Kevin Davies gets another admirer (From The Bolton News)

Kevin Davies gets another admirer

8:20am Saturday 31st October 2009

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WANDERERS skipper Kevin Davies can add Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti to his growing fan club.

Having spent the last decade being vilified by opposition managers, supporters and players, Gary Megson believes there is a growing feeling within the game that his burly striker’s approach should be applauded.

And as Davies prepares to make his 500th club career start this afternoon, Blues boss Ancelotti revealed his admiration for a player he will be out to “control” from the starting whistle at the Reebok “Davies is a very good player,” said the Italian, who masterminded a 4-0 victory over a Davies-less Wanderers in the Carling Cup in midweek.

“He’s very important for his team and we have great respect for him and Bolton.

“There are strikers of his kind in Italy. For Bolton he is an important player and we must keep great control of his quality.”

Davies oddly found himself linked with a move to Stamford Bridge at the end of last season by the tabloid gossip columnists, during Guus Hiddink’s short spell in caretaker charge of the Blues.

Ancelotti also spoke of his respect for the 32-year-old’s work ethic, a value he prizes among his front men.

“I like all kinds of striker,” he said. “It is important for them to work for the team — that is all I ask of my strikers — and Davies works hard for Bolton.

“I never tell my strikers they have to score always. It is important they work hard. It is easy to see this in defenders, or midfielders but not always in a striker.

“Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou have that quality too.”

Wanderers clearly have a score to settle this afternoon, with Megson’s criticism still ringing loud in the players’ ears after their midweek capitulation.

Ancelotti is likely to make sweeping changes to the side that did the damage that evening, re-introducing Frank Lampard, John Terry, Petr Cech and Anelka into what already looked on paper a world class squad.

“Bolton will want to change something about Wednesday night but we want to change nothing,” the former AC Milan player and coach said.

“We played very well and stayed compact for 90 minutes, which is very important against Bolton.

“We want to play our best because this is the last game before we play Manchester United.”

The home side will give late fitness tests to Branislav Ivanovic and Salomon Kalou, while England defender Ashley Cole, Jose Bosingwa, Yuri Zhirkov and Hillario are definitely ruled out.

Megson reckons complimentary comments for his captain, such as those emanating from Stamford Bridge, are becoming more commonplace.

Davies is well-versed at dodging the brickbats, and the Premier League’s foul charts still see him reign supreme as the ultimate ‘thorn in the side’.

But his manager says the anti-Davies brigade is getting smaller with each passing month.

“What’s starting to happen at long last is that there is a realisation from people, not just in Bolton, but referees, other managers, supporters and football in general, that far from decrying what Kevin Davies is all about, people are now starting to realise that’s what we should be applauding,” the Whites boss said.

“He had three stitches in his eye against United, two against Everton, and the only reason he came off the pitch was because the referee told him to.

“I do think people are starting to recognise the qualities Kevin has, and hoping that other players will use that example instead of throwing themselves all over the show and trying to get others booked.”

Megson might well hope today’s referee Peter Walton takes heed of the changing view.

Last season, the Wanderers boss accused Hull City staff of trying to influence the Northants official into getting Davies booked by consulting him in his room during the half time break.

Walton has also managed to award three penalties against Wanderers in the last 12 months.

Gretar Steinsson was harshly penalised for handball in the Whites’ 4-3 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in April, while Walton also awarded two spot kicks to Everton in a 3-0 rout at Goodison a few months earlier.

Walton did bring some good luck for Davies in April 2008, however, when the Yorkshireman scored the only goal in a vital 1-0 victory over West Ham.

But he balanced it out by handing him a 10th yellow card of the season, prompting a two-match suspension.

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