Ex-City midfielder 'to join' Championship club's staff after interim Reds spell

According to a BBC Sport report, the 29-year-old is set to replace Zesh Rehman, who left Pompey late last year, in the Fratton Park dugout. Morrell played for Portsmouth more than 100 times before his playing career was cut short, prematurely, by injury.

A product of the City academy, Morrell made his Reds debut aged just 16 against Wycombe Wanderers. The midfielder went on to spend time away from Ashton Gate on loan with Sutton United, Margate, Cheltenham Town and Lincoln City, making five further appearances for the Robins between his temporary spells.

In the summer of 2020, Morrell left south Bristol permanently, joining then-Championship side Luton Town. After a single season at Kenilworth Road, the midfielder headed to the south coast, joining Portsmouth, who were, at that point, in League One.

The Wales international's 2023/24 campaign was curtailed by a knee injury. While Pompey went on to win the third tier title that term, Morrell didn't feature in the run-in, with that injury and the various setbacks that followed leading him to retire, aged just 28, last October, after spells on trial with each of Plymouth Argyle and Reading.

In January, Morrell became part of the academy coaching staff at the Robins High Performance Centre, working under then senior professional development phase Dennis Baraznowski.

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When the 33-year-old's departure was confirmed, shortly after Gerhard Struber's exit last season, Morrell was placed in interim charge of the Young Robins. It was revealed that he would lead the side while working towards his UEFA Pro Licence.

The former midfielder guided City's Under-21s through the final weeks of the season, before his own departure was announced over the off-season when it was confirmed that Louis Carey had been named the Young Robins' new boss.

Since then, Morrell has been out of work. Now, though, with a return to the south coast seemingly set to be confirmed, the former midfielder's first game as part of Mousinho's coaching staff is likely to be this weekend's derby meeting Southampton, Pompey's first game after the international break.

After seven games, Portsmouth currently sit 19th in the second tier table. Mousinho's side have won twice in the league so far this term and lost on three separate occasions; one of those defeats came against City at Ashton Gate in late August.

Morrell's role at Fratton Park will be his first coaching job in senior football, should it be confirmed as expected. Such progression shouldn't come as a surprise, however, given the former Wales international has been open about his aspirations in the dugout.

In an interview with Bristol Live conducted in April, Morrell said, "I want to be a head coach one day, but also, I want to plan it as best as I can while knowing that football doesn't allow you to do that all the time.

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"It's certainly inspiring when you see Tonda Eckert, Fabian Hürzeler and these guys who get jobs extremely young but also do extremely well at those jobs at that age.

"Hopefully, that does have a knock-on effect, and there'll be a time over the next couple of years when I feel like I'm ready.

"Of course, I'm not at that stage yet, but it will just be about planning it as best as I can."