George Hirst has revealed he almost came to blows with departed captain Sam Morsy early in his Town career, but believes the incident was illustrative of the high standards maintained by the former Blues skipper.

Morsy, who left the club to join Kuwait SC earlier this week, had been captain throughout Hirst’s entire time at Town since the striker joined initially on loan from Leicester City in January 2023.

Following confirmation of the Egyptian’s exit on a free transfer ahead of the pre-season victory at Aberdeen, Hirst described the moment he was fully introduced to Morsy during one of his first training sessions at Playford Road.

“I’ll say a brief story,” he recalled. “I’d been there about three days and he came in and absolutely flattened me in training.

“I wasn’t too happy about it so I stood up and we had a bit of a confrontation. We both offered each other out in the car park and we didn’t speak to each other for a few days but from then we were as good as gold.

“I always look back and think it was a test. He was like that - it might be your first day but don’t think you’re bigger than anyone else here, I will flatten you. The best thing I did was stand up to him and I think he’ll admit that himself.

“To have someone like that in the squad who from the get-go you know every day in training is going to be intense, aggressive and ultimately you have to raise your standards.

“That’s what he was so good at was making sure everybody else’s standards were exactly where they needed to be. For me personally, he’s played a massive part in my career and is someone who will definitely be missed.”

Morsy departs for the Middle East having made 165 appearances for the Blues across four years and looks set to be succeeded as captain by Dara O’Shea, who wore the armband on six occasions last season.

Hirst acknowledged that Morsy's absence will leave a hole in the dressing room, but is adamant the Blues have enough leaders in the group to fill the void.

The Scotland international said: “I don’t think someone like that is easy to replace. To replace someone like that has to be a group effort, everybody in the group has to step up five per cent more.

“To ask for one player to come in and be that Sam Morsy is difficult and borderline impossible. It’s very much a group effort and he will be a massive miss.

“It was the right thing for him and something he wanted to do and I wish him nothing but the best.
“He will be a massive loss and it’s up to us as a group to take that on board and find new leaders, whether that’s as a group or individuals stepping up and giving five per cent more in a leadership role then that’s what it has to be.”

Morsy’s likely replacement in midfield is new signing Azor Matusiwa, the Dutchman having arrived from Stade Rennais in the largest transfer fee ever paid by the Blues as a second-tier club.

Defender Cedric Kipre has also arrived from the French top flight, while Morsy’s experience has been trumped by the signing of 40-year-old Ashley Young, who has more than 750 career appearances and 39 England caps.

On the new arrivals, Hirst said: “Really good, all incredible signings. Azor, you’ve seen what kind of player he is - he’s tenacious, he’ll rat about and wants to make tackles. But when he’s on the ball he’s calm, he’s got composure and he’s looking to pick a pass.

“Cedric is an incredible athlete and not someone you want to be training against every single day but luckily I’ve got the privilege of doing so. He’s going to be massive for us with his athleticism and that sort of stuff.

“Then you’ve got Ashley Young whose career speaks for itself, I don’t really need to say too much on that. He’s played however many games and won however many trophies, so to have someone like that in the building is only good for the squad. If we can learn five per cent of what he knows then we’ll be in a good place.”

Photo: Matchday Images

churchmans81 added 12:42 - Jul 26 If they’d have met in the car park, I’d put my money on Morsy, every day of the week !!
6

franz_tyson added 12:58 - Jul 26 They'd have to wait until Roy Keane was finished up. What's with the car park anyway? Surely behind the bike shed is more environmentally friendly
4

atty added 13:02 - Jul 26 When l was at school it would be three rounds with gloves, refereed by one Major Galloway, ex Household Cavalry. Imagine that these days!
6

DavoIPB added 13:21 - Jul 26 All sounds a bit childish to me. Such a stupid thing to do flatten one of your own players in training, no wonder hirst reacted.
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number8 added 13:27 - Jul 26 Childish! Give it a rest!!! You have to train like you play. I hope they are all keeping up the intensity and aggression. Shows what a quality player Sam is!!
17

flykickingbybgunn added 13:47 - Jul 26 It's nice to know there are several potential captains in the squad.
2

WhoisJimmyJuan added 14:01 - Jul 26 Interesting story. Hirst's words come across as more genuine respect than genuine warmth. Nothing wrong with that. It shows how important Morsy has been in demanding high standards on the pitch and in training. They must maintain that.
7

MVBlue added 14:25 - Jul 26 Morsy was the perfect captain for that time. He demanded his colleagues step up. I can't help but think how different O'Shea is. What will his captaincy be like. Big shoes to fill!
2

cressi added 14:32 - Jul 26 Training how it should be yrs ago only border league level they used to put 3 of on the same side in Training so we would be fit for Saturday ultra competitive still wanted to win in Training.
2

DavoIPB added 14:35 - Jul 26 Number 8., it all sounds a bit like playground stuff. We offered to have it out in the car park and not taking to each other for two days. These are grown men!
-8

pup12 added 16:06 - Jul 26 DavolPB Men need to be men.None of this wokness!!
1

number8 added 16:18 - Jul 26 Yep, grown men that fell out over a tackle, it got carried away then they made up, played together as team mates and won promotions and speak highly of each other. Yep grown men.
2

number8 added 16:18 - Jul 26 Yep, grown men that fell out over a tackle, it got carried away then they made up, played together as team mates and won promotions and speak highly of each other. Yep grown men.
1

BotesdaleBlue added 16:24 - Jul 26 I personally find the interviews with Hirst the most interesting of any other player at the club and that's saying something as we have some good speakers. Whatever the subject, he is insightful, detailed and genuinely interesting in the detail he gives. He certainly comes across as a intelligent man, as well as being a very intelligent footballer, which we all recognise from his time with us.

6

BeachBlue added 16:37 - Jul 26 Reminds me of the story of Allan Hunter flattening a young Terry Butcher in training, asking if he wanted his mum and was going to cry. Bobby Robson and Ferguson watched it happen, didn't interfere, the next tackle came in and Terry Butcher got his own back on Hunter. After that Terry Butcher felt he had arrived. It's in his excellent autobiography.
9

armchaircritic59 added 17:53 - Jul 26 Things like the tales above are a test of a players mental strength and temperament, as much as anything else, as long as it all doesn't become silly and goes too far, I don't see a problem in it. Personally in life, if someone give me grief, they get it back. If you give it out, then you should be prepared to get it back!
2

paris_mitchell_in_oz added 19:14 - Jul 26 Not convinced this wasn't a dig at Skip. Hurst probably deserved it. I could see how he might have been a cocky newcomer in need of being brought down a peg or two.
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Gandj64 added 09:13 - Jul 27 Let’s not forget and also thank Paul Cook for bringing him to the club when we struggling in league one.
0

FramlinghamBlue added 09:15 - Jul 27 Morsy and established pro and Hirst in his first proper permanent professional role…..everyone on here saying it’s a good thing, relate it to your work or your relatives. It rankles when you hear he did it to youth pros as well. Playground bully.
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DavoIPB added 17:58 - Jul 27 Exactly Framingham Blue, very immature approach from Morsy. If my boss did a similar thing I would think they had something wrong with them. Would t get all confrontational about it but they would drop a lot in my opinion of them and I wouldn't really be able to take them seriously after that.
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pup12 added 17:15 - Jul 28 Framlingham blue and Davolpb call HR !! Jesus wept
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pup12 added 17:15 - Jul 28 Framlingham blue and Davolpb call HR !! Jesus wept
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