"We have to be up there" - Wolves boss backing new signing to lift club

Rob Edwards admits Wolves ‘have to be up there’ next season but says the club have a better chance at promotion if they continue to sign players like Kieran Trippier.

The experienced defender became the first summer signing, while Wolves are also chasing Raul Jimenez’s signature this week.

The club are adamant that they will push for promotion next season and Edwards recognises the expectation placed on Wolves and believes Trippier’s signing will only aid them.

The head coach said: “We have to be up there this season, and I’d rather be there with good players!

“This doesn’t add any more pressure, it just actually makes me feel better that we’re building a squad that I’ve been banging on about and saying that we’re going to need to do.

“We need to have a better and stronger squad than we had last year because we weren’t able to compete well enough last year, and so we’re working really hard to make sure we’re competitive. Pressure is going to be there anyway because we’re Wolves in the Championship after eight years of Premier League football.

“We know the pressure’s going to be there, but I’d rather have the pressure with players like Tripps and then be able to turn around and know I’ve got a really good and strong group of players behind me.”

He added: “I don’t think wearing the captain’s armband is important to him, but he will be a captain for us, on a daily basis and on a matchday as well.

“That side of it is clearly really important and that’s what we’ve tried to go after quite quickly in this window.”

Edwards is preparing to play a back four next season with Trippier set to battle it out with Pedro Lima at right-back.

But the head coach has praised his new signings versatility and technical and tactical understanding if they need to make a change.

He said: “We’ll play him in his best position and then it’s down to him to make sure he’s in the team! I mentioned the other week that I want us to be a back four because that allows us to get more midfielders or more forwards on the pitch.

“But he’s really intelligent, and he’s got great technical abilities, he’s really good with set pieces, he’s got real game understanding, so we’ll be able to play him backing up a winger, or play him a little bit more inside, or because he’s still fit enough to go overlapping and underlapping as well.

“Whatever’s required for that particular game, he’ll be capable of understanding and being able to adapt within game as well. His knowledge is almost like he’s a manager on the pitch, so he’ll be capable of doing everything.

“We’ve spoken a lot about how we’ll be able to utilise all his strengths, but one of his big ones, is his technical and tactical understanding, and being able to make good decisions whilst under the pressure of the game.”