“You’ve sold the team – now sell the club,” chanted fans at Molineux in October as frustrations reached boiling point.<\/p>\n
Shi’s interview with BBC WM in December, when he appeared to brush off relegation, did not land well with supporters, and the under-fire executive chairman left<\/a> barely six weeks after Pereira was fired in November following two points from their opening 10 games.<\/a><\/p>\n Shi’s departure after almost a decade removed a toxic focal point for the fans, but angst against Fosun remains.<\/p>\n Fosun remains committed to the club despite looking for investment into Fosun Sports Group, having held talks with former Crystal Palace<\/a> co-owner John Textor in October.<\/p>\n There is an expectation the ownership will provide funds to give Wolves<\/a> the best chance to return to the Premier League at the first attempt, but supporters will struggle to forgive their mis-steps.<\/p>\n Wolves<\/a> have had six permanent managers since Nuno Espirito Santo left in 2021 <\/a>– seven including Steve Davis’ eight-game interim spell in 2022.<\/p>\n Fosun will mark 10 years of ownership in the summer and early success has given way to a slow decline.<\/p>\n Nuno took Wolves<\/a> to promotion in 2018 and two successive seventh-place finishes, the Europa League quarter-finals and an FA Cup semi-final.<\/p>\n He left after finishing 13th and, despite a 10th place under Bruno Lage in 2022, Wolves<\/a> have slowly slipped to 13th, 14th and then 16th last season.<\/p>\n Julen Lopetegui, Gary O’Neil and Pereira felt they did not get the backing they wanted, but there is more synergy between the new hierarchy of Nathan Shi – appointed as executive chairman in December – Matt Jackson, promoted to technical director, and Edwards.<\/p>\n Nathan Shi is said to be more willing to understand what the club need – and try to provide it – while there is a sense predecessor Jeff Shi would have been more resistant to change.<\/p>\n Comparisons can be drawn with Leicester and Southampton last season, Wolves<\/a> initially shared that toxic cloud earlier this season which has, in the Foxes’ case, failed to lift.<\/p>\n At times this season it has been difficult at Molineux – Pereira and Jorgen Strand Larsen arguing with fans after a last-gasp defeat by Burnley<\/a> in October is one example – but Edwards restored some unity.<\/p>\n After joining from Middlesbrough in November<\/a>, he lost his opening seven games but has slowly improved the squad, running stats are up, intensity improved and Edwards is popular among the squad.<\/p>\n He works well alongside assistant Harry Watling, the pair dovetailing well with a good blend of support and strong words to the squad.<\/p>\n The win over Aston Villa in February <\/a>provided the moment where the bond with supporters could stick, Edwards sprinting down the touchline after Rodrigo Gomes’ stoppage-time clincher as fans went wild.<\/p>\n They had earlier chanted “1-0 to the Championship”, signalling an acceptance of their fate – something which had happened internally a month earlier.<\/p>\n January’s win over West Ham<\/a> – after Wolves<\/a> set a Premier League record with a 19-game winless start – gave a glimmer of hope, and draws against Everton<\/a> and Newcastle<\/a> aided that.<\/p>\n Yet it was acknowledged Wolves<\/a> needed at least one win from those two games to maintain hopes of an improbable comeback, and defeat by Bournemouth<\/a> at the end of January changed the tone.<\/p>\n It was the reason for the late business in the transfer window, with Strand Larsen leaving for Crystal Palace<\/a> for \u00a348m on deadline day and Angel Gomes and Adam Armstrong arriving with next season’s Championship campaign in mind.<\/p>\n