Watford's young defender happy to give away more shirts!

The 20-year-old full-back was making just his fourth league start against the Baggies on Monday, and the Hornets have not lost any of that quartet of games.

Yet Morris only moved to Vicarage Road in August 2021 and before this season, had played only 90 minutes of senior football in the FA Cup Third Round tie at Leicester City last season.

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Now, though, Morris has built on an impressive first start in the away win at Norwich and showed on Monday night that he has progressed in a very short space of time.

However, his chance to play on Monday came because of an injury to Hasane Kamara, so he knows it could be a brief stint when the Ivorian international is fit again.

Morris, though, has his sights set on playing well enough to keep his place.

“Now I’ve had the taste of it I want to stay in the team and play as many games as possible,” he said.

“All I can do is keep working hard in training and playing as well as I can in games. If I stay in the team then hopefully I can keep performing well.

“Obviously the goal now is to stay in the first team, and repay the faith Slaven Bilic has shown in me.”

Morris and his fellow full-back Mario Gaspar drew particular praise from Bilic after Monday’s game, and the player himself said it was his best senior performance to date.

As the Hornets are currently playing a traditional back-four, does that suit him or does he feel he’s more of a wing back?

“It’s a tough one. I probably wouldn’t say I’m a traditional full-back, because I like to think when I’m on the ball I’m composed and I like to pass,” he replied.

“But then I do like the old-fashioned elements of the role like the tackling – the tackle at the end of the West Brom game I really enjoyed.”

The tackle he’s referring to is his superb sliding challenge in stoppage time to prevent West Brom’s Jed Wallace gathering the ball and break down an attack, which was voted the ‘Moment of the Match’ by fans on the club’s official social media channels.

“That was my highlight of the game! I really flew into it and it was only when I watched it back that I realised it was right on the edge of the box!

“I knew I had to make that tackle though.”

Tackles like that are remarkable these days because the job of full-backs and wing-backs has become as much about what they do in the attacking third as what they do in their own defensive third.

“In the last few years, as a full-back, you are expected to get forward more so you can put crosses in and make chances.

“But that’s a part of the game I enjoy, so I see that as a good thing.”

Bilic said, while praising Morris after the game with West Brom, that the defender getting off to a good start was key, as young players can often have the tone of their performance set by how the opening exchanges pan out.

“It definitely helps to have a good first 10 minutes in terms of settling you down,” said Morris.

“Once you’ve had a few good touches of the ball and done a few good things, it just calms you down.

“When you have that calmness and the game starts to develop then you almost forget what’s going on around you and it just becomes a game of football.

“The first 10 or 15 minutes are vital in terms of calming any nerves, and that’s probably true for a lot of players.

“In the opening minutes against West Brom on Monday I was getting a lot of the ball. If you get through the first 10 minutes and you’ve only had one or two touches then you’re waiting to try and get into the game.

“The manager is right: getting into the game early on Monday and getting settled was a good thing.”

When Albion equalised, there were claims for a penalty seconds before the ball hit the net for a challenge by Morris.

“It was one of those challenges where I’d have been very annoyed if it had been given, but it was a heart-in-the-mouth moment,” he admitted.

“I didn’t think I’d touched him. It looked a bit clumsy but I didn’t touch him, so the reaction you saw was me being annoyed he’d fallen on the floor plus that we’d conceded a goal.

“My role at that corner was to be the player who was to go and shut down if the ball was cut back to the edge of the box. We knew they liked to do that sometimes and Wallace was waiting on the edge.

“So when the ball came in, one of their players peeled off and that’s who I challenged.”

Having had a brush with a penalty, Morris then went down the other end and it was his cross that led to the passage of play which saw Ismaila Sarr put Watford 2-1 in front.

“That’s something I’ve been working on with the coaches since I came over to the first-team squad,” Morris said.

“They’ve always said to me that I have a good left foot but I need to trust it more.

“Their advice has been that if you trust what you have and you deliver a cross that’s too long or goes over the bar, then it’s not the end of the world. It’s better to do that than to be scared of putting a cross over in the first place.

“So it’s something I’ve tried to work on since I’ve been in the squad and now I’m starting to feel like that hard work is coming to fruition.

“Obviously when you put crosses in and you get goals from them that’s the biggest reward. The ball over that started the move for the second goal was something I was happy with.

“It doesn’t count as an assist but I contributed because they didn’t clear, Kone had a shot and the ball ran to Isma who scored.

“Just getting forward as much as you can and helping the team to create chances is a big part of my role.”

Being left footed is also very helpful as most teams are usually full of right-footed players.

“It is a bit of weird one as there is such a small amount of left footers in the game. I’m right-handed when I write, play golf and everything else, but I’ve always kicked with my left foot.

“I started off as a left winger, and then dropped back as most full-backs seem to do!

“It’s definitely a good thing to be naturally left-footed.”

Being part of the first-team squad means a physical move at the training ground, and Morris has left the Academy changing rooms and training pitches to be where the senior players are.

