At the end of the 2011/12 season, Wolverhampton Wanderers were relegated from the Premier League and they replaced their then acting manager Terry Connor with Ståle Solbakken in May of that year.
The 50-year-old is currently managing Danish club FC Copenhagen and sat down for an interview with Danish newspaper Tipsbladet, in which he revealed had had offers from two other clubs before joining the English club.
“When I went to Wolverhampton in 2012, I sat at the Birmingham airport with offers from Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Wolves. There was the same financials in all three,” he said.
Solbakken turned down the approach from two Belgium clubs in order to take charge of Wolves, who were playing in the Championship during the 2012/13 season.
Under the guidance of the Norwegian manager, the English side won six of their first 10 league games, but a of poor run saw Wolves drop to 18th in the league table.
After a cup defeat, Wolves parted ways with Solbakken, his short spell in England ending in a disappointment. Even though he wasn’t aware of anything about them, the possibility of taking Wolves back to the Premier League was too tempting to reject.
“I didn’t know anything about them, except that they had just moved down. But it was the Premier League idea that pulled,” Solbakken explained.
“Yes, I will not reject it [again]. I still thrive in madness anyway. My wife is frustrated with me. She doesn’t think I can feel good without first exposing myself to extremities.
“I can’t figure out how to relax unless I’ve been through something extreme. The more I have gone through the better the holidays. If I have not been in stormy weather and under maximum pressure, then the holidays will be bad. She thinks I’m sick.”
