Bruno Lage’s tenure will go down as a failure, initially he excited the fans with his promises of attacking football and goals, goals goals! But, it was to be the lack of goals ultimately leading to his downfall, there have been criticism of his man management style and his use of subs and choice of starting XI coming into question.
Wolves say that Steve Davis and James Collins, who work with the Under-18 and Under-21 setups respectively, will take over first-team training ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.
So who is being linked with the vacant post, we take a little look at who is in the frame.
RÚBEN AMORIM
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 37
Current Club: Sporting CP
ODDS: 6/4
Amorim, one of Europe’s most well-regarded managers, is the current favourite to succeed Lage. After leading Sporting CP to their first league championship in 19 years during his first full year in charge, the manager of the Portuguese team has received a lot of praise.
One stumbling block could be money. Sporting spent a stunning €10 million (£8.65 million) to pry Ruben away from Braga, making him one of the most expensive managers in football. Additionally, Amorim has previously been strongly linked to Premier League positions and was most recently contacted by Chelsea in the wake of Thomas Tuchel’s departure.
Despite lately insisting that he is “happy” in Lisbon, Amorim, who plays in the same 3-4-3 formation that Wolves has utilised in recent years, is likely to be high on Wolves’ wishlist.
JULEN LOPETEGUI
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 56
Current Club: Sevilla
ODDS: 7/1
Another coach who was recently mentioned in connection with a move to the Premier League is Lopetegui. Prior to Manchester United choosing Erik ten Hag as their next manager, the Sevilla manager was the subject of persistent rumours earlier this year.
Before taking the job managing his native Spain, Lopetegui was in line to become Fosun’s first Wolves manager in 2016. After a dismal start to the La Liga season, he is now fighting to keep his job at Sevilla but prior to this he had four excellent seasons. Jorge Mendes, who is anticipated to play a significant role in the hiring process, represents Lopetegui. And as a result, Wolves may decide to pursue Lopetegui again.
PEDRO MARTINS
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 52
Former Club:Olympiakos
ODDS: 2/1
Former Olympiacos coach Pedro Martins is expected to be a strong contender to replace Bruno Lage.
Martins won the Super League in Greece three years running as well as success in the Champions League.
The 52-year-old former Portugese international will know the majority of the Wolves squad very well indeed and would be a popular choice.
PAULO FONSECA
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 46
Current Club: Lille
ODDS: 25/1
Fonseca is another boss who has been persistently linked to the Premier League over the past 12 months – and the current Lille boss could himself in the frame for the new vacancy at Molineux.
The 49-year-old has had a lacklustre start to the French season; Lille is currently 12 points behind the leaders in Ligue 1. Fonseca, though, has a track record of success and over the course of his outstanding three-year stay in Ukraine, led Shakhtar Donetsk to three straight league championships.
Fonseca is another Mendes client – and that means that the former AS Roma chief is a name that is more than likely going to be discussed by the Wolves hierarchy.
Ange Postecoglou
Nationality: Greek / Australian
Age: 57
Current Club: Celtic
ODDS 16/1
Following his excellent performance at Celtic, Postecoglou has emerged as an unlikely contender for the top position at Molineux.
Celtic hired the Greek-Australian coach last summer after Celtic were unable to sign Eddie Howe. Postecoglou has since had a seismic impact on the club, which in May won the domestic double. Prior to Celtic Postecoglou worked in Australia including coach of the National team and also Japan.
ANDRÉ VILLAS-BOAS
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 44
Former Club: Marseille
ODDS: 10/1
Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas is among the favourites to be named as Bruno Lage’s replacement.
Andre Villas-Boas is currently unemployed since resigning from Marseille in February 2021.
Villas-Boas spent two years with the French club, leading them to a second place finish in Ligue 1 in his first campaign before opting to leave the club due to his dissatisfaction with the recruitment policy.
Since leaving the Premier League in 2013, Villas-Boas also won the Russian Premier League with Zenit Saint Petersburg and reached the semi-final of the Asian Champions League with Shanghai SIPG.
Sean Dyche
Nationality: English
Age: 51
Former Club: Burnley
ODDS: 10/1
The former Burnley manager hasn’t been involved in the sport since the Turf Moor administration fired him in April.
However, Dyche is still in high demand because he led the Clarets to five acceptable top-flight finishes before their relegation last season, and he would probably be available quickly.
Dyche doesn’t fit the current profile of Wolves and they are more likely to be looking at an Iberian Mendes client but his name has been thrown into the mix.
Sérgio Conceição
Nationality: Portuguese
Age: 47
Club: FC Porto
ODDS: 14/1
Conceição joined Porto in 2017 replacing his former teammate Nuno Espirito Santo. In his first season he led the team to the national championship and subsequently reached the quarter-finals in Champions League where they were ousted by the eventual winners Liverpool. In 2019-20 season Porto did the double winning the league and cup and also reached the last eight of the Champions League eventually losing to Chelsea. In 2021 Porto achieved a record 58 matches without losing and sealed Conceição third league title.
Mauricio Pochettino
Nationality: Argentinian
Age: 50
Former Club: Paris Saint Germain
ODDS: 22/1
Mauricio Pochettino is the former manager of Tottenham, Southampton, Espanyol, and PSG; leaving the latter in July 2022 after 18 months during which he won the league and two cups.
Pochettino favours a very high-pressing, attacking style of football. He often employs a 4–2–3–1 formation at the clubs he manages. While doing so, he instructs his team to build from the back, intimidate and unsettle opponents with a quick-press system and work the ball into the box
Bo Svensson
Nationality: Danish
Age: 43
Club: Mainz
ODDS: 16/1
Svensson spent seven years as a player with Mainz before being named the manager in January 2021. In his first season, he kept Mainz from being relegated, and in his final campaign, he led them to an eighth-place result.
Svensson is from the Ralf Rangnick school of coaching which also influenced Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Ralph Hasenhuttl and Jurgen Klopp.
He does, however, almost exclusively play with a back three, which is the formation Lage worked so tirelessly to abandon at Wolves. While Svensson has used a 3-4-3 formation, Mainz tend to line up in a 3-5-2 with two natural strikers.
Only time will tell but there’s a lot riding on the decision and Wolves need to make sure they get the right man!.