Sheffield United, Leeds United and FA Cup - The YP FootballTalk Podcast
Rob Edwards has been stood down from Middlesbrough's game against Birmingham City as Wolverhampton Wanderers try to secure a deal to make him their new manager.
Edwards did not take either the pre-match press conference or more importantly training on Friday after Wolvers' interest in recruiting their former centre-back became public.
Edwards was linked with the Molineux job as soon as Vitor Periera was sacked on Sunday.
Edwards made exactly 100 league appearances for Wolves between 2004 and 2008. He later had a spell playing for Barnsley, but Wolves was the club he played most games for in his career.
GOOD START: Middlesbrough coach Rob Edwards (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)placeholder image
GOOD START: Middlesbrough coach Rob Edwards (Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
The Premier League club's initial approach for the 42-year-old was turned down by Boro on Thursday but they are persisting in their attempts, which would seem odd if they have not been given encouragement by the Edwards camp. As well as the emotional links to his old club, the former defender's family are based nearby.
For now Boro seem determined to keep Edwards, and they will certainly drive a hard compensation bargain if that were to change.
To lose him now would be a hammer blow after he made such a good start to life at the Riverside. Boro have won seven and drawn five of their 15 games since he took charge, and host Blues third in the Championship, only dropping out of the automatic places after the speculation about his future started.
But a key element of their form has been the relationship Edwards has built with the club's supporters, which will surely be tested now. A Saturday home game will certainly give chairman Steve Gibson a good barometer of fan opinion.
Edwards signed a three-year contract as head coach after replacing the sacked Michael Carrick in the summer.
Wolves had been expected to bring back former Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O'Neil but negotiations appeared to break down on Monday and he is now expected to become Southampton's new manager.
It is not yet known who will take charge of Saturday's game.