Rangers star Steven Davis has compared the pressures of playing for Rangers and Southampton, as quoted by the Scottish Herald.
The 35-year-old is a vastly experienced operator in the midst of his second spell at Ibrox.
During his first stint – between 2008 and 2012 – he won eight major trophies at the club, before departing for the Premier League.
He then spent seven years with the Saints, racking up close to 200 league appearances, before returning to the Gers, initially on loan, in January 2019.
The closest he came to major silverware in England was a defeat in the final of the 2016/17 League Cup and he says there simply wasn’t the same week-by-week intensity.
“There is certainly not that scrutiny on every result [at Southampton],” he said, as quoted by the Scottish Herald. “Southampton, in terms of the size of club and where it is in the Premier League, it is a different pressure down there and a different mentality.”
“We all know the demands of playing at this club [Rangers] and what it means. You can have seven or eight great months but everything can fall apart in a month potentially.
“We know the pressure we signed up to and we are looking forward to the challenges ahead in the remaining part of the season.”
Verdict
Davis is speaking as a man under personal scrutiny heading into tonight’s clash against Hibernian at Ibrox.
He enjoyed a fantastic first half of the season, starring both in domestic and European competition. However, since the return from the winter break, he’s looked off the pace and unusually wasteful in possession.
The Northern Ireland skipper remains a key member of the squad, though, particularly due to his experience.
He’s the only outfield player to have successfully embraced the pressure of a title run-in as a Ger and emerged out the other side with the trophy.
After a poor few weeks with dropped points against Hearts and Aberdeen, he’ll play a big role in reviving spirits and attempting to get the campaign back on track.
