Dean Saunders: Wolves appoint Doncaster Rovers boss

 

Wolves have appointed Doncaster boss Dean Saunders as their new manager.

Saunders succeeds Stale Solbakken, who was sacked on Saturday , following the FA Cup exit at non-league Luton, having spent just half a season in charge.

The former Wales striker, 48, becomes the fourth boss at Molineux in under a year after Mick McCarthy's sacking , then the brief tenure of Terry Connor .

"We've moved quickly and we're now looking forward to working with Dean," chief executive Jez Moxey told BBC WM.

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."

"We're not happy when we have to make a change of manager, especially when it's people who you respect and work well with.

"We're sorry it had to happen, but we felt it had to happen and we now have a different type of leader in Dean Saunders.

"Rightly or wrongly, and I know Stale has a different view, if you look back at our results, three wins in 18 games is just not good enough.

"We need some short-term success, rather than just thinking that everything is going to be OK tomorrow."

Compensation has been agreed for the 75-times capped Wales international on a rolling one-year contract - with his Wrexham and Doncaster number two Brian Carey once again as his assistant.

Norwegian Solbakken, 44, took over from Connor in July, but struggled to make an impact with the club sitting 18th in the Championship and was dismissed within hours of Saturday's shock Cup defeat.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Saunders, who began his managerial career at the Racecourse Ground while still number two to John Toshack at Wales, before joining Doncaster in September 2011.

During a season of internal turmoil at the Keepmoat Stadium, he was unable to prevent Rovers from being relegated to League One last season.

But he leaves them second in the table, having moved level on points with leaders Tranmere Rovers thanks to Saturday's 1-0 win over Colchester - his last game in charge.

Doncaster chief executive Gavin Baldwin said:  "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."