Southampton midfielder Steven Davis has revealed the crunch talks that took place with boss Mark Hughes over his first team opportunities.
The newspaper reports on its website that the 33-year-old has found it frustrating recently over his lack of game time in the Premier League, with his single appearance this season coming in the Carabao Cup win over South Coast rivals Brighton.
The Saints’ mainstay has revealed that he has spoken to Hughes about the current situation, admitting that “it was quite open”, and that he hopes to make some appearances in the Premier League soon.
“It’s quite open and we’ve had a chat. I played in a cup game the other night and obviously it was good to get 90 minutes under the belt and I look forward to getting stuck into the games here as well,” he told the Daily Mail.
“Ultimately it’s frustration, as it is for any player who isn’t playing. That’s the aim every week when you go to training and get yourself ready to play on a Saturday. But things in football can change very quickly as well.”
OPINION
It is obviously frustrating for any player to have a lack of playing time in the league, so it is hard not to feel for Steven Davis here. He deserves more regular game time, but he is being denied that as he is so far down the pecking order at the club due to some new arrivals. The impact that he has made on the club since his arrival in 2012 cannot be forgotten, and it is a shame that he has beenn ousted so suddenly. He may be 33-years-old, but he still has the quality to thrive in the Southampton side if he is given the chance more regularly. The fact that he has only made one appearance this season is undoubtedly frustrating for him, but he will have to have his fingers crossed now and hope that Hughes considers for games in the forseeable future. He does not have many playing years left, so it would be fitting if he could play out the rest of his career at Southampton.