Davis pens new Crewe deal

Davis pens new Crewe deal

Published Dec. 8, 2012 6:15 a.m. ET

Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway has laid into the press for suggesting that Wilfried Zaha could be on his way to Arsenal.

With the January transfer window looming, the 20-year-old striker was recently linked with the Gunners.

But when a journalist asked Holloway on Friday about reports of his possible departure from Selhurst Park, Holloway was having none of it.

He said: "I'm fed up talking about Wilf. We have some great players here.

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"Why not talk about Andre Moritz or Mile Jedinak or Yannick Bolasie.

"Wilf's our player, he's on a four and half year contract and it would take a lot more than one player to de-rail us.

"We have many good players. It's all because he was called up by England lately."

The Eagles are currently second in the Championship table and Holloway added: "I thought it was unprofessional of Arsenal to mention Zaha.

"I like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He would help our promotion push. And what about Theo Walcott, he's out of contract at the end of this season.

"I bet you wouldn't start the speculation that way around."

Gerrard became only the sixth England player to reach 100 caps in Sweden last month and was regarded as one of the stand-out performers at Euro 2012, when Roy Hodgson's team were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Italy.

The 32-year-old won the award in 2007, and has finished in the top three on three other occasions, highlighting his consistency over an international career that now extends over 12 years.

Gerrard is joined on the list by Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and also Joe Hart and Ashley Cole, who won it in 2010.

In addition, Manchester United's Danny Welbeck is also amongst the nominees after emerging as top scorer in 2012 with five goals.

Supporters can vote for their choice on www.thefa.com, with the winner due to be confirmed at an awards' dinner at St George's Park on Sunday, February 3.

The Perth side face Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup on Monday night after the fourth-round match was rearranged following a second postponement.

While the full focus for 90 minutes will be on getting three SPL points, Davidson accepts St Johnstone will have to begin preparing for the cup tie as the final whistle blows.

Despite the fifth round being almost two months away, cup rules mean the game is to be played on Monday after a second postponement, and Cowdenbeath have been handed a possible advantage after their Irn-Bru First Division clash with Partick Thistle was postponed.

Davidson said: "It's not ideal. It's probably the first time in my career that I've done it.

"I know myself, and a lot of the boys - on the Sunday you feel okay and the Sunday comes and you feel a lot more stiff.

"So as soon as the game finishes on Saturday, more than any other game, we have got to make sure we are doing the right things to get ready for Monday. Ice baths, eating right, drinking right, getting everything back in your body to make sure you are as close to 100 per cent as you can be.

"There is nothing we can do about it and we have to make sure we are as best prepared as we can be.

"It doesn't matter if it's Tuesday or Wednesday - you have got to prepare right, but obviously being Monday it's going to be tough.

"There has to be a reason for it being Monday - I'm not sure why. You have got to just accept it."

Manager Steve Lomas added: "It's a strange one. I have never heard anything like that before.

"You would have thought Tuesday night would have been ideal, but I don't know what the rules are.

"It does seem strange when you have got a free week that you put it on the Monday, 48 hours after a game.

"It will be a challenge, two away games, and Arbroath did brilliantly at Celtic Park so they will fancy their chances of causing an upset.

"It's a tough couple of days but it could be a good couple of days with two wins."

St Johnstone will face another trip to Paisley in the fifth round if they beat Cowdenbeath and Lomas expects to face a St Mirren side desperate to continue moving forward following a six-game losing streak. Danny Lennon's team are now unbeaten in three.

Lomas said: "They are probably looking at it like us. After the first five games we probably thought we should be sitting on eight points rather than the two we had.

"That's football. It all boils down to the two different ends of the pitch.

"Can you keep them out and can you take your chances when you get them? They are the small margins."

Now the skipper wants to see the Highlanders go a step further by taking maximum points when the two sides meet again tomorrow.

County earned a credible goalless draw in their first ever SPL fixture when they played host to the Steelmen in August.

Brittain said: "There was a lot of emotion going into that game, a lot of nerves.

"It was our first game in the SPL but I thought we stood up to the task very well against a side who were still in Europe at that time.

"We knew ourselves that we could handle life in the SPL.

