Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Chelsea assistant Jody Morris has welcomed Derek McInnes ' appointment at Rangers and looked ahead to the battle with Martin O'Neill 's Celtic .
Morris , who played under McInnes at St Johnstone , says the job is long overdue for a manager who has excelled at Hearts , Kilmarnock , Aberdeen and St Johnstone , and believes Rangers now have their best chance in a long time.
The former Chelsea man has also reflected candidly on his time as Swindon Town manager, the broken promises that cut it short, and what the experience taught him about the questions he will ask before taking his next job.
Swindon Town
How Do You Look Back on Your Time at Swindon Town?
Nothing has changed for me. I would have loved to have brought in my own players through a transfer window. We had the youngest group in the league. I was signing players who were ready to give up their careers or move to America as free agents. In many of the games, the performance was great.
If you look at our pressing, possession, and the chances we created, we did well. Our biggest problem was late in games and defending set pieces. I couldn't make the players taller or better at set pieces overnight, and I couldn't age them overnight either. I wanted a transfer window to add experience and physicality to the group. I felt we would be pushing for promotion the next season, but I didn't get the chance. There were promises made by the owner that never came to fruition. I have nothing but good things to say about the players; they did great for me.
Certain things went against us late in games when teams started going direct because they couldn't play through us. We conceded goals because our physicality and aerial ability weren't great. We were young and made immature mistakes. The only way to improve is to add experience or gain it through playing. For young boys who have never played before, you won't gain enough experience in 15 games. Nothing has changed for me; I wish Swindon well. I know what went on and what I was up against. I would have liked time to add what was needed to the group, which is what I was told I could do. I was told I could do that at the end of the season, and then I didn't make it to the end of the season. It was a strange situation.
Has That Made You Think Twice About a New Role?
It's not that I would be more tentative; I just need to ask more questions and get certain things guaranteed. There were false promises when I came through the door. It changes the way you look at things, but I think there were things going on at Swindon that you wouldn't find in many places.
If you speak to anyone who worked there, I've spoken to Scott Lindsey and Ian Holloway ; let's just say there are things at that club that have opened their eyes. For my first head coaching job, I needed to ask more questions. It is a big club for League Two with good support; it's just a shame they haven't managed to get out of that league.
Scotish Football
What Was Your Time Like Under McInnes at St Johnstone?
It is long overdue for Derek McInnes to be the Rangers manager. He should have gotten it a couple of times before. I know many Rangers fans who are buzzing that he is through the door. The main objective for any Rangers manager is to finish above Celtic and beat them.
He is a proven manager in the league and was unlucky not to win it last year. There were some decisions toward the end of the season that were mind-blowing. The fact that he challenged Celtic so closely with Hearts was a phenomenal job. He did a phenomenal job at Hearts , Kilmarnock , Aberdeen , and St Johnstone . He has been an amazing manager in Scotland . He is a mate of mine, and I value him as a manager and as a man-manager. He is a Rangers man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and I was absolutely delighted for him.
He was sad to leave Hearts because he loved it there, but he's been destined for the Rangers job for a long time. For me, it's long overdue, and Rangers have their best chance in a long time to finish above Celtic .
How Do You See the Battle Between McInnes and O'Neill?
I love Martin O'Neill as well as Derek McInnes . He has been the chairman of the League Managers Association for the last couple of years. He is a huge character and is rightly adored by Celtic fans. He did a great job last year; they wouldn't be champions if he weren't involved. Both times he closed the gap.
Derek is a bit more hands-on on the training pitch, whereas Martin is from the Brian Clough school of management, where he lets the coaches coach and focuses on man-management. They are two massive personalities, and they are both great people in football.
I am on Derek 's side and Rangers ' side this year, but I am a huge fan of Martin . I actually like Celtic as well; I'm not one of those people who feels you have to like one or the other. I'm looking forward to the battle between those two clubs and those two managers. It's going to be great to watch. I have to get up there; it's been a couple of years since I've been to one of those games.
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