Converted Davies is a believer in his role

Aug 11 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

TRANMERE’S Steve Davies may have been a little reluctant to divert his development as a striker down a new left-wing path last summer, manager Ronnie Moore admits.

However, 12 months on, the teenager leaves you in no doubt that not only is he becoming comfortable as a wide Rover these days, he now prefers the role.

Davies also sees the switch to the flank as a chance to lay claim to a regular first-team place at Prenton Park – at Moore’s invitation.

It is an opportunity the 19-year-old from South Liverpool is determined to seize with both hands.

He took some positive early steps in the pre-season games and on the training ground this summer – and hopes to carry on the good work as Tranmere kick of the new League One campaign against Leads United at Prenton Park this afternoon (3pm).

Davies said: “Last season I made the switch from striker to left-wing get and I feel I am growing into the new role now.

“I feel more at home on the left than I do up front and I think I would rather stay out there.”

The competition for places on the left is a little less intense than in attack, where Moore has a choice between four strikers for the Leeds game – Gareth Taylor, Calvin Zola, Chris Greenacre and Craig Curran.

Davies has no obvious challenger to his position – for now. When Rovers sold left-winger Kevin Ellison to Chester early in the summer, Moore told Davies he was holding back on signing a replacement to give the youngster the chance to secure the position for himself.

It may well turn out to be an important turning point in Davies’s young career.

“I have got to make left-wing my position now,” Davies said. “The manager gave me the chance to play there, so it is up to me to perform.”

Moore said: “We are still looking for a left-sided player and they are hard to find. But if Steve Davies continues to play like he did in the summer’s pre-season games, it will not be such a worry for me.

“Steve’s performance against Stoke last Friday was exciting. He showed the kind of ability we know he has in him.”

Moore believes Davies has the potential to develop into a goalscoring winger. He said: “I don’t think Davo was too happy making the switch from striker to left winger last year.

“But he is got the bit between his teeth now and I think he realises that as a winger with a striker’s instincts, he can get goals from that position.

“He is good at getting across people in the penalty box. Pat Nevin used to do that brilliantly for us.”

Davies’ first response to Moore’s summer pep talk was to put in extra hours of personal training before the squad reported back for work at the start of July.

He explained: “I wanted to be a step ahead by the time everyone came back for the pre-season training. I want to make that left-wing position my own. The manager says it’s down to me – and that’s very encouraging.”

The pre-season games brought Davies a harvest of five goals, an encouraging return for a player who managed only one in just under 20 first-team starts last season.

Davies said: “The manager reckons I should have had more goals last season but the pre-season went well and I hope that I carry it on now.

“As the managers says, I should have a good understanding about getting into goalscoring positions, given my background as a striker. I have done a lot of work in training on getting to the back post.”

Davies reckons Tranmere’s bright pre-season form has put the players in buoyant mood of the start of the new campaign.

“I think the feeling amongst the lads is that we have done pretty well in the summer and we hope to carry it on,” he said.

“People have been looking forward to the Leeds game because they are such a big name. It’s exciting to be playing against them because they are still one of the biggest clubs in the country, even if they dropped down into League One.

“The atmosphere should be a bit special. It’s a game everyone wants to play in.”