Portsmouth Football Club News

• Nickname:Pompey
• Founded:1898
• Manager:Michael Appleton

• Ground:Fratton Park
• Capacity:19,179

Pompey challenge for Davis

09 Sep 2008 - 10:30:17

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Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has challenged midfielder Sean Davis to prove he deserves to remain in his starting plans.

Davis, 28, had been linked with a departure from Fratton Park during the summer after ending last season out of the first-team picture.

The former Fulham and Tottenham midfielder did not make the squad for the FA Cup Final in May and was reported to be a transfer target for Celtic.

Davis saw competition for a central midfield berth ease following the summer sales of Sulley Muntari and Pedro Mendes and, after starting the last two Premier League games,
has been challenged to prove he deserves to remain in the starting line-up by Redknapp.

"Sean's come back in the team from nowhere but that's football isn't it," he told the Portsmouth News.

"When you've only got a small squad some clubs might isolate players. You send them over with the reserves, send them here, send them there - they're not part of the team.

"I've never done that because I always feel you never know when you are going to need them.

"You've got to keep them happy. You've got to treat them right, keep them on side if you can. It turns around in football. It's a week-to-week game and one result and Sean's come back in there.

"Suddenly he's played two games, done great, and it's put a smile back on his face. He's done a good job for us.

"He's a good player. He's done fantastic for us since I brought him here from Spurs. He was one of the ones who kept us up that season.

"Now he's back in the team and it's up to him to stay there."