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Rooney setback ahead of Derby County return as hero signs on and Warne wins unlikely praise
Derby County head to Coventry City tomorrow (7.45pm kick-off) for their latest Championship assignment as they search for a long-awaited first away win of the season.
After losing against Stoke City at the weekend, the Rams are one of six clubs still to win on the road this season, a record they will hope to put right against the Sky Blues.
The trip to the CBS Stadium is then followed by the return of Wayne Rooney to Pride Park for the first time since he left the club in the summer of 2022 when he brings his Plymouth side to Derby.
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Leigh Curtis has opened up his Rams notebook on the latest chat, gossip and behind-the-scenes news from Pride Park...
Rooney hammer blow
Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney has been handed a major injury blow ahead of his return to Pride Park as Ibrahim Cissoko faces a two-month layoff.
Argyle's star winger needs surgery on a groin/hip flexor issue and looks set to be sidelined until January. Cissoko had just finished a three-match ban after a red card he picked up against Cardiff and has not trained since due to injury.
After signing on loan from Toulouse, he is currently Plymouth's joint top scorer, and Rooney could not hide his disappointment.
"He won't be in the squad, he won't be available for a couple of months," said the Pilgrims' boss ahead of their clash with Portsmouth. He's undergoing surgery. He actually done it (the injury) in the Cardiff game. He hasn't trained since then. We have sent him for scans and unfortunately it has come back he needs surgery. He will be out until probably January. It's a huge blow. I think he's a real important player for us but, as I said, it's an opportunity for other players to come in. Hopefully they can take that."
Argyle have already been hit by a number of injuries with centre-back Lewis Gibson also set to miss the trip to Derby while captain Joe Edwards has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a hamstring issue.
Deal for Rams hero hailed
Northampton boss Jon Brady says former Derby County striker Martyn Waghorn brings "knowledge and pedigree" after signing the forward on a free transfer.
Waghorn was released by Derby at the end of last season but finished the campaign having won promotion with the Rams back to the Championship. The forward had been waiting for his next move and had been keeping himself fit with the help of the Professional Footballer's Association in the summer.
Waghorn, who has signed a short-term contract, made his bow for Town in their defeat to Kettering in the FA Cup at the weekend and Brady said: "Martyn is a player with bags of experience and a lot of quality.
"He has played in the Championship for most of his career and he will bring that knowledge and pedigree with him. The squad is stretched a little at the moment, both in terms of the number of players missing in forward positions and the busy schedule, and we feel Martyn can help us through this hectic period. He is another player who will be a good influence in the dressing room, we feel he is a good fit for us and what we need at this time and we are pleased to bring him in.
"We are very grateful to the board of directors for their support in allowing us to add to the squad again."
Unlikely Warne praise
Paul Warne has an admirer in Narcis Pelach after the Stoke City boss revealed he has inspired his set-piece routines. Pelach's side edged out Derby 2-1 at the weekend with Ben Gibson's goal from a corner sealing all three points.
Derby's record at set-plays this season is ranked the best in the Championship and it was ironic that they would be defeated by one at the Bet365 stadium. And Pelach said he paid attention to Warne when he was at Rotherham three years ago.
"He is a very good coach at set plays and I respect him a lot," said Pelach. "I learned a lot from him in 2021 when he was at Rotherham and copy a lot of his actions."
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