“One of the main differences that I noticed straight away was the intensity of the training. Going from being with the Under-23s to being with the first team, that was the biggest change.

“Everything is done so much quicker. Even if you’re just doing a passing drill, you notice how quick the passing is.

“And then when you’re playing training games everything is happening so much faster.

“Sometimes some sessions with the first team will only be 30 or 60 minutes, but that shorter session will be 10 times harder than a 90-minute session with the Under-23s. It’s short, sharp and intense.

“One of the other big things, for training and in games, is the level of concentration required. One thing I’ve learned massively is that one slight lapse of concentration and you’ll probably be punished.

“I find myself in training games marking Sarr or Joao Pedro! I mean that’s great for my development to be coming up against players of that class every day though. It can only make me better.

“But it is definitely a big challenge when you progress to the first team squad and are working with players like that every day.

“When I came to the club last year, I did some training with the first team and I was involved in some squads for games, but I was never in the first team.

“This year I was, and that means moving over into the first-team changing room which is a big thing for any young player.

“And then you follow the first-team schedule. That is quite a big step. Last year I’d train with the first-team occasionally but then come off the training pitch and follow the Under-23s schedule.

“That is a big change, just realising you’re working as part of the first team.”

So does that mean Morris now thinks of himself as a first-team player, or an Under-23 who is still in transition?

“I don’t want to come across as ‘yeah, I’m a first team player’ but I think over the last few months I do feel I have done what I can to make myself someone who can be a first-team player.

“I’ve had good game time, I’ve started games and then ultimately I’ve been performing well in those games.

“At the moment, I’m not too worried about how I can class myself, it’s more about being part of the first team and playing games.”

Other defenders have said that having a world-class defender as head coach is a huge benefit.

“Having a defender as a head coach is massive, especially when it’s someone who has done so much in the game as he has,” said Morris.

“It might not always be massive conversations, but it’s little comments here and there that help you out.

“He’s been brilliant with me, especially when I started for the first time at Norwich. He literally talked me through what he wanted me to do, on and off the ball, and that really helped me.

“I went into that game knowing exactly what was expected of me, and that was a big help.”

And for Morris, there’s the added benefit of having an assistant coach in Julian Dicks, who is one of the best English left-backs of recent times.

“Having someone who literally played your position to the level he did is massive for me,” said Morris.

“He’s been really good in terms of supporting me. He comes up to me before games and just has a quiet word, telling me to do what I do and be confident. It’s little comments but they really help.

“In training, he normally stands on the side of the pitch where I am and he’ll say stuff to me as the session is going on. Having him around is definitely something that has really helped me.

“One thing he has been saying to me a lot is when I get the ball, be prepared to drive forward with it. And I think that is something I have started to add into my game.

“I know that I used to get the ball and pass it straight away. Now if I see space then I have the confidence to drive into it, because that’s something Julian has helped me develop.

“Making progression in aspects of your game come as a result of good coaching, and in turn that gives you the confidence to do more of it.

“I’ve felt more confident with every game, and things like being ready to drive forward are what I want to keep on doing.

“When I’ve not been on the pitch, I’ve watched the way Hasane drives with the ball and that’s a part of his game which is really strong. Driving forward and beating people is something that will help me be better if I can add it to my game.”

Looking back to January 2 and that memorable away win at Norwich when Watford were starting to really feel the effects of the injury list, Morris only found out he was starting three hours before the game.

“It was a bit of a whirlwind,” he smiled.

“I was literally told I was starting at midday ahead of a 3pm kick-off, and that was a good thing for me as it meant I didn’t have too much time to think about things.

“It was a big game, and it was that time when everyone’s hamstring seemed to be going! We were down to the bare bones of the squad, but those are the type of wins that feel massive.

“We really came together that day – clean sheet, late winner, three points, great result.

“I’d been on the bench before but that was the first time I’ve finished a game and walked to the Watford fans as well.

“When you’ve contributed to a win, the team has played so well and worked so hard, to then go and share that with the fans is one of the best feelings in the game

“The Watford fans were on my side of the pitch in the second half and being away from home they were in the minority. So as soon as the final whistle goes you just want to go and say thank you to them.

“You can hear chants and things fans shout when you’re on the pitch, but at Norwich that day it was a lot of singing really. It’s a great feeling when you hear it.

“Even at home against West Brom on Monday, knowing you’ve won the game, the music comes on in the stadium and you’ve got the chance to go and show your thanks to the fans: that’s a wonderful feeling.

“I kept my debut shirt from the Norwich game, but then I gave my shirt after the Blackpool game to two little boys. Even that felt weird, because I still can’t believe someone would want my shirt!

“I’m just not used to that part of being in the first team yet, but it was good to be able to do it for the two boys.”

Incredibly, in his four starts Morris has been on the pitch with six different Watford central defenders, most recently January signings Ryan Porteous and Wesley Hoedt.

