Leif Davis is now one of Ipswich Town’s longest-serving players. Stuart Watson spoke to the left-back about that responsibility in a season where the new-look Blues are hotly tipped for promotion back to the Premier League.
There’s a coming of age air about Leif Davis right now.
The ultra-fit left-back assist machine was a key component in the back-to-back promotion winning Class of 2022-2024.
Now one a handful of players left from that band of Blues brothers, the genial Geordie knows he now has to step up off the pitch, as well as on it.
“From when I walked in the door in League One, I think it’s just me, Wes (Burns) and Walts (Christian Walton) that are still here,” he says. “I miss a few of my mates, but that’s football.
“It’s up to those of us who are left to bring that experience we’ve had in the two years of League One and the Championship promotions to this team. Obviously, some of the newer players have had their promotions elsewhere. But we’ve worked with the manager and all the staff here for three, four years now, so we know what is expected.
“It’s always difficult moving club. You go from knowing everyone to maybe knowing only one or two people. You can be nervous. It was up to the players that have been here for a long period of time to make them welcome. I think we’ve done that.
“The new lads have settled in really well. We’re all still getting used to playing with each other, but I think you’re seeing that it’s starting to click a bit more.
“It doesn’t just happen overnight. It doesn’t work like that. You’ve got to work hard to come together. We’ve just got to keep pushing every day.”
On whether he now feels like a senior player, the 25-year-old replies: “I’d have to say so, yes. I’ve been here longer than most now, so I’ve got to step up and drive training every day and drive games. I want people to look at me and think, ‘I’ve got to follow his example’.
“Skip (Sam Morsy) did that for me and when he went I thought ‘I have to step up and fill those boots’. I think I have done that in training especially, trying to get the intensity up and bring quality to the sessions.”
One player Davis has helped drive on is Jaden Philogene. The skilful left-winger endured a difficult first six months at the club following a £20m January switch from Aston Villa but has spectacularly turned things around. The 23-year-old has scored five outstanding goals in his last three Portman Road appearances – including an iconic strike in last Sunday’s long-awaited East Anglian derby win.
“I’ve been on to Jaden a fair bit. If you don’t keep on top of him, he’s one who can hide away in a game. I have to keep him right sometimes,” says Davis, before quickly adding: “But he could say the same about me to be fair – I switch off in games sometimes.
“Jaden’s got an engine on him. He’s one of the best players I’ve seen with the ball at his feet.
“He can go inside, outside. He’s got everything, literally everything. I can see it now. That’s why I try and give him the ball as much as I can, because I know his quality. I think between us we have the athleticism to go and hurt teams on our side.”
Davis bombing past on the overlap and sweeping in cut-backs was a trademark of previous promotions, but there’s a new dynamic to the side now that ‘inside left forward’ Nathan Broadhead has gone to Wrexham and tricky wide men Philogene and Jack Clarke are playing the role in a more traditional manner.
“I’m working on it every day to get the right flow with Jaden and Jack,” says Davis. “I’ve been working with the manager on playing on the inside more. At the start, I was thinking ‘I’m in no man’s land here’, but now I’m starting to get the hang of it.
“I actually like the position, to be fair. It puts me in a better position of scoring. Ultimately it’s what works best for the team. We mix it up a little bit where sometimes I’m still outside more than inside.
“I’ve never played centrally before. I remember playing as a left winger when I was younger at Wallsend Boys Club. That’s one of my strongest positions, but if I can get strong in another area of the pitch as well, it’ll bring my overall game on even more.”
Fresh from producing a record-breaking 18 Championship assists as a defender, there was much talk about whether Davis could break into the England set-up.
Midway through his debut Premier League campaign, however, he spoke with admirable honesty about how his confidence had taken a knock facing world class wingers week-in, week-out.
Asked if that had now returned, he replies: “One hundred per cent, yeah. I felt as though it was starting to come back in the last one or two games of last season and now I feel I’m getting back to how I know I can play.
“I was harsh on myself, but you’ve got to be if you want to push yourself to the highest limits. You can’t just go out there on a weekend and just stroll through a game or just walk around in training. You’ve got to push yourself every day to be the best of yourself.”
Linked to Nottingham Forest in the summer, Davis reiterates that it never crossed his mind to leave.
“I always had full focus on staying and doing everything I can to push everyone here to get back this club back to where it belongs,” he says.
“We know that it’s not going to be easy. The pressure’s on us this year because of how well we did in the Championship last time. Teams are trying to stop everything we do best.
“No matter how good your players are, you have to have morale, chemistry and people that want to fight, work hard and learn all the time.”
Ipswich had that before and they can have it again. Davis, a link between old and new, is set to have a major role to play in that.
