Rob Edwards has been dismissed by Wolverhampton Wanderers after a mere seven months in charge, with the 43-year-old head coach learning of his potential exit through social media reports rather than from the club directly.
The decision has sparked fury within the playing squad at Molineux.
Edwards and his coaching staff first became aware that change might be imminent when they spotted online speculation about Cesar Peixoto taking over the role.
Staff at the club have been left stunned by the move, which also caught Edwards and his team completely off guard.
Rob Edwards has been sacked by Wolves despite contacting the club on Wednesday night, who assured him he was safe
|REUTERS
His assistants Harry Watling and Paul Trollope will also depart alongside him.
The Portuguese coach Peixoto, who steered Gil Vicente to sixth position in the Primeira Liga this season, is anticipated to take charge.
When rumours about his position surfaced late on Wednesday evening, Edwards contacted senior figures at the club and was assured the reports were untrue.
Just hours later, on Thursday morning, technical director Matt Jackson delivered the news of his dismissal.
The timing appears particularly awkward given Jackson's public comments at a supporters' Q&A last month, where he insisted the hierarchy was united behind Edwards.
Rob Edwards only learned of his dismissal on social media
|REUTERS
"If there isn't alignment here, we're dead in the water before we start, so that discussion has been going on for months already," Jackson had stated.
The decision was made above Jackson's level, with executive chairman Nathan Shi and owners Fosun reportedly unconvinced by Edwards despite the club's previous assurances of support following their Premier League relegation.
Edwards had been central to the club's summer recruitment efforts and was deeply involved in transfer planning, with another meeting scheduled for Friday.
The former Middlesbrough, Watford and Luton manager played a pivotal role in securing the free transfer arrivals of former England defender Kieran Trippier from Newcastle and striker Raul Jimenez, who returned to Molineux from Fulham.
Both signings had generated renewed optimism among supporters following the club's drop from the top flight.
Midfielder Andre also committed his future to Wolves with a new contract, with Edwards a significant factor in all three players' decisions.
The club had been preparing for Championship football since January, with a clear strategy seemingly in place and Edwards working to reshape the squad's culture.
Wolves players are furious with the decision to sack Rob Edwards, who was a popular coach
| GETTYPeixoto has never managed outside Portugal, meaning he would arrive at one of European football's most demanding leagues with no prior experience of English football.
The Gil Vicente boss is a client of Jorge Mendes' Gestifute agency, which maintains close ties with Wolves' owners Fosun.
Bringing Edwards and Watling to Molineux from Middlesbrough cost the club approximately £4m, and their compensation packages will add further expense.
Appointing Peixoto will require additional investment on top of these outgoings.
Gil Vicente coach Cesar Peixoto is reportedly set to take over
|GETTY
In their official statement, Wolves acknowledged the "significant challenges faced by Edwards and his staff during their tenure" while praising their "commitment and professionalism throughout".
However, the club maintained they had "ultimately concluded that a different sporting direction would provide the strongest platform for future success".