Davids keen to earn his spurs

By Andrew Warshaw

When the UEFA Champions League qualifying competition concludes in a fortnight's time and the draw for the group stage is made, one big name will be conspicuous by its absence.

Competition stalwart
Few players have stamped their personality on Europe's top club tournament with such regularity as Edgar Davids, the former Dutch international midfielder who has played in no fewer than four Champions League finals in his illustrious career, his one success coming with AFC Ajax in 1994/95.

Surprise decision
So why, at the age of 32, has Davids decided to give up the chance of a European swansong and commit himself for the next two years to Tottenham Hotspur FC, a famous club with a fine tradition but one which has consistently failed, in the recent past at least, to qualify for Europe's leading two club competitions?

Delayed gratification
The answer, quite simply, is the lure of the English Premiership, which gets under way this weekend with unprecedented expectation and massive global television interest. "I have played in Italy for so long and in Spain, so it was time for a new challenge in England," said Davids, who has linked up with compatriot Martin Jol, the coach at Tottenham. "This is a great adventure for me and I intend to enjoy it. I may not be playing in Europe this season but I certainly hope to be 12 months from now."

Difficult campaign
Do not think for one moment that Davids intends to slide gently into obscurity after having played a starring role at Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus FC and FC Barcelona before finding himself sidelined for much of last term at FC Internazionale Milano. Ambition and desire still burn fiercely in the competitive midfielder's heart.

Great opportunity
Davids, who described the reception he received from the Tottenham crowd as "awesome" when he made his debut in the pre-season friendly against FC Porto, feels he has more to give despite vast experience at the top level throughout Europe. Playing in the Premiership, where tough tackling and ball-winning skills are highly prized, was a challenge he could not resist.

'Fit and ready'
He intends to lead by example, starting with his Premiership bow at Portsmouth FC on Saturday. "I hope I bring some energy to the team. I have talked to Spurs in the past and had a good feeling about coming especially with Martin Jol now in charge. I'm fit and ready for the challenge. I'm not going to score 20 goals a season but my motivation is still winning. The bottom line is that I'm a team player."

Jubilant Jol
His boss at Spurs, Jol, cannot hide his excitement at securing the services of a player who has 73 caps for his country. "We have a terrific young squad but we lack a winning mentality which you only get through experience," said Jol. "Edgar has the mentality to help us make a big step. The season before last he had a good season at Barcelona and I'm confident he can do the same here. Six months ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of it. We kept it secret and it's something to be proud of. He's one of the most successful players of the last decade."