Jamie O’Hara says he doesn’t agree with how Middlesbrough fans have reacted to Rob Edwards’ departure to Wolves.
Rob Edwards left his role as Middlesbrough manager, where the team sat second in the Championship after just five months, to join relegation-threatened Premier League side Wolves on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
He said that the move was a tough one to make but the dream opportunity to return to his hometown club where he grew up as a player and coach was one he had to take.
“To say he’s a rat is so unfair”
Jamie O’Hara doesn’t agree with how Middlesbrough fans have reacted to Rob Edwards’ departure 😕 pic.twitter.com/BfQL3BRgiW
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 13, 2025
Middlesbrough fans reacted with fury, branding him a “rat,” “snake,” and “weasel” for abandoning a successful stint, especially after his repeated emphasis on the club as “family.”
However, former Wolves player turned pundit Jamie O’Hara defended Edwards, arguing that fans demand loyalty but rarely show it during slumps, and that rare Premier League chances must be seized despite the unfair backlash.
Middlesbrough podcaster Chris Cassidy spoke of the perceived betrayal, wishing Edwards personal failure if it aids Wolves’ survival but not the club itself, insisting the “family” rhetoric rang hollow given Edwards’ awareness of Middlesbrough’s location and his quick jump to a bigger but struggling outfit.
Sky reporter: “Right, one of the toughest decisions of his career. That is how Rob Edwards described the decision to leave Middlesbrough for Wolves. But that has not calmed down the fury of the Boro supporters who he’s left after just five months in charge.
“Edwards leaves Middlesbrough second in the championship to join the Premier League’s bottom side Wolves. They are winless and eight points from safety with Edwards signing a three and a half year contract at Molineux.
“Writing on his Instagram, Edwards said, ‘this has been one of the toughest decisions of my career.
‘In truth, I wouldn’t have considered leaving Middlesbrough for any other club. Wolves is a special club for me. It’s where I grew up both as a player and a coach. It’s still where my family calls home. It’s always been a dream to come back and these opportunities do not come around too often.’
Sky reporter continues: “Even before Edwards’ departure was confirmed, fans showed their anger during Saturday’s home game against Birmingham in the championship.
“Jamie O’Hara, I know you’ve got some views on this. Are the Middlesbrough fans right to be angry and that angry?”
Jamie: “Of course they’re right to be angry. They’ve lost their manager and they’re second in the table.
“But, you know, I also look at it and think if he hadn’t started the way he started, Rob Edwards very much could have been getting booed off the pitch and they would have wanted him out and they’d still have them banners up because he ain’t winning games.
“So, you know, fans want people to be loyal but they don’t show loyalty to managers when it’s not going well.
“You can lose six games on the bounce in a Championship, you’re out the door.
“And Rob Edwards has had a great start at Middlesbrough and look, they’re a good team in a Championship but better opportunities come calling.
“I’m sorry, you know, opportunities in football, few and far between. And when it comes, you’ve got to grab them.
“And Middlesbrough are going to move on. They’ll get another manager and they’ll still be up for, you know, getting in the playoffs. But to say he’s a rat and have a go at him, I think so unfair.”
Sky reporter: “Joining us live now, the Wolves supporter, Harry Mansell and Chris Cassidy from the Boropolis podcast.
“Gents, good morning to you. Look, Harry, firstly, this appointment from a Wolves point of view, it’s all well and good. He’s going back to a club that he’s played more than a hundred games for.
“You’re in an absolute mess. Is he the right man to get you out of it?”
Harry: “Yeah, I think so. With the situation we’re in, I was much happier that having him than Gary O’Neill, for example, that would have been a bit of a disaster in my opinion.
“And I think this, what’s been going on in the media this past week as well, it’s almost got like a bit of a siege mentality in the fan base now.
“Cause it feels like everyone wants us to fail because everyone’s unhappy with what Rob Edwards has done to Middlesbrough, but he couldn’t turn it down. And he loves the club.
“Everybody knows he spent a long time as a coach and a player before that.
“And I just hope there’s some kind of bounce. So yeah, I think he is.
“And even if we do go down, I think it’s rare that our board and Jeff Shi look to the future, but I think they probably have promised him if we do go down, which it looks like we will, that he’ll get the funds and the backing to rebuild us in the Championship to hopefully come back up, although that’s easier said than done.”
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Sky reporter: “Chris, you’re calling him a rat, a snake, a weasel, all sorts of other names and other animals. Or is this just a man that has seen an opportunity to manage in the Premier League?
