Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TOM’S BIG IN THE OUTBACK.. HE’S GOODISON’S WIZARD OF OZ
BEING recognised around Liverpool is one thing for up and coming Everton star Tom Davies.
But if he needed evidence of his growing reputation as a Premier League star it came during the summer – Down Under. Davies, handed a new five-year deal in April, decided to splash out on the holiday of a lifetime to Australia – and discovered his fame has now spread far and wide.
The 19-year-old Scouser said: “I took my family to Australia because I have a cousin there and we’ve always thought about going. I took my mum and dad, my brother and his girlfriend and a close family friend.
“We went to see my cousin in Perth then we flew up to Cairns and the Barrier Reef. Then after we’d seen Ayers Rock one guy recognised me at the airport.
“He just said: ‘Are are you Tom Davies the footballer?’ We were in the middle of absolutely nowhere and he was Australian so it was all a bit strange,” Davies added.
It may have appeared odd to the down-to-earth teenager, but his performances for Everton have caught everyone’s eye.
In an era where huge riches are heaped on talented footballers barely out of school, Davies has a refreshing tale to tell. Although his rapid rise has put him in the spotlight, he insists he’s still the same person.
Davies said: “I still live with mum and dad and like to go round Liverpool a lot. I’m much more in the spotlight, but day to day everything is the same and I don’t think about the material
side too much. I just try to enjoy myself, focus on my football.
“I lead a very normal life. I have the same mates I have always had. It’s probably my upbringing.
“I like the things I’ve always liked and I’m not going to change that just because I’m a footballer. I’m aware of my responsibility as a footballer, but I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m quite a sensible person.”
That maturity has been evident on the pitch. And although a £150million summer influx of talent included midfielders Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Davy Klaassen midfielder Davies has figured in 13 of Everton’s 14 games this season.
Davies is enjoying the chance to tap into Rooney’s experience, despite finding it strange to be in the same side.
He said: “Just seeing him there at the training ground and in the dressing room was quite surreal at first. But he helps me, especially when I come off the pitch and am unsure of my performance.
“He chats with me about what’s happened in the game.
“We just need to fit together as a team. Once that comes, the quality will show and I am sure we will improve.”