Coaching brings back pressure and purpose for Morrell

Joe Morrell has rediscovered the pressure and purpose he was missing from his playing days after taking up a coaching role at Bristol City's academy.

The former Wales and Portsmouth midfielder was forced to retire prematurely last October at the age of 28, because of persistent injuries over more than 18 months.

He started working within the Bristol City youth set-up in January and this month was named interim head coach for the Under-21s' final three games of their season.

Morrell began his playing career with the Robins, making his senior debut at 16 in 2013, and said his ultimate goal is to one day become a first-team head coach.

"It's pretty well-documented that I've had a tough couple of years but I've loved every second of being back," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"The purpose and the pressure that I missed those couple of years when I was trying to get back playing, I've found in abundance back in this role."

As a player, Morrell made more than 100 appearances for Portsmouth, while he also feature for Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City and Luton Town.

He won 37 caps for Wales and played at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

But he last appeared in January 2024 when he suffered knee cartilage damage and after months of rehab was released by Portsmouth at the end of that season.

He spent another year trying to get back to playing, failing three medicals at three clubs last summer before eventually calling time on his career in October.

"It's something I'm at peace with now," Morrell said.

"It was difficult at the time but anyone who's close to me, anyone who knows what I've been through the last couple of years will understand there was definitely an element of relief when I made the decision and could get my life back in my own hands."

What has helped him make the transition into life post-football is that he knew coaching was something he wanted to go into, even if it has come around a lot earlier than he expected.

He completed his Uefa A Licence with the Football Association of Wales and is working towards his Pro Licence - the highest coaching certificate - while with Bristol City.

Yet walking back into the club where barely a decade ago Morrell was one of the teenage players he is now coaching - where many other staff still remain from his time - took a little getting used to.

"It's strange and when I first came back in it took me a couple of weeks to get over that because these guys have coached me before, and it's not 20, 30 years before, it's 10 years ago," he said.

"I've been in these lads' shoes very recently and I think that helps me to relate to them."

Working with an academy is step one of what Morrell hopes will eventually lead him to a head coaching role somewhere some day.

He is also aware that his path into that side of the game is not as conventional as most others,

"Most people say that [they want to be a head coach] at 35 or off the back of a 15-year playing career or 15-year coaching career," he said.

"The unique opportunity I've got is hopefully I'll have a bit of both and hopefully that sets me up to be the best head coach I possibly can."

Whether Morrell's coaching journey continues at Bristol City beyond this summer currently remains to be seen.

With a new sporting director expected to be appointed, Morrell is the first to say this is a club "in transition" but that he hopes to stay on.

"It's the perfect level for me that's the most important thing, in terms of the age and ability of player that I'm working with," he said.

"I am going to be very deliberate in terms of the steps that I take to hopefully becoming a head coach one day and this is the next step for me, I think."