Jon Waldron: My views on the U's (From Gazette)

Jon Waldron: My views on the U's

3:29pm Wednesday 29th August 2012 in npower League One Table & Results By Jonathan Waldron

New challenge - Clinton Morrison is enjoying life at Colchester United. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON

Clinton Morrison has had a habit of poaching goals during his professional career.

So surely not even his team-mate Magnus Okuonghae would begrudge the veteran striker his maiden goal for Colchester United .

Okuonghae and Morrison were still deliberating over who scored the U’s equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United as they made their way down the tunnel, following their post-match warm down on Saturday.

But that’s hardly surprising really, especially given that the lively Morrison is now arguably the most vocal member of the Colchester squad.

U’s manager John Ward gently admitted that he might need to “manage” the Republic of Ireland international, after bringing him to the Weston Homes Community Stadium earlier this summer.

Indeed, Ward admitted after the Blades game that the forward can be somewhat annoying at times.

But Ward will surely not mind a little irritation at times, especially if Morrison can make a habit of putting the ball in the back of the net during his time with the U’s.

Indeed, having spent 18 months pursuing the forward’s signature, it will be a small price to pay.

Having started pre-season a little later than his team-mates, it is clear that the former Crystal Palace striker is still not fully match fit.

That is something that Morrison admits himself, as is his need to adapt to the U’s system which deploys him as the pivotal striker in a fluid attacking formation.

He is something of a marked man, particularly with his reputation in the game for scoring goals.

But he is clearly relishing the fact that he has a new challenge.

And his pledge to try and score the goals to help Colchester win promotion from League One, where he says no-one at the club wants to be, is genuine.

As Morrison told me in a refreshingly honest interview at Florence Park last week, he is not at the U’s for the pay cheque.

Having scored goals in the Premier League in the past, money is clearly not the motivation for this charismatic striker.

Now there are only two simple things that float Morrison’s boat – scoring goals and winning football matches.

And if he hits the right notes for Colchester this season, the two will go hand in hand.