Morrell ‘raring to go’ after football drought Sunday, August 30th 2020 Joe Morrell is “raring to go” and stake a place in the Robins midfield after a five-month football drought. Morrell heads off on international duty with Wales today with another hour of football in his legs in the 1-1 pre-season draw with Swindon Town. And the 23-year-old, who hit the crossbar with a shot and pulled the strings in a deeper midfield position as Jamie Paterson and Àdàm Nagy pushed higher, is relishing pulling on the Robins shirt again. On loan at Lincoln City last season, where he was Player of the Year, Morrell’s football was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic ending League One and, as a loanee, he was unable to feature in the final nine games of City's 2019/20 campaign. Cue a new season and Morrell told Robins TV: “I think everyone was looking forward to getting back in, regardless of the short turn-around between seasons, and for players like me – I haven’t played a game since February-March – it’s been tough so I’m raring to go. “It’s the best job in the world. If you can’t enjoy having a kick-about for 70 minutes or so with your mates on a Saturday then you are not going to enjoy anything! I’m just glad to be back and playing at Ashton Gate, without the supporters it’s a little bit different but for me it’s something I’ve been thinking about for the last six months and I’m really happy to be back out there.” City’s pre-season games are almost complete, but for a midweek behind closed doors friendly in the build-up to the Carabao Cup Round One fixture against Exeter City next Saturday (September 5th, KO 2pm), which will be available to view exclusively on Robins TV to fans inside the UK for £10. Morrell admitted: “It’s not a normal pre-season so it’s been a bit more full-on than usual but the Swindon game was good. You have to get the balance right between being ruthless and wanting to win every game you play in and understanding that it’s pre-season and there are still things to work on. “No team is perfect in pre-season – and we certainly weren’t today – but it’s good that we have things to work on and no doubt we will. “We haven’t had a massive overhaul of players and with the gaffer being in charge towards the end of last season everyone knows what to expect from the manager and he knows what to expect from us and with Keith (Downing) and Simmo (Paul Simpson) coming in they have brought their own ideas and training has been different.” Morerell will miss the Grecians’ match as he hopes to add to his five Wales caps when they take on Finland next Thursday (September 3rd) and then Bulgaria three days later (September 6th) in the their Nations League openers. “It’s good to have a change of scenery and new ideas and it's something I always look forward to,” added Morrell. “It’s an honour to play for my country and they are two tough games but hopefully I can contribute and I’m looking forward to it.” Supporters can exclusively follow all the action from City’s Carabao Cup tie with Exeter City on Robins TV from 1.30pm. Fans who subscribe can enjoy all the benefits of the Robins TV Live matchday production, which includes a pre-match show, half-time analysis, post-match reaction and the game itself inclusive of commentary and replays. Head to the Robins TV website, login with your Bristol Sport Club Account, click the packages page and select your matchday pass. https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/morrell-raring-to-go-after-football-drought/
Could be our find of the new season, at last, after reading all the reports about his ability we might have unearthed a real good 'un.
I would like to see many of the youngsters sent out to pasture under a previous regime returning now the tide has possibly turned in their favour. There would be nothing greater than to see crowds return to the Gate and cheer on a team of young locals and interlopers from at maximum 100 miles away from their place of work, Perhaps some of you remember when you went to a match specifically to watch someone you actually. My only actual version of that kind of event was when I went see a lad called Bowyer whose Dad owned a pub in Bridgwater. He scored a brilliant goal from 25 yards out and was rarely, if ever, seen again. Footballing friend whose dad owned a pub sounds like it could be made in to a full length film.
