Injured Plymouth Argyle captain Joe Edwards taking up Wayne Rooney invite

Joe Edwards will get a behind-the-scenes look at how Wayne Rooney and his backroom staff prepare for Plymouth Argyle games while he is out injured.

The 34-year-old Pilgrims' captain is currently taking his UEFA A Licence course with a view to coaching and management when his playing career comes to a end. He plans to use his time while out of action to learn as much as he can to stand himself in good stead for the future.

Edwards has been ruled out 'until sometime in the new year' after an operation to have the hamstring tendon in his right leg reattached to the bone. Instead, he will have an opportunity to see how Rooney, his assistant Pete Shuttleworth and first team coach Kevin Nancekivell plan for Championship fixtures and what it is like for them on matchdays.

READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle captain Joe Edwards details severity of hamstring injury

READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle loanee Darko Gyabi switches to England under-21s squad

"The gaffer, Pete and Nance have been great with me already," Edwards told Plymouth Live. "They have said 'If you want to be with us, you want to be in our meetings, if you want to look the other side of it while you can't play at the minute you are more than welcome to.'

"That was one of the first things the gaffer said, which I thought was brilliant. They want me to be a part of it. I think they understand how much I need the boys and the boys need me. It will be great to stay involved. I will definitely be at most games I can and just use this time to keep learning.

"If I can get into the analysis of games or the prep work for games and see what goes into it a little bit more, and then just be around the boys and encourage them. As much as I can be there I'm going to be there and be involved hopefully."

Edwards signed a contract extension with Argyle in September which will take him through until the summer of 2026. While making a successful playing comeback from injury is at the forefront of his mind, he is aware he needs to think further ahead too.

He said: "I'm in the middle of my A Licence. I started in the summer and it's a year course. We have six different modules we need to do throughout the season and I'm onto the third one now.

"It's always quite hard with timings around training and things like that, but now I have got a bit of extra time I should be really able to crack on with that, which is great.

"Hopefully after this month when I can start walking again properly I can be out on the grass doing some sessions with the 18s or the 16s. The club have been fantastic helping me with that. Then we go back in the summer and hopefully I will get the A Licence pass and then I have got that there ready for me.

"Pete and the gaffer have said there is also another side of it - the prep work and what's goes on behind the scenes - which is quite interesting to look at. To be involved in that will be great.

"I think at times they might want me near the bench and I will put on that (coaches') black kit maybe for a game or two! It will be good. I think I have got to be wise to the fact I don't want to waste this opportunity.

"I have said to the physios 'We are treating this as if I'm 21 and I have got another 10 years playing'. I want to come back as fit as I can and as strong as I can, but I will certainly been using these couple of months to really learn the other side of it a little bit more."

Edwards added: "To get a job after football a lot of clubs will say you need experience, whereas the gaffer is almost saying 'While you have got this time, of course do your rehab as much as you can but you can say you have had experience in a first team environment by being involved with us.' That should then help me progress as I move forward when I finish playing eventually.

"It's definitely a chance to turn a negative into a positive, as sad as I am not playing, which everyone knows is my favourite thing. It gives me an opportunity to look ahead and put in perspective at some point it will come to a finish and I need to be ready for that and make sure I have prepared myself fully to do so."

You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE