JODY Morris insists he can still cut it in the English Premier League. But the one-time Chelsea star yesterday tied up a deal to the end of the season with a St Johnstone side aiming for the SPL.
Fed-up waiting to land a big money deal in England after a full pre-season with relegated Charlton, the diminutive midfielder admitted a friendship forged with Perth manager Derek McInnes at Millwall has lured him north of the border.
Morris, wh
o could be pitched into tomorrow's Tayside derby clash with championship rivals Dundee, insisted: "I feel I can play at the top level. I finished the season last year training with Chelsea and didn't feel out of place. I'm confident I can still compete at that level.
"Even when I went to Charlton after they were relegated they still had most of their Premiership players on the books and I more than held my own there. My confidence and belief in my ability is still as strong as ever.
"But I've kept in touch with the gaffer (McInnes] since he moved back up from Millwall and we had a chat about my situation.
"He just asked me if I fancied coming to St Johnstone with him and I jumped at the chance. This is a chance for me to get myself fit, go in the shop window and also help Del and the team here out.
"I've got a massive amount of respect for him. He's been a good friend and I like the way he thinks about the game."
Reflecting on a career which dipped after the glory days at Stamford Bridge, Morris confessed: "My Chelsea days were the best of my career and since then I've suffered from making some bad decisions.
"The way my career has panned out since I left has been a letdown. Things didn't go as they should have done and of course I regret that.
"I've made mistakes and poor choices and I know I've suffered because of them.
"When I left Chelsea I was the longest-serving player. I'd been there from the age of five. They offered me a five-year contract to stay but I rejected it. One bad decision can change the course of your life."
"In my last season (at Chelsea] I started 30-odd games and helped them qualify for the Champions League. That was only four years ago and the club has changed so much since then."
Manager McInnes said: "I'm sure this can be advantageous for him and St Johnstone. Jody is a much better player than First Division level. If he needs to prove that hopefully we will benefit."
The full article contains 453 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
