What could this former Chelsea stalwart bring to Frank Lampard’s Derby County project? – An analysis

Jody Morris was a stalwart for Chelsea during the late 1990’s and the early 2000’s. His time at Stamford Bridge dovetailed with that of Frank Lampard but due to a lack of game time, Morris left in 2003. Regardless, the iconic player appears to have left quite an impression on the new Derby County boss.

Lampard seems to be keen to work with Morris again, having added the former midfielder to his backroom team. Morris, as reported by Sky Sports, has joined the club as an assistant manager. Prior to this, he was the manager of Chelsea’s U18 side.

The former England U21 international had long held ambitions to move into management. As a 17-year-old, he was part of a TV documentary in which he stated his ambition to manage clubs.

A combative midfielder from Earls Court in London, he grew up supporting the club he would eventually sign for; Chelsea. Having made his debut for the Blues at the tender age of 17, Morris was a part of the sensational side that beat Barcelona 3-1 in the 2000 Champions League.

However, all good things come to an end and so did Morris’ time with Chelsea. Towards the end of his tenure, the player was faced with a significant shortage of game time, following which, he chose to move on and join Leeds United.

Initially, he seemed to be the perfect fit at Elland Road but as time wore on, Morris was yet again unable to clock regular minutes on the field. From there on, he had stints at Rotherham United, Millwall, St. Johnstone and Bristol City.

While at Ashton Gate, Morris saw his playing days peter out with only a handful of performances. However, he was soon provided with an opportunity to coach at Chelsea. And it goes without saying that the player grasped the chance with both hands.

He started out as a coach with the Chelsea U21 side, which eventually led to his appointment as the assistant manager for the U18s. Morris handled the youngsters quite well and soon enough, he was handed full responsibility for the team.

Under his tutelage, the Chelsea U18s went on to win a total of seven trophies. In addition to that, his playing style is quite attractive as well. Morris seems to have an affinity towards playing possession-based football, which allows his team to dominate and stretch opposing sides.

What Lampard will bring as a manager remains to be seen. But by bringing Morris into the mix at Derby County, he appears to have made a shrewd decision.