Rob Edwards’ shock decision to leave high-flying Middlesbrough for struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers has come under renewed scrutiny, with Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood openly mocking the Wolves boss following a run of four straight defeats.
Middlesbrough’s new manager Kim Hellberg has won three matches since replacing Edwards, while Wolves have sunk deeper into crisis, losing 1–0 to Nottingham Forest before suffering a bruising 4–1 defeat to Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United. That result leaves Wolves 13 points adrift of safety, with just two draws from their opening 15 Premier League games.
Sherwood did not hold back during Sky’s Soccer Special coverage, quipping that while others questioned Edwards’ decision-making from a football standpoint, he believed someone else might approve.
“If I was his bank manager, I’d disagree.” — Tim Sherwood on Rob Edwards leaving Middlesbrough for Wolves
The dig — implying Edwards had primarily followed the money — came moments after fellow pundits Clinton Morrison and Michael Dawson questioned whether the manager now regrets walking away from a promotion-contending Championship side for a relegation-threatened Wolves team.
Middlesbrough flourishing under Hellberg — Wolves sinking fast
Edwards’ departure was surprising at the time: Middlesbrough sat second in the Championship, with the former Luton boss winning seven, drawing five and losing only three of his 15 games in charge.
Since his exit, Hellberg has maintained momentum. A 2–1 win over Charlton at The Valley extended Boro’s strong start, with the club adopting fresh tactical ideas without losing their structure.
Dawson praised Hellberg’s impact, particularly the way he trusted players such as Bangura and refined the team shape. “They’ve got a good squad,” he noted, highlighting Hayden Hackney, Tommy Conway and Riley McGree as standout performers.
Morrison was more direct:
“I bet Rob Edwards wishes he was still there now.”
Dawson laughed in agreement:
“Well, he knew what he was leaving: a good team with good players.”
Wolves, meanwhile, have shown no improvement under Edwards. Performances have lacked coherence, results have worsened and the club now face a sizeable gap to escape relegation.
Sherwood’s swipe — and his warning about “changing too much”
Sherwood saved his sharpest criticism for the tactical direction taken by Edwards’ successor at Celtic, using it as a parallel to suggest coaches sometimes overcomplicate transitions after inheriting strong squads.
He warned Hellberg not to fall into the same trap:
“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Make your tweaks here and there. Why on earth did they not keep hold of Martin O’Neill until the end of the season?”
The message was clear: good squads often require continuity, not wholesale reinvention — a point implicitly aimed at managers who jump clubs or overhaul systems too quickly.
Did Rob Edwards make a mistake?
Based on early evidence, Edwards’ gamble has backfired. Wolves — already fragile under Vitor Pereira — appear weaker now, while Middlesbrough have surged forward with renewed confidence. Football analysts across Monday night’s coverage were near-unanimous: Boro, and Hellberg in particular, are the early winners of this managerial swap.
If current trajectories hold, the unthinkable becomes realistic:
- Middlesbrough gaining promotion to the Premier League, and
- Wolves dropping to the Championship,
in the same season Edwards walked away from one club to join the other.
Such an outcome would be damning for Wolves’ decision-making — and for Edwards’ long-term career positioning.
Edwards took a high-risk jump — and the early returns are bleak
In our view, Edwards’ move made sense only if Wolves were prepared to invest significantly in the January window and commit long-term to his blueprint. Instead, the squad looks imbalanced, results are worsening, and the pressure is rising quickly.
At Middlesbrough, he had security, momentum and a squad built to his strengths. At Wolves, he inherited crisis, chaos and expectation without the tools to manage them. It is not hard to see why Sherwood, Morrison and Dawson all questioned the decision live on air.
Hellberg’s composed, methodical start only sharpens the contrast.
Key Insights
- Tim Sherwood mocks Rob Edwards for leaving Boro, joking his “bank manager” approves.
- Wolves have taken two points from 15 games and sit 13 points from safety.
- Middlesbrough thriving under Kim Hellberg with three wins since the switch.
- Pundits suggest Edwards may already regret his decision.
- Possibility growing that Wolves and Boro could swap divisions in May 2026.
What’s Next?
Wolves continue their battle for survival, needing an urgent turnaround to avoid falling completely adrift. Middlesbrough, meanwhile, have eyes firmly on automatic promotion as Hellberg cements his early influence.
👉 Wolves fans — do you blame Edwards, or was he set up to fail from the start?
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