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Sean
Davis Fulham's England midfield star
Fulham |
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It shows how far, how fast Fulham have come
that when the Premiership newcomers run out at Old Trafford tomorrow, their
confident, home-grown midfielder Sean Davis will have played in all four
divisions at the tender of age of 21.
From Micky Adams' salvage operation in the Third Division, through Kevin
Keegan's inspirational spell to the current thoughtful management of Jean
Tigana, Fulham's rise has been spectacular.
"When we are walking out at Old Trafford and looking at Veron, Beckham
and the endless list of star names Manchester United have got, that is when
it will sink in what we have achieved," said Davis, an impressive product
of Fulham's academy.
"That is when I will think: `Right, I'm here, am I going to watch the
game pass me by or stamp my authority on it?' I know I've got to work twice
as hard as last year in the First Division but I'll be stepping out there
without fear."
He relishes the challenge of rubbing shin-pads with the finest the Premiership
has to offer. "Look at Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, who's a world-class
player. I'm older than him. If he can do it at his age, I can give it a
go.
"No one's scared at Fulham. The gaffer's mentality is to go to Old
Trafford and win. He wants to win every game, even little five-a-sides in
training. He's very ambitious. We played United in the FA Cup last season
and did well but at the end of the game, the gaffer went mad because we
got punished for taking a short corner and conceded a late goal. The gaffer
showed us that at the top level if you make mistakes, you get punished.
We need to sharpen up."
Tigana and his popular assistant, Christian Damiano, have given Fulham an
ultra-professional feel. "They took us to the French training centre
at Clairefontaine for a week in pre-season," continued Davis.
"When you go into the dressing-room there you see the tags of names
like Barthez and Zidane. It game me a lift thinking to myself: `They have
been here and trained.' We trained hard, three times a day.
"The gaffer has added to the squad which I think we needed to do. With
the chairman [Mohamed Al Fayed] and the money behind him, the manager can
bring in anybody he wants. When you watch Edwin van der Sar train, it gives
everyone a lift. There's a good buzz around the place, knowing we've got
world-class players in our team.
"The more quality he brings in, the more people are fighting for their
places. He's just brought Jon Harley and people are asking: `Do you think
he will play straight away at left-back?' But Rufus [Brevett] had a great
season last season and it will be good for both of them to battle it out.
"Under Tigana, the training methods are all good; more technical. He's
very relaxed. He says: `Do it simple, two-touch.' Christian is always giving
us ways to benefit our game. My diet has changed. I eat more healthily and
at the right times. Before, I would eat an hour before training and would
be all heavy. Now we get told: `Eat three hours before training, chew your
food, sip your water and you will get more energy and will be fresher and
livelier.' It's working.
"Last season, the boys were a lot fitter than before. It's carbohydrates
and protein: the normal chicken, pasta, bread rolls, toast and fruit. We
get fat-tested and weighed all the time. We can't really go out and eat
too much junk food. I used to do that. In the past, I would have a chicken
sandwich without thinking about the way it was cooked."
Born in Lambeth, south London, Davis grew up in nearby Clapham and was spotted
at his local sports centre by Fulham after being rejected by Wimbledon and
West Ham. In his few years at Fulham, Davis has seen a "massive"
change since Fayed's arrival.
"The chairman has done wonders. When I first joined as a YTS, Fulham
were in the Third Division and I went to a college with some of the Arsenal
lads. I told them we had to wash our own kit, bring our own sandwiches,
clean our own boots and other people's. The Arsenal boys were saying: `Oh,
we get our kit washed for us.' "
His debut came at 17 years and 25 days. "One day we had a reserve game
against Chelsea, and I played against all the Chelsea stars like Ruud Gullit.
I thought, `this is good'. I did quite well. The next day I came late into
the ground to watch the first team playing Cambridge United in a Third Division
game.
"Alan Cork [Adams' assistant] said to me: `Get your boots on.' `What
do you mean?' `You're on the bench.' All the other YTS boys looked at me
and I thought Corky was winding me up. He is a bit of a wind-up merchant.
"But it was true, so I went into the dressing-room and none of the
players really knew me because I had been there only three months. I always
remember going on the pitch for the last 20 minutes and Micky saying to
me: `Enjoy it because it might not happen again.' Luckily it has."
Adams nurtured the teenage Davis. "Micky was a strict manager but he
instilled into me a work ethic of giving 100 per cent. When I was young,
I was a bit temperamental. My attitude wasn't spot on. Micky would punish
me and drum good habits into me.
"Fulham were bottom of the League and Micky turned it all around. The
team spirit was second to none. When Mohamed Fayed took over, it was four
or five games into the Second Division and Micky left, which was a big shock.
Then the big names came in. Kevin Keegan was such a big name. It lifted
me just standing next to him. Keegan instilled a lot of confidence in me;
he encouraged me to play more and worked with me during training and afterwards.
"Keegan started me in a few games but [after he left for England] Paul
Bracewell started me regularly. I played the first 13 games of one season
but then `Brace' didn't really play me after that and that was a bit confusing.
He said he didn't want me to burn out. It was hard to take but I learnt
from it."
Davis still has plenty to learn but, like Fulham, he is looking forward
to enrolling in the centre for higher education that is the Premiership.
"We want to finish in the top half of the table," he concluded
in typically fearless fashion.
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