Udinese striker Keinan spoke with La Gazzetta dello Sport about his move from Stevenage to the Friulian city. The 26-year-old Englishman made the move to Serie A last summer, and recounted his early experiences with the club, and the differences between his hometown and Udine.
“They’re very similar, quiet places,” Davis reflects. “Udine allows me to stay focused. I live in the city center and I’m crazy about spaghetti with shrimp. I love Stevenage. I was born there, my parents are there, my maternal grandmother is Jamaican, I have an older sister and a younger brother who plays football, but at an amateur level. My partner is from Stevenage and my daughter Sehreya, who’s one year old, was born there. I went to college, studied economics, but in my head, I’ve always only had football. I grew up playing.”
In May, Davis saved Udinese with that crucial goal against Frosinone. When asked if he celebrated with a beer that evening, he chuckles, “I didn’t get drunk, I don’t drink. But it was beautiful, an exceptional feeling. Everyone celebrated me, and on my front door in the center of Udine, I found everything – photos, notes, thank you messages. I felt the love of the fans. I don’t know if it was the most beautiful, but it’s certainly the most important goal of my career. A wonderful sensation, and I always thank Lucca who gave me the assist.”
Today, Davis and Lorenzo Lucca alternate at the center of the attack. Davis has played 209 minutes so far this season, while Lucca, almost always a starter, has 462 minutes under his belt. But last Saturday, they played together for a while, leading Udinese to victory.
“I like playing with him, he’s strong in the air,” Davis says. “He flicks the ball on, I attack the space behind.”
When asked about his teammate Florian Thauvin, Davis is full of praise: “He’s the captain. He’s creative, has impressive technical quality, and puts the strikers in a position to score.”
The conversation turns to the imminent arrival of Alexis Sanchez. Davis’s eyes light up: “A top player. He played for Arsenal, the team I’ve always supported. I talk to him; for me, it’s an honor to share the dressing room with him.”
Despite his Arsenal allegiance, Davis grew up in the Aston Villa system. He reflects on this period of his career with gratitude: “I arrived there late, but it’s a great club, I’ll always thank them. With them, I got my first contract, I made my Premier League debut, played 10 minutes against Bournemouth. I’m in touch with Konsa, Ramsey, Hause. But I support Arsenal, I watch them on TV.”
Davis’s breakthrough came at Watford, where he scored 7 goals in the Championship. “I’ll always be grateful to Gino Pozzo who believed in me,” he says. “It wasn’t a great season for the club, but it was for me, even though I could have done more. Pozzo gave me this great opportunity with Udinese.”
Moving to Italy wasn’t an easy decision for the Englishman. “At first, I was afraid to leave England. A true Englishman is scared. But maybe it’s the same for you if you have to leave Italy,” he muses. “The Premier League is a very competitive league, perhaps the best in the world for the level of players. But I don’t miss it that much, I didn’t play there a lot. Serie A is an exceptional league and I’ve adapted.”
Davis has paid a hefty price with injuries: first the calf, then the flexor. “The first year was mentally difficult. Many months out. Now I’m fine, really,” he assures.
The conversation shifts to the change in coaches, from Fabio Cannavaro to Oliver Runjaic. “Cannavaro was a good coach, he was good when he was with us,” Davis says. “Runjaic is very organized, proposes offensive football, gives a clear and unambiguous message, asks for aggressiveness. The dressing room, which is good, follows him. And he speaks English, which is important for us.”
When asked about the possibility of Udinese qualifying for Europe, Davis is cautiously optimistic: “Yes, we can. Everything is possible, but we shouldn’t think about it.”
On the strongest team in the league, Davis is unequivocal: “Inter, without a doubt. And Calhanoglu. I like him a lot.”
The interview concludes with a light-hearted question about his resemblance to Romelu Lukaku. Davis responds with humility and admiration: “Romelu is a super striker. I can only aspire to be like him. Maybe I resemble him in defending the ball and turning, and I’m left-footed too. I hope one day to reach his level.”