“Let’s face it, there aren’t gonna be a hell of a lot of clubs queuing up to give Rob Edwards a job in the Premier League.
“This is a chance to get back to the Premier League for him. Where does this anger come from? I mean, if you were 12th, 13th in the table, would you be as angry?”
Chris: “I think a lot of the anger comes from the fact that not a lot of clubs would have picked him up in the summer either, to be honest.
“I mean, we picked him up from a place where, okay, he didn’t disgrace himself in the Premier League. You know, they were relegated at Luton and then he played a big part in Luton going down.
“Okay, he wasn’t officially the man that got them relegated, but I don’t think there was a whole host of clubs queuing up to take Rob Edwards in the summer.
“And yet we’ve given him an opportunity and with all due respect, you know, he’s got us to a good position in the league, but also he’s joined in a club that potentially and very realistically we might leapfrog in the summer.
“So yes, it changes it a little bit, the fact that we’re, you know, amongst the top few clubs, but I think the anger is just from the fact, the way that Rob Edwards has repeatedly spoken about being a family and the first opportunity he’s had to leave said family…”
Sky reporter: “But you’re not his family. Wolves is his family. I mean, your podcast, you’ve said you wish him the very worst I’m hearing.”
Chris: “Well, look, I think in terms of talking about families and things like that, I’m sure he was aware where Middlesbrough were in the summer. It’s not kind of, I’ve seen talk online, Middlesbrough hasn’t moved up the motorway. It hasn’t changed place.
“You know, he knew exactly where it was and how far it was to travel when he took the job.”
Sky reporter: “But the Wolves job wasn’t available then. I mean, like Jamie will say, having played for Wolves, Wolves are a much bigger club than Middlesbrough. You might overlap.”
Jamie: Yeah, they are a bigger club. You can’t get away from the fact that Wolves are a much bigger club than Middlesbrough.
“Middlesbrough are a really good club, but Wolves are a massive football club. And you talk about family, Chris, and you say you want family. There’s no such thing as family in football. What do you want about? It’s a job. The opportunity comes and you take it.”
Chris: “Yeah, I mean, in terms of a family, look, I totally understand. From a kind of in the real world perspective, he’s going to a job that is close at home with his kids, with his family, on probably more money.
“But we’re talking about the football industry here. And when I’m talking about family, I’m not saying that because I expect you see it with players.”
Sky reporter: “Chris, Chris, what do you do for work?”
Chris: “What I do for work probably doesn’t pay as well as Rob.”.
Sky reporter: “No, I’m saying if I tripled your salary, said you can be closer to home, family’s going to be happier. Wife’s going to be happier. Would you take it?”
Chris: “Yeah, I would, because I don’t get paid the same as Rob Edwards.”
Sky reporter: “You’re a rat mate.”
Jamie: “Don’t matter.”
Chris: Look, I think in terms of the family, I know you said, look, I’m not saying he… I’m quoting Rob Edwards.
“He has been so keen to reiterate we’re a family. I want people that want to be at this football club. We deserve this.
“We’re all in this together. He spoke about being a family when there was criticism of Morgan Whittaker. I’m only going off what Rob Edwards has had to say. And to be honest, they feel like empty words.”
Sky reporter: “But Chris, what do you expect him to say? The Prime Minister dishes out all sorts of nonsense every day. Do you believe that? What do you expect him to say when he gets the job? I mean, Harry, I was talking to Jamie about this before we came on. He must have been given a guarantee.
“And I don’t know if we’ll ever find out, but Rob Edwards must have been guaranteed that even if you go down, he’s staying. No matter what, even if he smashes Robbie Savage’s Derby, derby record, right? He must be staying to try and get you out next season.”
Harry: “Yeah, I think everybody knows it’s like, it’s got to be about a 95% chance we will go down. And he knows that. I’m sure they discussed that.
“But even if they didn’t, I’m sure he still would have took the job just because of his love for Wolves. He absolutely adores the club. As I said before, he’s been a coach at various levels.
“He nearly got the job once before. He’s been interim manager before. And I believe if like a Fulham would have come in for him, for example, he wouldn’t have left Middlesbrough. He had a good thing going there.
“I know what he said has annoyed the Middlesbrough fans, but I genuinely think he believed that at the time when he was talking about being a family. And it’s a way to get the fans behind you, isn’t it? But let’s be honest, his true love is Wolves.
“We love him. We’re happy to have him. And we hope he does well.