 “They’ve both been really good, especially on Monday night. They are good talkers, and Wesley plays on my side of the pitch and he’s got a lot of experience.

“He helped me through the game and I knew I had someone next to me that would cover me if I needed it.

“There is a lot of talking that goes on between the defenders during a game, even if it’s just the basic little things like ‘man on’.

“Obviously in a noisy stadium sometimes you can’t hear it, and that’s when you have to stay focussed. But good communication is a vital part of any good back four.”

Morris joined Watford last summer after a decade at Southampton, the team he supported as a boy – a brave thing to do when you live in Portsmouth.

“I’m from Portsmouth, but my Dad was born in Southampton and him and his whole family support Saints, so even though I grew up in Portsmouth I was surrounded by people who supported Southampton,” he explained.

“At school, I was the only Southampton fan. Everybody else was massive Portsmouth fans. Nobody knew my name, they just referred to me as the Southampton player.

“It’s an intense rivalry, just like the Watford/Luton rivalry. I didn’t really know how big that derby was before I came here, but the game in October and the build-up to it made me realise how massive those games are.”

Morris very nearly joined Saints’ arch-rivals, but a late call for a trial at St Mary’s changed the course of his career.

“I was literally about to go on a trial with Portsmouth, and then I played for my local team in a tournament in Southampton.

“We never normally played in tournaments in Southampton, we won it and I played really well.

“A scout came up to my Mum and Dad afterwards and said he worked for Southampton and would I like to go for a trial.

“And straight away I was like ‘Yep, I want to go there!’ At that time, Portsmouth were higher than Saints, and everyone was asking me why I wanted to go there.

“But Southampton was my team and so when I was nine, that’s where I went.”

A decade later and Morris suffered the heartbreak of being told Saints were letting him go.

“That was probably the lowest moment in my career. Being a Saints fan and being there 10 years, which was half my life, it was a big blow.

“In my last season there I hadn’t really played loads, and while I didn’t know it was coming it also wasn’t a shock.

“But still, when you’re told you’re being released there is no feeling worse than that in football.

“I still think about other lads I played with in Academy games, and I see some of them now and they aren’t even playing football anymore. It is scary how brutal the football world is.

“I was told I was being released in the January and that was a time when Covid was still around, so there weren’t many trials taking place.

“So I went into pre-season and the start of the next season without a club. I literally had to train by myself, go to the gym and I knew I had to stay as fit and sharp as possible because I had to be ready to take a chance if one came along.

“I didn’t really have a back-up plan. I probably should have but I was so dedicated to staying in the game, and I put so much work in that summer that I wasn’t focussed on anything else.

“I was about to go to Sheffield United then Watford came in and offered me a trial, and I came straight away.

“That hard work I had put in meant I was ready to go and I got here and it went well – and since then it’s been a bit of a whirlwind to be honest.”

The move to Hertfordshire from Hampshire was not as difficult as it might have been.

“When I was at Southampton, I left home at 12 as they wanted us all to go to host families,” Morris said.

“So even though I was only about 45 minutes from home at Southampton with the host family, I still wasn’t living at home.

“That meant moving up here wasn’t as big a change as it could have been. The only difference was I was two hours from home and completely on my own.

“I adjusted quite quickly though and I feel settled here now. I know all the local places. People used to say about something being in Hemel Hempstead, and I used to think ‘where the hell is that?!’

“But now I know my way around the Watford ring road, I don’t need a satnav anymore.”

Morris got his debut for the first team in January 2022 in the FA Cup.

“I was buzzing to play at Leicester and I was never expecting to play in Premier League games, so after the cup tie I had the mindset to just keep doing what I was doing.

“This season, I started off going with the first team to Austria and I just tried to take in as much as I could.

“Then when Slaven came in he was really good to me. I appreciate what he’s done for me.

“I remember I was going on the coach to an Under-23s game at Ipswich, and when we got there the manager Omar Riza said he wasn’t allowed to play me.

“And I was thinking ‘What have I done? I can’t remember doing anything bad’.

“But he explained he’d had a call and Slaven had said he wanted me on the bench for his first game at Stoke on the Sunday. Ever since then I’ve been with the first team, and that has been so good for me.

“That was a massive show of faith from Slaven, and I’m really grateful for it.”

And with being a member of the Watford first team comes local fame, something Morris admits he is still adjusting to.

“Being recognised when I’m not in Watford kit happened to me for the first time literally a couple of weeks ago.

“I was at a driving range in Borehamwood with my uncle. One of the lads who worked there asked if he could have a photo. That was the first time that had happened.

“I was very happy to do it, but it still feels weird because I still don’t know why someone would want a picture with me!

“But it’s nice to see fans outside of games and I’d never say no.

“I’m very lucky that I had a really good upbringing. My Mum and Dad brought me up really well, and then at Southampton we were taught to be good young men and not to get ahead of ourselves. I think that’s all really important for a young footballer.”