Rob Edwards: Forest Green Rovers manager bids to keep 'leading by example'

Rob Edwards won his first four League Two matches as Forest Green Rovers head coach

Forest Green Rovers' Rob Edwards could not be enjoying a much better start to a managerial career. After 10 matches this season, his team sit top of League Two having won seven times in what is their best start in the English Football League, and his first full-time job at the helm of a club.

The 38-year-old former Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers defender is one of a new wave of young managers sweeping through football having been appointed head coach at the Gloucestershire club at the end of May.

But on top of Forest Green's excellent run of results so far this season, former Wales international Edwards is getting noticed for his forward-thinking approach to management.

"Maybe the world has changed a bit and how we speak to each other," Edwards told BBC Points West. "I can only speak about myself, I don't know what other people do, but we just try and treat people well and with respect and that's it really.

"The lads, they want honesty and respect and values and I suppose that's what we're about.

"At the moment things are going really well, but even when things aren't, those values, those things, are still really important to us and we'll continue to live by that."

Leading by example

After retiring from football in 2013, Edwards earned his coaching stripes working with young players, first as under-18s coach at Wolves and most recently spending two years with the England Under-16 and Under-20 teams.

Edwards stresses he is still very much learning and cites the variety of people he played under and alongside for providing him with ample lessons, not least current England manager Gareth Southgate.

Edwards was coming through the Aston Villa ranks when Southgate was the club's captain, while during his recent time coaching in the England set-up, Southgate was there to provide whatever support he could.

"They've created a great culture, great environment within the FA right the way through the pathway up to the seniors with Gareth. And obviously he's a big part of that," Edwards continued.

"For the job he's got and the pressure he's under, to then give a lot of time to us younger coaches as well shows what he's about, and again is someone I can take a lot from and learn. If he can do that in his role, I can certainly do it here."

Forest Green have won seven of their first 10 League Two matches this season

The green ethos

Forest Green is a football club known for doing things differently.

Under the ownership of green energy industrialist Dale Vince, the club was certified by the United Nations as the world's first carbon neutral team in 2018. The food the players eat and what is sold at the ground is entirely vegan.

Their kit had been made of recycled plastic and used ground coffee. The pitch is organic, planning permission has been granted to build a new wooden stadium.

It is an ethos Edwards said he has quickly bought in to.

"Once you sign up to this club, you know what you're coming in to and you become a part of that. So whenever you're at this football club, you eat a vegan diet.

"If we're travelling away from home, going to a hotel, we'll eat vegan food. The food's great, so there's never any issue with that," Edwards continued.

"I'm driving an electric car now and there's little things that I can make changes to in my life, with my family as well. It definitely makes you think and the way the world is going, changes need to be made. They are being made, but they probably need to be made quicker as well.

"The more this club does, the more people are listening as well. They listen to Dale, he sets a lot of standards and I think a lot of people will start to follow."

The quiet achievers

In 2017, Forest Green won promotion to the English Football League for the first time.

The past two seasons have seen them reach the League Two play-offs, but they have fallen short of promotion.

Still, despite the strong start, Edwards refuses to put a target on what they want to achieve this season.

"There's going to be some tough times, we've had a good start, but this is a really competitive league - we're 10 games in like I've said, so another 36 to go which is a long way to go," he said.

"But I do believe in them and I feel we can progress and move the club forward and continue to improve. Where that takes us this year we'll see, who knows?"

As for Edwards himself, for a manager still so early in his career he is still working out what he might be able to go on and accomplish.

"I am ambitious, I want to progress to try and work at the highest level possible," he said.

"I just want to work hard, try and be a good person and just see where it goes. But like everyone, we're ambitious and we want to try and do it here."