'I'll play in goal if he wants me to' - Joe Morrell on his Bristol City dream and Dean Holden's impact "It’s something that has driven me every day for the last 11 years" It was only a short comment, almost said in passing but at the same time deeply revealing, as Joe Morrell offered a fundamental insight into the fundamental change at Bristol City over the last month. When asked about how Dean Holden has affected the atmosphere within the squad, Morrell said: “He’s just a really positive person, and he encourages people to play with freedom, which potentially we might not have had before.” Holden’s appointment at the start of August was largely met with either indifference or anger. Firstly, and fundamentally, because Holden is not Chris Hughton and, secondly, because as Lee Johnson’s No2, where was the tangible sign of progress? Johnson’s failure was, somewhat simplistically, also attributed to Holden. Guilt by association. After four-and-a-half years, which led to frustration over performances at home, perceived negativity and an inability to either get the best from, or trust, the Robins’ array of creative players, fans wanted a more obvious “breath of fresh air” as promised by Steve Lansdown. But, speaking after City’s 1-1 draw with Swindon Town on Saturday, Morrell delivered his assessment of his experience so far under Holden’s stewardship as he heads into the 2020/21 campaign a potential key man in the Robins midfield following his season on loan at Lincoln City. “(It’s been) really positive, I can’t speak for all of the lads because I wasn’t able to play towards the back-end of last season when the gaffer came in, but he’s straight away had an impact,” Morrell said. “Everyone’s really happy, everyone knows their jobs and responsibilities, and that helps when players are happier because you feel more comfortable on the pitch.” Holden is very much his own man, having made the tough decision not to continue his working relationship with Jamie McAllister and almost immediately set about ingraining 3-5-2 as the defining formation for the football club; after years of Johnson-related tinkering and switching. It’s a system which lends itself to a midfielder like Morrell, who played for just over an hour at Ashton Gate in an orthodox holding role behind Adam Nagy and Jamie Paterson. The 23-year-old was often the first-choice passing option for his teammates, setting the tempo and maintaining the flow of possession as City looked to maximise their time spent on the ball. Having that continuity player, who also provides tenacity and energy in a defensive sense, is all well and good against League One opposition in a friendly behind-closed-doors and Morrell’s task is now to prove it in the intensity of the Championship. With injuries to Liam Walsh and new signing Joe Williams, there is every reason to suggest that Morrell will be in the City XI against Coventry on September 12 for his first competitive start in a City shirt since February 2019. “To be honest, I’ll play anywhere. I’ll play in goal if the manager wants me to!” Morrell added. “But that’s the position I feel most comfortable playing; helping with the build-up of the team and contributing out of possession in terms of winning the ball back and recycling and getting the more advanced midfielders and forward players into good positions to create chances. “It’s something I feel confident and comfortable doing, trying to control the tempo of the game and hopefully I can continue doing that.” Unfortunately, Morrell won’t be part of the City squad to face Exeter City on Saturday due to his responsibilities with the Wales national team as they take on Finland and Bulgaria in the Nations League. That avenue of his career is further evidence of the progress he’s made over the last 12 months since leaving Ashton Gate for Sincil Bank. A spell in League One that has proved transformative for his career. “It’s hard to take a step back but I think I progressed a lot last season just playing regular football in League One at a fantastic football club, so I think I have to take a lot from that – just the intensity of playing every week, twice a week and the international football,” Morrell added. “The aggressive side of my game will always be there but I think as you get older you understand certain elements of the game. With the manager coming in, who was assistant before but has his own ideas, it’s trying to understand those ideas tactically, take then on board and put them onto other people. “As you get older, with a few more games, you have a bit more of an onus to be a leader and hopefully that’s something I’ll continue to do.” It’s cliché but there is a definite maturity to Morrell now in how he conducts himself on the pitch with his tactical nous, and off it with how he speaks with such clarity and purpose. The is real presence, confidence and character about him. However, the same old schoolboy dreams and ambitions remain, and while still relatively modest, all he wants is to be is a regular for his hometown club. Something that could start to become a reality if he’s selected against Coventry City on September 12. “I’ve been thinking about it for the last six months, it’s something that drives me every day,” Morrell said. “Listen, I’ve worked for probably 11 years, since I joined this football club, to try and achieve the opportunity to play regularly. “It’s something that has driven me every day for the last 11 years, it’s something that I continue to work for but I understand that we have a lot of midfielders in there so you never know what the manager wants to do. “But I’m happy to be at this football club and when I get the opportunity to step onto the pitch in the Championship I’ve got to make sure I take it, that’s something that’s important in football as it is in life.” https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/ill-play-goal-wants-to-4476474
Fair play to the kid, I wish him well. Lets also hope for the perfect start against Exeter City on Saturday. A few goals and a resounding home win will do the squads confidence the world of good.
This coming from a player really does show some of the changes since LJ's departure, talking about Holden,“He’s just a really positive person, and he encourages people to play with freedom, which potentially we might not have had before.”
That's normal spill from within a new appointment, don't often hear negatives at the start!! Just saying.....Like Angelic says, let hope it all works well..
I like his enthusiasm and commitment to the team. I think he will still be on the fringes this season, but let's see.
