The appointment of Joe Edwards is a smart move by Millwall given his previous experience as a coach.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Joe Edwards is a risky appointment as Millwall’s new head coach, but his extensive coaching experience at top clubs like Chelsea and Everton makes him an exciting choice.
- Edwards aims to transform Millwall’s playing style and make them a more attacking team, moving away from their defensive approach in recent years.
- With his impressive coaching pedigree and learning from top managers, Edwards has the potential to become a highly successful manager in the Championship and beyond if given enough time.
Millwall will aim for better fortunes in the Championship after narrowly missing out on a play-off spot last season.
The Lions’ dramatic defeat on the final day to Blackburn Rovers condemned the club to another term of second-tier football, with the hopes of a much more competitive campaign this year.
However, the side has struggled in the opening months of the season and parted way with Gary Rowett after a four-year stint in the middle of October, with the club sitting 15th in the Championship at the time.
In order to turn the club around, Joe Edwards has entered the hotseat at The Den and will immediately focus on the January transfer window to put his own stamp on the playing squad.
Millwall brought eight new faces to south-east London this summer but will need further recruits to freshen up the group and give them a much-needed spark moving forward.
| Millwall – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Casper De Norre | OH Leuven | Permanent |
| Kevin Nisbet | Hibernian | Permanent |
| Matija Sarkic | Wolves | Permanent |
| Joe Bryan | Fulham | Permanent |
| Wes Harding | Rotherham United | Permanent |
| Allan Campbell | Luton Town | Loan |
| Ryan Longman | Hull City | Loan |
| Brooke Norton-Cuffy | Arsenal | Loan |
With Edwards entering the first league job of his career, some may look at this as a risky appointment, but his previous experience as a coach says otherwise.
How has Joe Edwards performed in his coaching career so far?
In his early playing days, Edwards joined the youth academy at Chelsea aged eight and worked his way up through the youth categories. When he reached 16, he was released by the Blues.
After failing to make it into the professional scene in West London, Edwards was offered an opportunity to join Chelsea’s coaching staff at the age of 17, which led to him working towards his coaching badges.
He initially trained the U8’s, and from 2006 to 2014 coached various different youth levels for the club.
In 2014 he was appointed the manager of Chelsea U18’s and helped them win consecutive FA Youth Cups.
In 2016, Edwards became the loan player manager of Chelsea and often went out to other clubs to track the development of players spending some time temporarily away from the club, which allowed him to witness different managerial styles.
The 37-year-old returned to manage the Chelsea U19’s and U23’s in May 2017 and was also part of the England U20’s backroom team that helped them win the Toulon Tournament. Edwards was heavily involved in the development of Mason Mount, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, Conor Gallagher and Billy Gilmour.
Shortly after, Edwards earned his pro license and took the Chelsea U23’s to the semi-final of the EFL Trophy, which is the highest placement made by a top-flight academy side.
These achievements earned him a spot as assistant manager of the Blues under Frank Lampard during the 2019/20 campaign, and he stayed on in his role under Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea won the Champions League a season later.
Edwards would go on to end a 27-year association with Chelsea by following Lampard to Everton as assistant manager. The duo would return to Stamford Bridge towards the back end of last term.
August this year saw Edwards take interim charge of the England U20’s side before becoming Head Coach of Millwall.
Is the appointment of Joe Edwards the correct decision?
To the eyes of neutrals, this appointment is a risky gamble, with Edwards entering the first domestic managerial job of his career, but his hefty level of experience over the last 20 years can be perceived as an exciting appointment at the same time.
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