Wolverhampton Wanderers have sacked manager Walter Zenga, and are searching for a replacement.
Wolverhampton Wanderers confirmed on Tuesday that manager Walter Zenga has lost his job after less than three months in charge.
Zenga, 56, took charge of just 17 games as Wolves manager, winning only six times in all competitions, four of which came in the Championship before he was shown the door.
Whilst much of his playing career was tied to Inter Milan during a lengthy spell with the Italian giants, his managerial career has been much more nomadic. Wolves were Zenga’s 16th managerial job in 18 years, and the Fosun Group have decided that it’s time for change already, handing Rob Edwards the reins for Saturday’s 1-1 draw away Blackburn.
Bookmakers have been busy pricing up odds for who could become the new Wolves manager over the last few days – and here are five of the most notable moves today, as compiled by Oddschecker.
Former Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood
Tim Sherwood: Out of work for more than a year having lost his job as Aston Villa manager in October 2015, Sherwood may be looking for a route back into management. Sherwood won ten of his 28 games in charge of Villa with a 35.7% win rate, and his record at Tottenham before that was 14 wins in 28 games, winning exactly half of his matches in charge. The 47-year-old remains a fairly inexperienced manager, but has seen significant movement on him, as he now sits at 12/1 having previously been well out of the picture.
Jorge Jesus: In what would be a quite remarkable move, Sporting Lisbon boss Jesus is now being suggested for Wolves. A three time Primeira Liga winner with Benfica who joined fierce rivals Sporting in 2015, Jesus has been one of the top managers in Portugal for years now, and he’s in at 18/1 for the Wolves job today. It would be the coup of the decade for Wolves to land Jesus, and this link appears to have surfaced due to the fact that Jorge Mendes – the super-agent advising Wolves’ Fosun Group on their next appointment – represents Jesus.
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Dougie Freedman: Ex-Wolves striker Freedman has been suggested for a few days now, and is the 3/1 second favourite for the job this evening. The Scot has been out of work since losing his job at Nottingham Forest earlier this year, where he won exactly a third of his game in charge. The 42-year-old has had little success at Crystal Palace, Bolton Wanderers and then Forest, meaning he may not be the most popular choice for Wolves – but as one of the frontrunners, we may well see him returning to Molineux in the near future.
Luiz Felipe Scolari: Much like the link to Jesus, this one seems a little far-fetched, but bookmakers are pricing up odds on Luiz Felipe Scolari taking over at Molineux. Scolari, 67, has had a managerial career spanning almost 35 years, managing the likes of Gremio, Chelsea and the Portuguese national team. Best known for winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, Scolari is currently managing Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande, and is now 18/1 to become Wolves’ new manager in what would be a shock move.
Ex-Derby County manager Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson: Pearson has been the favourite for the last few days, and remains the favourite at evens. Out of work having lost his job at Derby County earlier this month, Pearson’s stock has plummeted since keeping Leicester City in the Premier League in 2015, and he’ll desperate to rebuild his reputation in his next job. His struggles at Derby won’t inspire confidence, but right now he’s the hot favourite to replace Zenga in the Molineux hot seat.
Who would you like to see Wolves appoint as their new manager?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
