Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CAPTAIN CONSISTENT JOINS 100 CAP CLUB
CAPTAIN Steven Davis will become the third Northern Irishman to win 100 caps when he leads them against Switzerland in the first leg of their play-off. Southampton midfielder Davis, 32, will follow in the footsteps of Pat Jennings and Aaron Hughes at Windsor Park.
Davis’ international manager and team-mates have paid tribute to their skipper ahead of the milestone.
Manager Michael O’neill
“It’s a great honour for him. I feel quite privileged as a manager to be able to give him that 100th cap.
“When I came in I felt it was the right time for him to captain the team. He’s done fantastically for me. He’s missed two games in that period, both through injury. He’s a very humble person, he’s got time for everyone but has a great inner strength as well.
“Steven’s a captain that leads by example, takes care of everyone in the group and on the pitch takes enormous responsibility.”
Defender Jonny Evans
“He’s such a good player, really under-rated. He brings a real maturity to our team. I always remember coming into the squad 10, 11 years ago and every game Davo gets man of the match. He’s just that type of player.”
Midfielder Paddy Mcnair
“He’s been great ever since I’ve come into the squad. He’s a brilliant player, deserves 100 caps and I’m sure he’ll get a lot more. He’s been a big part of why we’re doing so well. All the players know how good he is.
“Maybe sometimes fans just look at a Ronaldo or Messi but all the players know how good he is.”
Forward Josh Magennis
“He’s our talisman. In the future, people will talk about him being one of the greats. He’s been so consistent for such a long time. It’s great for me to be able to say I’ve played with such a player.
“His attitude is superb on and off the pitch. He’s somebody I’ve gone to for advice, even about things that have nothing to do with football, he’s always there for a phone call. He tells you what you need to hear. I pick his brains as much as possible because I can learn so much from him.
“You won’t really realise his impact until he retires. Hopefully he doesn’t retire. Hopefully, he’s a Benjamin Button and stays around for years.”
Forward Jamie Ward
“As a leader, he’s brilliant and obviously as a player, he’s very good. His career speaks for itself. He has worked hard for it. He’s obviously always wanted to play for Northern Ireland from a young age, so it’s a big bonus for him.
“We were at Aston Villa together and you could see he had talent. It’s a great achievement and he’ll go on and get many more caps.”