Derek Adams: 'Nobody has a clue' about the problems football managers face

Derek Adams led Plymouth Argyle to automatic promotion from League Two last season, having lost the play-off final in 2016

Newly crowned League One manager of the month Derek Adams says people do not realise the difficult work that managers do behind the scenes.

The Plymouth Argyle boss took the award for February after a run of five successive wins that has seen the Pilgrims reach the play-off places.

Argyle were bottom of the table at the start of December but have won 11 out of 15 games since then.

"It has it's trials and tribulations that nobody knows about," Adams said.

"You have to deal with a lot of issues that nobody has a clue about and you have to keep a lot to yourself. That's the difficultly in the business.

"But we enjoy football matches. We enjoy the atmosphere at Home Park."

Adams beat Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, Southend's Chris Powell and Paul Warne of Rotherham United to win his third manager of the month crown.

His other two came in League Two, the first only three months into his reign at Argyle and the second in September 2016.

'We want to be here for the long term'

"I've had more problems at this football club this year than I've had at any other football club in my whole time," the former Ross County manager told BBC Radio Devon.

Adams had a host of injuries and suspensions at the start of the season, before all three of his senior goalkeepers were ruled out with injury - as well as one of the emergency loanees brought in as cover.

Defender Ryan Edwards was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January.

But having recently celebrated 1,000 days in charge at Argyle and, with a new grandstand being built, Adams says he is in no hurry to look role in a higher division.

"At this football club we want to be here for the long term. We see a plan in place and over the last two and a half years we've had that," the 42-year-old added.

"Before that the chairman's had it in place. He [James Brent] quite openly says he'll not be able to take us to the Premier League, because of the finances in the game, but we've got an opportunity to get into the play-off positions and get ourselves out of League One."

Cooper signs first professional deal

Michael Cooper came on as a half-time substitute at Blackburn after Kyle Letheren injured his thigh

Meanwhile Argyle's teenage goalkeeper Michael Cooper has agreed his first professional deal.

The 18-year-old, who made one substitute appearance at Blackburn in October during the height of the club's goalkeeping injury crisis, has agreed a two-year deal at Home Park.