"Don't get me wrong, it's very difficult in the SPL and results are hard to pick up, but I thought that game made a few people sit up and realise that we're not just here to make up the numbers.

"We held our heads up after that game and hopefully we can do the same on Saturday.

"It's the return fixture at their place and hopefully we can play to the same standards and possibly come away with something from the game."

Tomorrow's long trip south sees County make their first visit to Fir Park.

The midfielder added: "It's a game we're looking forward to. It's a new venue for us and one the boys will hopefully enjoy.

"Hopefully we'll put on a good show and get the three points."

Brittain was on the scoresheet as the Dingwall outfit fought back from behind to earn a draw with high-flying local rivals Inverness in last week's William Hill Scottish Cup tie.

He said: "We've got to take the positives from that game.

"We scored three goals, played really well and showed grit and determination to hang on when we went a goal down.

"Not many teams come back from a goal down against Caley this season, that's why they're up there are the top end of the table and rightly so.

"They deserve to be there but we've got to focus on ourselves and keep taking the positives from the games and we'll continue to do that."

A solitary victory has left the Royals second from bottom in the table and they face a critical relegation showdown with 18th-placed Southampton at St Mary's on Saturday.

McDermott admits he fails at any attempt to divert his attention away from planning Reading's escape from relegation, but the 51-year-old believes the challenge facing him has honed his managerial skills.

"I play the guitar now and then and read books, but I'm always thinking about the next training session, player I need to talk to, our next game. It's all about football and where we have got to get to," he said.

"I'm a better manager this season than I was last season. Results wouldn't suggest that, but I think I will be a better manager for this experience.

"I've learnt that I'm very resilient and the only way to deal with a situation is to look at the present, not the future nor the past.

"In the last two years I've had to deal with the play-off final defeat and success of winning the Championship.

"In it's own way they have their own difficulties and that's a funny thing to say, but there are interesting dynamics with both of them."

Reading's precarious position has left McDermott fourth in the Premier League sack race, despite spending little money on strengthening his squad during the summer.

A 2-1 victory over Everton in mid-November raised hopes of a change in fortunes at Madejski Stadium, but three successive defeats heading into this month's hectic schedule has restored the gloom.

McDermott has embraced the most difficult period of his managerial career, but suggests that Reading are perhaps being judged too harshly as speculation over his future mounts.

"As a manager I'm working hard to get the solutions and this is where you earn your money," he said.

"This is where you find out about everybody and everything and, believe it or not, I'm relishing it. Would I say I'm having a great time? No.

"It's an experience I've not really had before because we have had nothing but success.

"Is this success for Reading right now? Doing what we are doing with what we have spent - that is a discussion you could have.

"I knew the questions I'm being asked would come, they're obvious when you haven't won for three games. It's 2012, it's where we are."

A run of eight points from five games has eased the pressure on Saints manager Nigel Adkins, dropping him beneath his friend McDermott his the sack race.

"I know Nigel really well. He's done a fantastic job over a period of time, performing miracles to get them into this division with two promotions in two years," McDermott said.

"I have nothing but admiration for Nigel, he's a terrific manager. They've invested a lot of money in the summer so they've brought quality."

The Brazilian limped off during Saturday's win at Reading.

It came at the end of an impressive recent period for the former FC Porto star, who has brought added energy to Red Devils' ranks.

However, after a succession of major injuries, Anderson has now picked up another one that will keep him out for the remainder of the month.

"It is a hamstring," Ferguson told MUTV.

"It will be three or four weeks. It is not serious but it is a hamstring."

Davis succeeded club legend Dario Gradi in the Gresty Road hotseat last November and led Alex to League Two play-off final glory over Cheltenham, crowning a phenomenal 19-match unbeaten run.

The Railwaymen lie 14th in the third tier ahead of this weekend's trip to Preston and Davis has only presided over 13 defeats in his 58 games at the helm.

His impressive work led to links with the recent managerial vacancy at former club Burnley, but the 47-year old has now committed his future to the Railwaymen.

Despite reports suggesting an 18-month rolling contract, Crewe did not confirm the length of Davis' new deal when announcing the news on their official website on Friday evening.

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