First part of a two part interview with new arrival Joe McKee
New signing Joe McKee put pen-to-paper on his deal with the club earlier this week and immediately confirmed that his move had never really been in doubt from the moment he first spoke to Keith Curle and Lee Dykes.
“The gaffer spoke to me about his philosophy towards the game and what he expects from me,” he said. “He wants us to get the ball down and pass it, and that's evident from the games I've watched.
“Everyone has made me feel welcome and I think personally the club will suit my game. It's definitely good to get this done. It's been on the cards for a while so I'm pleased everything is sorted. For it to be so early in pre-season is good because it means I can settle.
“It will relax me, knowing where I'm going to be next season, so I can go away and concentrate on getting fit. I've done my medical and my fitness tests this morning [Monday], after having the last three weeks off, so it was good to get the legs going again.
“I was going to start training again this week anyway, so it's worked out quite well because I've got a bit under my belt already.”
“I heard about the interest from Carlisle a couple of months ago,” he revealed. “I knew they'd been up to watch some of my matches against Rangers and Celtic. As soon as I knew about the interest it was always something I wanted to do.
“I had a couple of concrete offers from other Scottish clubs, and a few things down here, but there was nothing major. I've always wanted to come back down south because it's where I see myself playing.”
“This is a great opportunity for me,” he told us. “I've watched a couple of games so I've seen the way the boys play and the way the gaffer likes to play. It's a big pitch and a good surface here which will suit me.
“I'm excited to be here and I'm looking forward to getting into training. It's an opportunity that I'm ready to grab with both hands. I think this is the right step for me to take now.
“It’s one where if I'd stayed up in Scotland I think that would have been where I would always have played. When this opportunity came up it was one I really wanted to take. I'll come down here, get my head down and work hard. Hopefully that will mean that I'll progress.
“Ultimately, for me, that's what it's all about. I'm 23 now and I want to keep progressing. I think this is the right place for me to do that. It's a challenge I'm ready for and a challenge I'm looking forward to.
“I've played in some tough games in Scotland and I know I've got the ability and the mentality to do well with this challenge. It's all about working hard. I've said it a few times, but I just can't wait to get started.”
“I'm definitely hungry to be here,” he commented. “When I left Bolton and went back up north I didn't have much game time under my belt. I was 20 years old at the time so I wasn't in a great position.
“I knew I had to go and get game time somewhere and Morton were great for me because they gave me the opportunity. It would have been quite easy for me to let my head go down and sack it off, but it's always been what I've wanted to do.
“I've worked incredibly hard over the last few years and I'll bring that same work ethic here. I want to progress and push the boundaries to see how far I can go.
“This is a very big club and a lot of people know we can be in a higher league than we are at the moment. We know it will be a tough season but I think everybody connected to the club will agree that the club should be playing at a higher level. I saw that straight away when I came down and watched a couple of games. I watched the Luton game and had a look around when I was here and I think it's set up perfectly to be in a higher division.”
Speaking about what the fans can expect to see from him, he said: “I'm the kind of player who likes to go and take responsibility. I would never go on the pitch and just kick the ball up the park because it's just a waste of time.
“The way football should be played is by getting the ball down and passing it. That's the type of player I am and that's the philosophy at the club. I'm a central midfielder who likes to get forward.
“I've really developed the other side of my game over the last couple of years. I don't shy away from things, I like the pressure of playing in big games, and every game is a big game down here, so that suits me because that's the kind of guy I am. I just can't wait to get started.”
The second part of this interview will appear on the official website on Thursday morning.
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