Wolves host Fulham on Sunday in what could be one final Premier League night at Molineux before the club's long run in the top flight ends and the work of rebuilding for the Championship takes over. Rob Edwards said the club already has next season in motion, even as they try to finish the campaign with some dignity and avoid the last place in the table.
Edwards said Wolves still have 19th place to play for and wants his players to give everything across the final two matches so they do not finish bottom of the Premier League. With relegation confirmed and the club's eight-year tenure in the division about to end, Sunday carries a different edge: it may also be the last outing at Molineux for several first-team players.
That makes the match more than a routine end-of-season fixture. Wolves have already begun planning for next year's Championship campaign, and Nathan Shi has now taken over as permanent chairman. Edwards said the club aim to bounce back at the first possible opportunity, calling it a very important summer and a very important appointment, while also describing the rebuild as a really big challenge. He added that there have been lows, a few high moments, but not enough of them.
The manager also offered a positive update on the squad, saying Sa trained fully on the day of the interview, Krejci trained fully as well and Hugo Bueno completed his first session of the week. Edwards said Wolves have a pretty much clean bill of health, with only two knocks in the group, leaving him with most of his options available as the club tries to close out the season on a better note.
For Wolves, the final stretch is now about two tracks running at once: finishing the present as respectably as possible and shaping the next chapter before the summer even begins. Fulham arrive with the backdrop of a farewell, and Molineux may get one more reminder on Sunday that this season has already changed the club's future.
