Rob Edwards insists the plans are already well underway to make this summer's rebuilding job a positive one at Compton Park.
The Old Gold have three matches remaining, and the head coach acknowledges a positive ending would help spirit within the building, but knows the important work will begin in the summer, when he and the staff prepare for the Championship campaign.
When speaking to the media pre-match, Edwards touched on the work ongoing behind the scenes, Wolves Women’s historic promotion to WSL2 and the return of Tommy Doyle, who is back training with the group following the conclusion of his Birmingham City loan.
On remaining positive moving forward
“It's been a really difficult season. I've never shied away from saying that. I knew coming here the challenges that we faced and how difficult the job was going to be and is going to be, but we came in with the knowledge that things are going to be tough, there's going to be some short term pain, but I’m really excited about what we're going to be able to do going forward and in the long term. At the moment, I have to stay quite strong. I'm aware that there'll be a lot of opinions around, but in the end, us in the building are really confident, there's a really good plan in place that we'll be able to have a really good summer.
“A lot of the hard work's already started, and went on in January, but we'll have a really good summer, and we'll be able to then start going into next season, and that's what I'm really excited about. I knew there was going to be some short-term pain. Four weeks ago it was a little bit of a different feel, we’re here now after the relegation has been confirmed and a few difficult results, so people will have a lot of opinions about it. Our job right now is to look forward. I know we've got some games to play, and these are still important, of course, but what's exciting is what we're going to be able to do going forward.”
🗣️ “We came in with the knowledge that there’s going to be some short-term pain, but really excited about what we’re going to be able to do going forward.” pic.twitter.com/mNp3Xwg0Z8
— Wolves (@Wolves) May 8, 2026
On Wolves Women’s promotion to WSL2
“A huge well done to everyone concerned, I’m really proud of them. I told them that before they left on Monday morning, before the game, they'd done everybody proud this season, but I was so pleased that they were, on such a big occasion, able to get the really important win. There’s been a lot of hard work and effort by a lot of people for a number of years to get them to that point, and now for them to be in that league, it's a huge, huge achievement, and it's huge for the football club as well. Football's about creating memories, and they've made some incredible memories that they'll remember for a long, long time.
“The game is becoming so, so big. It can only help girl’s football in this area. My daughter's local and has played football for a long, long time, and it’s so much more visible now. It’s going to show a lot of girls around here that anything is possible, and to aim for the stars. They'll be inspiring a lot of young girls. It’s a great thing, they've done amazing.”
On his squad’s fitness
“Krejci has trained the last couple of days, so he can be back involved in the group. Sa’s, getting back to it, he won't be involved quite yet, but we're hopeful again for next week. He around the training today, so that was a positive as well. The majority of the lads are in good shape. Hugo missed the early part of this week, but he's the last stages, so he's OK, still aware of it, but he's fit.”
On work for the summer
“It's ongoing already. The wheels are in motion. They were from when we arrived. We had to sacrifice a little bit in January and work with a smaller squad. We weren't able to bring loads in, and we did that knowing that we were getting ready for this period now, in the summer. There's already good things going on that will hopefully allow us act quite quickly and decisively. There's obviously a World Cup, and any deal is not easy to do, so there's always things that can take a little bit of time, but we want to try and do a good bulk of our work as quickly and as early as possible.”
On having Tommy Doyle back
“It’s nice to have him back for a couple of weeks. We had a good conversation on Tuesday, saying, ‘Come in, get amongst us again now and enjoy these couple of weeks. Get to know us. We'll get to know you, and then we'll see going forward’. Tommy's obviously a good footballer, and knows the Championship very well. He’s someone who's experienced promotions and been part of successful teams, and I've known him a little bit in the past with England. It's good to have him in and around it at the moment, he's got fantastic attitude, and he's really hungry to be around.”
