Wolves job: Dean Saunders agrees to become new manager

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers have appointed Doncaster Rovers boss Dean Saunders as their new manager.

Wolves sacked Stale Solbakken after six months following the Championship side's FA Cup loss to non-league Luton.

Saunders has become the fourth boss at Molineux in less than a year after the departure of Mick McCarthy and then the brief tenure of Terry Connor.

A club statement read:   "Compensation has been agreed with Doncaster to allow the 48-year-old to take over."

Analysis

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"Dean Saunders will relax the players - he's a bright and bubbly manager. He'll be in touch with what makes players laugh.

"He's a bright character and light years away from Stale Solbakken. He was too intense, too dogmatic. He didn't respect the English game as much as the German game.

"There will be more give and take with Saunders. He did take Doncaster down to the third tier, but he has left them in second.

"He did get Wrexham to play bright football on a shoestring budget."

Norwegian Solbakken, 44, took over from Connor in July, but struggled to make an impact with the club sitting 18th in the Championship. He was dismissed by the Molineux board hours after Saturday's shock FA Cup third-round defeat.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Saunders, 48, started his managerial career at Wrexham before joining Doncaster in September 2011.

He was unable to prevent Rovers from being relegated into League One last season but his side are currently second in the table, and moved level on points with leaders Tranmere with a 1-0 win over Colchester on Saturday.

Doncaster chief executive Gavin Baldwin said:  "We can confirm that Dean Saunders has agreed to take over as manager at Molineux.

"We have agreed a good deal for Doncaster Rovers.

"Work has already started on trying to find a replacement for Dean and to continue our push for promotion back to the Championship.

"I have spoken with Dean to thank him for the fantastic job he has done here at Doncaster and wish him well for the future."

Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed terms with Dean Saunders to become their new manager.

Wolves sacked Stale Solbakken after six months following the Championship side's FA Cup loss to non-league Luton.

But the Molineux club still have to complete the finer details of Doncaster boss Saunders' appointment.

A Wolves statement said:  "The formalities of the move are yet to be completed and a fuller statement will be issued once they are finalised."

Analysis

Image of Pat Murphy Pat Murphy BBC Radio 5 live

"Dean Saunders will relax the players - he's a bright and bubbly manager. He'll be in touch with what makes players laugh.

"He's a bright character and light years away from Stale Solbakken. He was too intense, too dogmatic. He didn't respect the English game as much as the German game.

"There will be more give and take with Saunders. He did take Doncaster down to the third tier, but he has left them in second.

"He did get Wrexham to play bright football on a shoestring budget."

Saunders will become the fourth boss at Molineux in less than a year after the departure of Mick McCarthy last February and the subsequent brief tenure of Terry Connor.

Norwegian Solbakken, 44, took over from Connor in July, but struggled to make an impact with the club sitting 18th in the Championship. He was dismissed by the Molineux board hours after Saturday's shock FA Cup third-round defeat.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Saunders, 48, started his managerial career at Wrexham before joining Doncaster in September 2011.

He was unable to prevent Rovers from being relegated into League One last season but his side are currently second in the table, and moved level on points with leaders Tranmere with a 1-0 win over Colchester on Saturday.

Doncaster chief executive Gavin Baldwin said:  "We can confirm that Dean Saunders has agreed to take over as manager at Molineux.

"We have agreed a good deal for Doncaster Rovers.

"Work has already started on trying to find a replacement for Dean and to continue our push for promotion back to the Championship.

"I have spoken with Dean to thank him for the fantastic job he has done here at Doncaster and wish him well for the future."