SWINDON Town head coach Jody Morris believes Saturday’s clash with Newport County is the perfect opportunity to see whether his players are ready to be “nasty and competitive.”

The new Town boss was officially appointed on Tuesday and will take charge of his first game this weekend as Swindon make the shortest away trip this season across the Welsh border.

Morris admitted that while he talked about a clean slate from when he arrived, team-selection-wise, it would be foolish to ignore much of the good work that has gone before.

But the former Chelsea coach stated that whichever side he fields to start, they must aim to impress him while remaining disciplined in their work.

Explaining what he wants to see from the starting XI at Newport, Morris said: “You don’t want people running around aimlessly, it needs to be with an aim and a purpose.

“And the fact that I want us to be nasty to play against and I want to have a team that is competitive, when you go to places like Newport, these are the times where you get an opportunity to try and see it.

“More often than not, away, it can be a bit more difficult to take control of a game. But like any team, you’ve got to earn that right.

“If that means that we have to mix it, this is certainly an opportunity for me to see whether we’re ready to do that.”

In his first two press conferences, the 44-year-old has regularly mentioned how he wants his teams to think and play – with the word ‘nasty’ often cited.

Morris was clear that, to him, the term does not mean Town should be overly-aggressive and out to develop a reputation for brutality – instead, it signifies a committed and unwavering attitude towards winning by doing the basics well.

“Being nasty means, if there is a tackle there to be won then we’re wholeheartedly going in to win that tackle,” said Morris.

“But also, if there is distance that needs to be covered to put somebody under pressure then we’ll do that as well.

“We’re not talking about the fine arts of the game and getting stupid bookings and having people sent off. But there are good booking in football.

“At the same time, I want a team which is in your face and ready to mix it.

“If things get a little bit heated, then I’ve got a team which is sticking together and want to show the fans that they’re prepared to do whatever it takes to win a game.”