Joe Edwards’ first game in charge of Millwall at The Den will be a family affair – with dad Carl his biggest supporter

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Joe Edwards will savour having family members in the crowd as he takes charge of Millwall at The Den for the first time – with some of his big coaching moments impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Lions head coach kicked off his reign with a 4-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday. Next up is a first home match as struggling Coventry City head to SE16 tomorrow.

And Edwards, 37, has extra reasons to be appreciative of the noise that the home fans will generate.

“I had a spell with the first-team at Chelsea, and that was a proud moment for me, but it was when Covid hit,” Edwards told the South London Press.

“I was a part of big games – like FA Cup finals at Wembley – in an empty stadium.

“It has been a strange journey for my family but, for The Den, I’ve got all my immediate ones coming. Eight people up in the stands. They are really proud – not just to see me taking my first steps in head coaching butalso at Millwall, a big London club, is something they are really looking forward to.

“My dad is probably my most loyal supporter.

“He’ll probably be at The Den most weeks. Other than that I’ve got a young family so my missus will be at home, holding the fort, most of the time.

“My little boy Isaac is three-and-a-half. I don’t think he’d be able to sit and focus on a game just yet. He’ll be down The Den at some point – but not yet.”

Edwards’ father Carl only got drawn into the sport through his son.

“My dad played football but he was actually a boxer and a big fan of rugby league,” said the Millwall boss. “I used to go and watch a lot of rugby league with my dad.

“But when I started to play football, probably at five years old, that was when he first got dragged into it.

“It became serious when I was eight and signed for Chelsea. Then it is a big commitment – three evenings a week and both days at the weekend. My dad put a lot of time and mileage in on the touchline, like a lot of parents do.

“From there he fell in love with football. When you are a kid in an academy you are not aware of it, but when you become a parent yourself then you realise the commitment placed on your mum and day was incredible.

“When my dad has days now that he comes to watch and I’m on the bench at Chelsea – or now on the touchline and leading Millwall – they are really proud days for him as well. It means a lot to me to be able to give him that because he made so much sacrifice to support my football journey.

“He wouldn’t dare give me tactical pointers! He is definitely more of a positive football parent that even if we have played terribly or lost then he will try and find the positives – and I knock him back with those as well.

“I’m really excited about my first game at The Den at this stage (talking on Tuesday) but I think when it comes around my focus will be absolutely on the game.

“I was at the first home match this season – Bristol City – with the tributes to John (Berylson) before it. It was incredibly moving seeing that – even as someone who didn’t know John and wasn’t associated to the club.

“I got a fantastic welcome from the away fans at Hillsborough, before and after the game, which I was really grateful for.

“More importantly the home form and performances is something we need to address. To put back-to-back wins together, at any level of the game, is important. We’ve made one step towards that by winning at Sheffield Wednesday. Now I really want to start putting some momentum together and bringing a good feeling to The Den. That’s what we’ll to set out to do on Saturday.”

Millwall are 22nd in the Championship for home form.

“When you’ve not been part of something it is difficult to comment too much on why it might be,” said Edwards. “But change can often be a good thing, particularly in the early phases of it. That is one of the big targets of this change.

“Any team would want to be good at home. You hear the word ‘fortress’ and The Den should be somewhere opposition don’t want to go or not be confident they can have it easy or play their own game.

“We need to get The Den like that – in terms of the look and feel of the performance but also the result.”