OWEN Coyle has challenged midfield enigma Mark Davies to show he is worth the hype and get fitter than he ever has before.

Despite watching the 24-year-old finally make the transition from super sub to regular first teamer last season, Coyle still feels his talented play-maker is yet to reach his peak.

Davies has been linked with a stream of Premier League clubs this summer, including Liverpool, Reading and Swansea City – but his manager wants him to ignore the headlines and knuckle down in the club’s pre-season Scottish training camp.

Speaking to The Bolton News , the Wanderers boss outlined his plans to take the former Wolves man to the next level.

“All the talk about Mark and other clubs, we know where that comes from and it’s just speculation,” he said. “But I have stressed to him that this is a huge season.

“When we came in, there’s no getting around it, he was a squad player. He would come off the bench and contribute here and there but never consistently.

“I challenged him in the last year and said ‘you’ve got to be playing every week, and when you are doing that, making an impact’. But in that respect, I still feel he has room to improve.

“If he takes that advice on board he could kick himself on to an unbelievable level.”

Davies made 43 appearances last season and at the peak of his form was even mentioned as a candidate for the England or Team GB set-ups this summer.

Comparisons with the great Paul Gascoigne were made – but despite scoring at Stoke as Wanderers’ fate was sealed on the final day of the season, Davies’s own form had dipped at a crucial time.

Coyle believes that now the midfielder has rid himself of the niggling ankle and hamstring problems that curtailed his early progress at the Reebok, he should now be concentrating on improving his core fitness in order to have a more lasting impact in a game.

“Mark has to make sure he’s not being seen for 20 to 25 minutes in a game and then have a breather for 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.

“Mark Davies, I believe, if he’s at himself would be able to control a game – and that’s in the Premier League or the Championship. That’s how much belief I have in him.

“He needs to get himself as fit as he possibly can this pre-season and then go and show the world what a great player he can be.”