How Sheffield United's FA Cup campaign is benefitting from World Cup lessons

It was four months ago, as he watched Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden slice through Wales’ defence, when Adam Davies truly realised what separates the best from the rest.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

After touching down in Qatar a fortnight earlier, the Sheffield United goalkeeper and his countrymen knew their World Cup was effectively already over by the time they locked horns with England on the outskirts of Doha. The USA had already impressed him, during an even opening encounter. Likewise Iran’s forward line, whose flamboyance ultimately proved too hot for Robert Page’s men to handle. But, reflecting upon his trip to the greatest footballing show on earth, Davies admits that witnessing at close quarters the physicality of Gareth Southgate’s team proved to be an illuminating if excruciating experience.

“More than the skill, it was the size of those players that made the biggest impression,” he tells The Star, recalling his thoughts as he watched the action unfold from the bench. “You know everyone you are up against is going to be absolutely top drawer because you’re talking about the cream of the cream in the sport. The stature of the England lads made them stand out, mind. They all had perfect touch but they were all absolute athletes too. Most of them were all six foot and above, including Harry Kane who was probably the best player I saw out there.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Only 13 weeks later Davies observed Kane again, when Tottenham Hotspur visited Bramall Lane for an FA Cup fifth round tie. United entered the land of the giants and emerged unscathed, triumphing 1-0 thanks to a goal from Iliman Ndiaye who also travelled to the Middle East after being called up by Senegal. The reward for that victory comes on Sunday, when Paul Heckingbottom’s squad face Blackburn Rovers at Bramall Lane. The winner of their all-Championship quarter-final will be destined for Wembley, where the likes of Manchester City or Manchester United could lie in wait.

Davies missed the clash with Spurs through injury. But, now recovered from the muscle problem which ruled-out his involvement, is hoping to be selected ahead of Wes Foderingham after featuring against both Millwall and Wrexham in previous rounds.

“It’s a brilliant competition in its own right but, for me, the further we go the better it is for us,” he says, dismissing theories that advancing to the last four could complicate United’s push for promotion from the second tier. “That’s because it’s been an opportunity for some of us who haven’t played that often or in every single game to get out there and show what we can do. The more game time everyone gets, it leaves us in a better position in the league as well. If everyone is getting minutes then they’ll be better prepared when or if we’re called upon another time. In any case, why would you not want to go as far as you can in the FA Cup? It doesn’t make any sense, not to us anyway, to take it lightly. You just never, ever know.”

Sheffield United goalkeeper Adam Davies and James McAtee could both be involved against Blackburn Rovers: Gary Oakley / SportimageSheffield United goalkeeper Adam Davies and James McAtee could both be involved against Blackburn Rovers: Gary Oakley / Sportimage
Sheffield United goalkeeper Adam Davies and James McAtee could both be involved against Blackburn Rovers: Gary Oakley / Sportimage

Rovers are expected to pose a very different test to the one presented by a Spurs side containing the likes of Richarlison, Lucas Moura, Heung-min Son and of course Kane, who was introduced during the closing stages in an attempt to turn the contest around. They might not possess the same glittering array of talent as the visitors from north London. But after Antonio Conte and his coaching staff were accused of taking a win for granted, Jon Dahl Tommason won’t fall into the same trap as he chases success on two fronts. Fifth in the table and nine points behind second-placed United, Rovers provided a glimpse of the threat they will pose by beating Heckingbottom’s charges at Ewood Park earlier this month. And deservedly so, the defeated manager later admitted.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite spending all three of Wales’ Group B games on the bench, Davies is justifiably proud of his presence in Qatar where The Dragons were making their first appearance in the finals for more than six decades.

A general view of the FIFA World Cup sign in-front of the Doha skyline on The Corniche: Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesA general view of the FIFA World Cup sign in-front of the Doha skyline on The Corniche: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
A general view of the FIFA World Cup sign in-front of the Doha skyline on The Corniche: Alex Pantling/Getty Images

“It’s something no one can ever take away from any of us who were out there. Okay, it didn’t go as well as we might have liked and that was a disappointment. But looking back, we were all part of history and that’s something we’ll always have. The aim now is to get back there and do better, make sure it wasn’t a one-off.”

Signed to provide cover and competition for Foderingham, half of Davies’ six outings this term have come in the cup. United required a replay to beat Wrexham in the fourth round, with the 30-year-old saving a penalty at a pivotal stage of the fixture.

“Going out to the World Cup, everything was ‘just so’. The training facilities were something else and when you travelled around, seeing all these posters up with Messi and Mpabbe on them, that’s when it really dawned on you what you were a part of. Well, I say it dawned on you. I don’t actually think the magnitude of going out there has really hit home with me yet. Maybe it will later on, when I look back on my career. You couldn’t help but improve from it either, because you had to hit top standards every single day, every single session. That was the big lesson.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If, and it remains ‘if’, United dispatch Rovers, Davies hopes to put some of those into practice on the biggest stage in English sport.

Adam Davies arrives for Sheffield united's third round tie at Millwall: Paul Terry / SportimageAdam Davies arrives for Sheffield united's third round tie at Millwall: Paul Terry / Sportimage
Adam Davies arrives for Sheffield united's third round tie at Millwall: Paul Terry / Sportimage

“It gives you a taste for those occasions. So it should. Makes you more determined to be at that level every single week. We want promotion and we want to go as far as we can in this. Because a club like United should be involved in matches like these. You’ve got to earn that right though.”