Rangers veteran Steven Davis retirement rumours dismissed by international manager

Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough has denied rumours Steven Davis has retired from international football.
Tom Flanagan of Northern Ireland and Steven Davis react after Slovakia score their second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Play-Off Final  (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Tom Flanagan of Northern Ireland and Steven Davis react after Slovakia score their second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Play-Off Final  (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Tom Flanagan of Northern Ireland and Steven Davis react after Slovakia score their second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Play-Off Final (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

The Rangers midfielder withdrew from his national team squad after playing seven minutes of a 2-1 Nations League defeat in Austria, and ahead of Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Romania – which denied him the chance to equal Peter Shilton’s British cap record at Windsor Park.

Rumours over the reasoning for the midfielder’s surprise move after 124 caps began to circulate, which the Northern Irish FA disclosed to be for ‘personal reasons’.

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But now The Herald reports manager Baraclough has quashed suggestions and speculation Davis wouldn’t be back in Belfast for future squads.

He said: “I don't see anything that tells me that Steven Davis is not ready to play anymore. Steven took a call and had to go home. So for personal reasons he pulled out of the squad.

“All the conversations I've had with everyone in the group have been positive.

“Next year we could be celebrating being in a World Cup. For the next year the lads are fully refocused, there's a hunger and desire.

“They have been in two play-offs for major competitions and we fell at the final hurdle but there is still a hunger among all the lads.”

Northern Ireland were beaten by Slovakia in the play-off for Euro 2020 at Windsor Park last week, with Davis playing all 120 minutes of the extra-time defeat.

Now Baraclough’s side are seeded third, along with Scotland and Republic of Ireland, in next month’s 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifying group draw to be held in Switzerland.

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