Jody Morris: New Swindon head coach is aiming for promotion this season

Jody Morris is Swindon's third head coach since June 2021 under owner Clem Morfuni

New Swindon head coach Jody Morris says he has come to the club with the aim of winning promotion to League One.

Morris, 44, was appointed on Tuesday following the departure of Scott Lindsey to Crawley Town on 11 January.

The former Chelsea and Derby assistant manager was at the County Ground prior to his appointment to watch their 3-3 draw with Gillingham.

Swindon are currently sixth in the League Two table and are away to Newport County on Saturday.

"I've come here and I want to get promotion, there's no two ways about that," Morris told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

"I think that we're in an ok position at the minute. Obviously there's a lot that can happen in 19 games between now and the end of the season but it's certainly something that I said on day one to the players that I want to try and put us in the best position possible to win football games and to be able to get out of the league.

"Ideally it would be the shortest and easiest route, but who knows. I'm certainly looking forward to getting out in front of those fans and what I saw from them on Saturday I can't wait to hopefully be celebrating some wins in front of them."

The Swindon job is Morris' first in a managerial role, having previously worked as number two to Frank Lampard at Derby and Chelsea, leaving the Premier League club in 2021.

He is Swindon's third manager since the club was taken over by Australian businessman Clem Morfuni in June 2021, following Ben Garner and Lindsey, and has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal.

"I've said to the lads already I feel pretty fortunate to be taking over a group that are at the right end of the table. A lot of the time when there is changes in management in football it can be at the wrong end," Morris said.

"But thankfully for me the opportunity to be able to stamp my authority and my philosophies on this group, I think, is going to be a lot easier than if you were at the bottom end of the table and maybe taking over a team that plays in a completely different ways to what your beliefs about the game are.

"I'm hoping the transition will be easier and maybe a little bit quicker than what it could have been."

'Possession with purpose'

Morris described himself as a "possession-based" coach and said that he wants to turn Swindon into a team who are difficult to play against.

"I like to dominate the ball but I'm also a coach who believes you have to try and add different ways to hurt the opposition, add different ways to impose yourself in the game and sometimes that means without the ball, it means to be a nasty team to play against. Possession with a purpose," he continued.

Swindon made three new signings during the January window, as well as re-signing Charlie Austin on 30 December - with two of those deals being struck on transfer deadline day, just hours after Morris was officially appointed.

He hopes to be able to name Ed Brand - a former youth coach he worked alongside at Chelsea - as his assistant shortly, when English Football League approval is received.

Swindon fell just short of promotion last season, reaching the play-offs but failing to make the final.

And although they are in the play-off places at the moment, just five points separate them from Walsall and Doncaster, who are 14th and 15th.

"Hopefully we're going to be giving you [Swindon fans] more things to shout about," Morris added.

"I pride myself on any team that I've coached or worked with, that the minimum you can expect from us is that you'll see the work rate and the output - as far as trying to make sure that we're competing at any opportunity we can.

"Hopefully then, within time, you'll see a little bit more tweaks to the side as far as them being in possession."