Hobbs replaces Sellars as Wolves Sporting Director

MATT HOBBS has been promoted from Chief Scout and Head of Recruitment to replace Scott Sellars as Sporting Director at Wolves.

Sellars has left the Premier League club after eight years. The former Blackburn and Newcastle midfielder joined the club in 2014 as Under-21s boss and went on to become Head of Development Care, Academy Manager and, from January 2021, Technical Director.

However, he has now paid the price for the club’s poor start to the season, with Wolves lying bottom of the Premier League after 15 games.

Former Real Madrid and Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui was appointed Wolves boss at the start of the month, although he is yet to take charge of a match because of the break for the World Cup.

Wolves Chairman Jeff Shi said: “I am delighted to confirm Matt in the role of Sporting Director - he has all the characteristics to be very successful in the position and has done an excellent job building and developing the recruitment teams at Wolves, both the Academy and first-team.

“Matt has excellent management, team-building and communication skills, and has already found a very good synergy with Julen and his team. I know he will be a be able to bring departments closer together, set very high standards and give our new coaching team the best possible platform for success.

“The last few months have shown the need for us to take a look at what hasn’t been working, assess and make some smart changes. We have had a shake up and this is now a fresh start - the past has gone and we only look forward and upward.”

Shi also paid tribute to the work of Sellars.

“Scott has been a big influence at Wolves in my time at the club, and you can see from his elevation through different departments and roles how highly we think of him,” he said.

“A football person through and through, with exceptional experience in the game as a player and a coach, Scott brought that with him to work every day and used it to improve the next generation of young footballers.

“On behalf of everyone at the club I would like to say thank you to Scott, and wish him the very best of luck for the future.”

Hobbs added: “I am honoured to be made sporting director at this incredible football club. This is an exciting time for Wolves and, with our world-class management team now in place, I am very positive about where we can take the club collectively.

“I have daily conversations with Julen and his team about how we can help the club grow and achieve long-term success, and I am looking forward to helping us make our ambitions a reality.”