Football really is a cruel game that can change in the blink of an eye, as Vitor Pereira has recently found out.
Indeed, back in the middle of September, Pereira was handed a new three-year contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Old Gold chairman Jeff Shi even calling for a period of "stability" with the former Al-Shabab boss remaining at the helm.
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira
Clearly, though, Wolves' continued woes in the Premier League forced Shi's hand into having to dismiss Pereira just 45 days on from his vote of confidence, with the West Midlands side stuck at the very bottom of the division on a measly two points.
James Collins and Richard Walker, who both work in the Wolves youth set-up, have since been handed interim duties for Saturday's league clash with Chelsea.
matt-doherty-wolves-premier-league
This looks to only be a temporary measure, though, with new emerging reports now suggesting the relegation-doomed outfit has entered into talks with a number one candidate to succeed Pereira.
Wolves enter talks with EFL manager
Again, the beautiful game's rapid speed is clear for all to see.
Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas had revealed that a move for Rob Edwards to leave Middlesbrough behind to manage the club he previously played for was "unlikely."
Luton Town manager Rob Edwards
However, according to Football Insider, the Premier League's basement club had entered talks with the ex-Luton Town boss. Journalist John Percy added further fuel to the fire by asserting that Wolves will make a formal approach for the Telford-born head coach to try and clinch his services.
Yet, this is a move that now looks unlikely with Boro so far rejecting an approach from the Old Gold.
Labelled as a job opportunity Edwards would find "hard" to turn down owing to his prior Molineux loyalties, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, it will be intriguing to see whether the 42-year-old does desert the Riverside Stadium for a chance back in the top-flight with Wolves.
After all, his valiant efforts at the helm of the Hatters in the Premier League surely mean he's a standout Pereira successor, with Wolves resigned to crashing back down to the Championship with a whimper, if they hadn't pulled the plug on the 57-year-old when they did.
Why Edwards can be a perfect Pereira successor
Of course, Edwards will know he has his work cut out for him if he does take on the vacancy at Molineux, with certain sectors of the media already claiming that Wolves' drop to the EFL is "inevitable".
Yet, the current Boro boss has had this inevitable tag hanging over him previously when he was in charge of Luton, with Edwards managing to turn the Hatters into a gutsy and tough-to-beat proposition, regardless, even as they competed near the foot of the daunting division all season long, during the 2023/24 campaign.
Luton - 23/24 season
Team
Nottingham Forest
Luton
Burnley
Sheffield United
At the end of the day, Edwards' underdogs would only fall victim to relegation towards the latter stages of the campaign, when many expected them to be the Premier League's basement club for the entirety of the season, with only six points separating the Hatters from Nottingham Forest in 17th spot.
The then Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would even hail the job Edwards had done, under the pressure of being the top-flight's noticeable minnows as "insane", with the German also noting that the players at Edwards' disposal had been "obviously top, top coached."
Rob Edwards-Luton Town
The 42-year-old would surely love another shot at steering a sinking Premier League ship to safety, therefore, in the form of the Old Gold, having stated - towards the start of his fledgling days as a manager - that he wanted to be "like Pep [Guardiola] or Jose [Mourinho]", as relayed by Luke Steele.
He would certainly be held in very high esteem, like the very successful Spaniard, if he were to somehow guide Wolves to safety, having also been boldly labelled as "one of English football's brightest and best young coaches" in the past by pundit Adrian Clarke.
Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards
Edwards hasn't done his managerial reputation any harm at the Riverside, either, with an impressive seven wins picked up in charge of Middlesbrough this season.
Yet, there must be a fire in his belly to come back to the Premier League and finally be a saviour-style figure he very nearly had in his grasp at Luton, with Wolves definitely better placed to try and beat the drop with Edwards at the helm, over sticking by Pereira.