
As initially reported by the English media, coach Rob Edwards was banned from coaching the team against Birmingham. The background: The 42-year-old Welshman wants to leave the third-placed Championship side for the Premier League at short notice.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, who parted ways with their head coach Vitor Pereira just under a week ago, are courting Edwards intensively. Although they reportedly failed to make an official offer on Thursday, when Middlesbrough canceled the mandatory matchday press conference a day later and Edwards’ assistants led training, it was already clear that the transfer was by no means over.
Boro has now officially announced that it has reached an agreement with Wolverhampton and given Edwards permission to talk to the Premier League’s bottom club. Against Birmingham, the head coach will be represented by his assistants Adi Viveash and Harry Watling, as well as academy director Craig Liddle.
Middlesbrough, who finished tenth last season, four points shy of the promotion play-offs, only signed Edwards in the summer as Michael Carrick’s successor, giving him a three-year contract. After starting with four league wins, the traditional club was among the leaders from the outset.
Edwards has already stood on the sidelines for the Wolves
Edwards himself played for the Wolves, who are still winless in the Premier League and bottom of the table with only two points, between 2004 and 2008. He later started his coaching career in their youth system and even served as interim coach of the first team for a short time in the fall of 2016.
In Wolverhampton, Vitor Pereira’s predecessor Gary O’Neil was initially considered the favorite for the vacant coaching position, but the Englishman ended talks at the beginning of the week. In the league match at Chelsea FC in the evening, U-21 coach James Collins and U-18 coach Richard Walker will step in.
