Ange Postecoglou addresses the question of whether Ben Davies gets the respect he deserves in the game amidst reports that Tottenham are ready to trigger a one-year extension in the Welshman’s contract.
From arriving at Swansea City as a fresh-faced 21-year-old to now becoming a grizzled veteran, Davies has seen a lot of managers come and go at Tottenham and every single one has valued him highly.
According to The Athletic, Postecoglou wants to keep the versatile defender at the club for next season, with Tottenham thus set to activate the one-year extension in his deal, which will take it until 2026.
If he does stay until the end of next season, the 31-year-old would have completed 12 seasons at Spurs, which is a phenomenal achievement in modern football.
Postecoglou refuted suggestions that the experienced Tottenham man does not get the respect he deserves, pointing out that he is thought of highly in the game. The Australian also praised the defender for the way he has adapted to the centre-back role since he arrived.
When asked if Davies does not get the credit he deserves, Postecoglou told Football.London: “It’s hard to say with perceptions because it depends what your barometer is. There’s so many these days, where depending on what rabbit hole you go into, you can get any outcome you want.
“I doubt anyone who has any sort of real passion for this football club or real passion for football wouldn’t say that he’d be very highly respected within or outside of this football club.
“He’s captain of his country. Testament to his ability is the fact that a number of coaches at this football have all trusted him at different times. Whether that’s my opinion or Jose, Antonio or Mauricio or anyone else he’s been managed by. It just goes to show that Ben’s very well-respected within the game.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that Ben’s well-respected within the game. And he’s still performing at a very good level. He’s captain of his nation. With us, he’s really grown into that defensive role of playing centre-back. At the weekend, him and Radu were outstanding.”
There is usually a big difference between the respect that a player garners among those who work in the game, and the way he is seen by the fans, with supporters often being emotional and fickle.
While there is no doubt that Davies is highly thought of as a professional within the game, one can argue that he has not got the credit he deserves over the years from Tottenham fans.
Spectators like watching exciting players who get them off their seats rather than steady players who do their job well, which is perhaps why the Welshman is not as highly thought of as someone like Danny Rose, who had a lot more attacking flair.
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