The remarkable resurrection of Northern Ireland from relative irrelevance to now mixing it with Europe’s elite has been built around a team first ethos – and skipper Steven Davis embodies that in spades.
Since making his debut back in 2005, the 31 year old has been there through the nation’s darkest years with seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel in sight. After an outpouring of blood, sweat and tears for the bottle green shirt for over a decade, Davis will now be richly rewarded for his tireless service with an opportunity to lead his country out in its debut appearance at a European championships.
The 31 year old’s professionalism and leadership has been exemplary, traits that have been contributing factors in forging the unbreakable team spirit within the Irish squad.
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The Green and White Army will go into the tournament with minimal fuss or fanfare compared to some of the more star-stuttered nations. It is a feeling Davis is all to familiar with after being such an under-rated player throughout his stellar career.
Role in the team
Davis is the heart beat of this Northern Ireland side combining industry with technical proficiency. The former Aston Villa, Fulham and Rangers man is a versatile midfielder who is often deployed in a more advanced role providing the link between midfield and attack.
A player who knows his limitations and rarely over complicates things, Davis’ simplistic style and tactical discipline ensures Northern Ireland continue to tick things over in midfield and remain compact without the ball. He is also more then prepared to carry out his defensive duties, highlighting his willingness to shoulder greater responsibility in order to drive the team on.
A consistent performer who is always guaranteed to put in a shift, Davis is someone who rarely gets the plaudits externally. But you can be almost certain, his efforts are held in the highest regard within the Northern Ireland inner sanctuary.
Recent form
The season gone by was undoubtedly Davis’ finest for both club and country. For Southampton he was at his dependable best making 34 appearances and finding the net five times helping the Saints to sixth place, the club’s highest top fight finish in its history.
Back in October Davis scored his first goal in almost two years when he scored in a 3-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He netted a memorable first brace in his Premier League career in the Saints 2-1 victory at White Heart Lane in the season’s penultimate game
Davis capped off a fantastic season by making it three in two games when he netted in the final day win over Crystal Palace. The midfielder also chimed in with three assists.
Davis continued his goal-scoring form for the national team, scoring a crucial double against Greece that lead to Northern Ireland clinching qualification to Euro 2016 and again found the net against Latvia in the countries first friendly win in over seven years.
While his goals are few and far between, he has a knack of scoring them in big matches and he would be dreaming of getting on the scoresheet in France this summer.
Conclusion
A quiet achiever who always remains grounded, Davis has the chance to thrust his name into the limelight on the big stage.
If Northern Ireland are to defy the odds in what is an extremely difficult group, then their influential leader will have to be at his inspirational best to install the belief that another chapter can be added to their already remarkable fairytale story.
One thing is for sure, Davis will relish this glorious opportunity that seemed a distant pipe-dream not so long ago.
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