Derby County are facing a crucial period over the next few weeks as they look to get their season back on track after deciding to part company with Phillip Cocu.

Wayne Rooney leads the Rams’ coaching team who will takeover from Cocu until Derby name a successor to the Dutchman which is thought not to be in the pipeline until their proposed takeover is completed, per Derbyshire Live. That means the former England star needs to try and show that he can turn things around on the field.

The Rams sit bottom of the Championship table after collecting just one win and six points from their opening 11 league matches. Indeed, it was Rooney himself who gained them their only three points so far with his stunning free-kick at Norwich City.

Rooney might well be keen on the job on a permanent basis and if so will need to show during this period that he has the qualities needed as a coach to turn things around.

With that in mind, we take a look at TWO hurdles that Rooney will have to navigate at Derby if success is to come…

Fixing major attacking issues

One of the most glaring issues that Derby must solve if they are to turn their form and season around is their glaring problems in the final third. The Rams have managed to score just five league goals in 11 matches the fewest in the division. With Rooney likely to also be out of the side whilst managing that may well take even more scoring chances away from set-pieces.

Quiz: Did these 17 Derby County players ever actually score a league goal for the club?

The Rams have the likes of Martyn Waghorn, Tom Lawrence, Jordan Ibe, Kamil Jozwiak, Colin Kazim-Richards and Louie Sibley to call upon who can all create and score goals in the final third. Rooney will have to find the right sort of formation and style of play to get the best out of those players over the coming weeks.

Having played upfront for Manchester United and England Rooney knows all about what kind of pressure is placed on the forwards when teams are struggling. He must show that he has the coaching ability to improve the sorts of runs being made by their forwards, as well as the man-management skills required to re-find confidence in their attacking players.

Sorting out Derby’s awful home form

Last season Derby’s main issue was away from home with Cocu’s side failing to pick up any sort of form on their travels that meant their progress was hampered.

This time around they are having major issues at home in front of an empty stadium with the Rams having lost five of their opening six matches on home soil.

That is something that Rooney will show he can address, and with no crowd there to help it will place even more of a spotlight on the Englishman’s abilities to restore confidence and implement a system that provides the platform to start collecting wins at home.