“And I don’t think he’ll care if Middlesbrough go up and we go down, because he’ll still be happy to be in his dream job at Wolves. And if he wouldn’t have taken the job…”
Jamie: “Harry, here’s a question for you, though. You are terrible this season. If he goes in there, Rob Edwards, and you continue to lose the way you’ve been losing, will you be happy with him in the Championship?”
Harry: “Well, that’s the thing. There has got to be a little bit of improvement, but it can’t, you know, we’re at rock bottom.
Sky reporter: “Seen your next seven games?”
Harry: “Yeah, terrible, yeah. Palace, Villa away, Forest. We’ve got Man United twice in December. But if he organises a bit and tries to get a tune out of Strand Larsen, and he’s only got one goal in the Premier League this season. If we just need a bit of promise and fight, Wolves fans, I mean, we’ve got more concerns with the board, to be honest, with Jeff Shi and…
Sky reporter: “After the Brentford game that’s on that list, it’s Liverpool and Manchester United after that.”
Harry: “Yeah, we’ll win all them, don’t worry. They’ll get us going. No, it’ll look…”
Sky reporter: “Do you think you beat Derby’s record?”
Harry: “Yeah, I think we were. I think we’ve got a better squad than Derby had. I know we’ve lost a lot of players. We had a little bit of a good spell this season, the draws against Spurs and Brighton. We beat Everton, the Carabao Cup, before that.
“So we’ve seen little glimpses that we can compete. It’s just getting the confidence back into the players. And Vitor Pereira lost the plot towards the end.
“He was playing such mad selections. He dropped our two Brazilian internationals in Gomes and Andre. Bring them back in, try and get Strand Larsen’s confidence back up.
Try and get some of the new signings to start performing. Jhon Arias, who was in the Club World Cup team of the tournament, he picked us one of the best 11 for Fluminense. He’s been awful. No goals. I think he’s a bit homesick. So we need to get a tune out of some players.
“And we need to try and be in touching distance, which probably won’t happen. But then try and back him in January.”
Sky reporter: “Chris, would you like to take this opportunity live on Sky Sports Fan Club to give a nice message to Rob Edwards and what you wish for the season for him and Wolves?”
Chris: “Look, I think there’s been a bit of confusion. Everyone seems to think that Middlesbrough fans hate Wolves as a club. Now, I don’t disagree. You know that Wolves are a big club. They’re not Man United. So, you know, it’s not as big of a leap as what some are making out, you know.
“But what I would say is, look, if Wolves stay up and Rob Edwards is part of that relegation and he gets sacked, then I think all parties win, to be honest.
“So I wish Rob Edwards the worst, not Wolves.”
Sky reporter: “Harry?”
Harry: “Oh, I get it. I’ll be honest, if the shoe was on the other foot, I would be a bit annoyed.
“But I reckon once you’ve calmed down a bit and, you know, as the months go by, you might start to understand that he loves Wolves as a club and a small club like Middlesbrough.”
Sky reporter: “You do keep saying that, Harry, as well. I mean, he was at Villa when he was a kid. He lives in Telford nearby. I mean, he was at Wolves for a little bit.”
Jamie: “No, no, no. He’s not a Wolves legend, is he? He’s not a Wolves legend, but I know Rob.”
Chris: “He only played a hundred games.”
Jamie: “I know Rob and Rob loves Wolves. He does. And he’s been around that football club for a long time. You know, he was there when I was there. You know, he was coaching.”
Sky reporter: Will he love them when they pay him eventually? Look, he’s been a caretaker manager there. He’s coached in the youth team. But as Jamie said, and this is with all this sentiment, there is no, I’m sorry to break it to you guys out there.
“There is no sentiment in football. You know, you speak to a manager. What’s the average lifespan of a Premier League manager? It’s got to be under 18 months, isn’t it?”
Harry: “Well, not long at Wolves. Not long at Wolves since Nuno. But I think this time, I know we keep saying it. We said the same with Vitor Pereira.
“The fans will be patient unless we lose every single game, obviously. And I think Geoff, she and the board want a stable manager again. Like since Nuno, we’ve just sack, sack, sack after 18 months.
“And I think even if we go down, which we were…”
Sky reporter: “Harry, are Wolves going down?”
Harry: “Yes, unfortunately.”
Sky reporter: “Chris, are Middlesbrough going up?”
Chris: “I’ll say yes.”
Sky reporter: “I’m convinced. He didn’t like you saying that Wolves were a bigger club than Boro, Jamie, did he?”
