Cooper extends: Wayne Rooney will be on cloud nine if these things happen at Plymouth Argyle | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle are entering a new era as a club with Wayne Rooney at the helm.

Five years ago, this partnership would have been completely inconceivable but it is the former England and Manchester United captain who will be in the dugout to start 2024/25.

A strong summer will be key to success at Home Park for Rooney and with that in mind, here are the things that could happen to put him firmly on cloud nine.

Michael Cooper extends his contract

Academy graduate and goalkeeper Michael Cooper looks likely to play a key role under Rooney, assuming he can keep him in Devon.

The 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since being given the starting role, to the point that he is surely on the radar of bigger clubs.

Cooper has the strongest possible connection with the Home Park faithful as he is a product of the academy. Injuries have hampered his playing time in the last year or two but he has bounced back from this in an impressive manner.

Cooper is back to his best in between the sticks and can be a hugely influential figure for Rooney, who clearly recognises that as reports suggest that the new boss is desperate to get him tied down to a new deal.

He is now entering the final year of his contract so it is now and never for Argyle – selling him for a sizable fee is the only justification they can have for letting him leave, but improving his terms and penning a new deal is the ideal outcome.

Key players stay at Home Park

The aforementioned Cooper and Whittaker are two players who have made a monumental difference in green and white in the last year or two.

Without Whittaker leading from the front last season, scoring 19 league goals as well as contributing eight assists, then the club would surely have been relegated.

His influence cannot be understated and retaining his services is something Rooney will be desperate to do, even if some people may well view his departure as a foregone conclusion after the January interest from Lazio.

No matter how much the former Swansea City man would sell for, it is unlikely that his output could be replaced quickly so the club have to be doing all they can to keep him as a Green.

Whittaker's current deal runs until 2027 so losing him on a free isn't a current dilemma, yet offering him a new and improved contract already might be the best course of action to keep him on board.

Both him and Cooper continuing to play for Argyle would be a major plus but there are also others that could be targeted by clubs higher up the Championship if the powers that be aren’t careful.

Stalwart defender Lewis Gibson enjoyed a hugely impressive debut season for the club and another of Argyle’s own, in the form of Adam Randell, has an upward trajectory that can take him to great heights.

Bali Mumba experienced a mixed run of form so he is one of the big names at Argyle that is less likely to attract attention but he also has the chance to be a real difference-maker in 2024/25.

A Ryan Hardie backup is signed

Scoring goals as a team beyond the influence of Whittaker and Ryan Hardie proved difficult in the second half of last season.

Losing Finn Azaz meant that Argyle also lost a certain amount of impetus and even though Callum Wright and Alfie Devine were able to make the odd contribution, it was never the same.

Adding a player in that Azaz-mould would be ideal for Rooney but perhaps even more important is signing a forward to compliment Hardie.

Only two of the Scotsman’s 16 goal contributions in the league came from February onwards and Ben Waine would be best suited to a loan move, which leaves Mustapha Bundu as the only suitable backup.

Bundu is a solid player and is adored by the fans but someone with Championship know-how who can contribute in the region of 10 goals would help Argyle take a big step towards safety.

Supporters buy-in to the Wayne Rooney appointment

The final and in some ways, the most important event in the early stages of Rooney’s time on the south coast, involves both him and the fanbase.

Ian Foster showed the England icon exactly what not to do when it comes to building a strong relationship with the squad and the supporters.

Rooney needs to keep the hugely dedicated Argyle fans on board if he is to have any chance of surviving in the job. His appointment may not be the ideal one in many people’s eyes, but he now has a chance to prove them wrong and win them over.

Attacking football that can excite the supporters combined with a tight-knit bond in the Plymouth community is the perfect recipe for success ahead of Rooney.