Chris Davies (football coach)

Chris Davies
Davies as assistant manager at Celtic in 2018
Personal information
Full name Christopher Paul Davies
Date of birth (1985-03-27) 27 March 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Watford, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City (manager)
Youth career
2001–2004 Reading
International career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001 Wales U17
2002 Wales U18
2003 Wales U19
Managerial career
2024– Birmingham City

Christopher Paul Davies (born 27 March 1985) is a professional football coach and former player who is the manager of EFL League One club Birmingham City.

Davies was a youth player for Reading and Wales before retiring in 2004, aged 19. He became a football coach, initially coaching youth teams in England and abroad, before becoming assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Swansea City, Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester City.

After a season at Tottenham Hotspur as the senior assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou, Davies became manager of Birmingham City in 2024.

Early life and playing career

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Christopher Paul Davies was born on 27 March 1985[1] in Watford, England.[2] He qualified to play football for Wales through his Welsh father.[3] He was capped for the Wales Under-17, 18 and 19 teams.[4]

Davies signed with Reading, aged 16, where he captained the youth team coached by Brendan Rodgers.[5] Despite appearing regularly for the Reading reserve team, Davies was forced to retire from professional football in 2004, aged 19, due to an arthritic condition in his foot.[6][3]

Coaching career

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Early coaching

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In 2004, Davies began studying for his UEFA coaching licences while also attending Loughborough University, where he obtained a first-class honours degree in Sport Science.[7] He worked as a youth coach at Leicester City and also coached in the United States and New Zealand.[8] While in New Zealand, Davies was a youth coach at Hawke's Bay United, where he worked under Jonathan and Bobby Gould.[8]

Senior coaching

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In 2010, aged 25, Davies was recruited as an assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Swansea City.[9] During his time at Swansea, Davies specialised in opposition analysis and tactics.[8] In his first season, Swansea were promoted to the Premier League.[10] After Swansea secured a second season in the Premier League, Davies was offered a coaching position with the club's reserve team.[8]

Davies moved with Rodgers to Liverpool in June 2012 as the club's head of opposition analysis.[5][11] In his second season, Liverpool finished second in the Premier League behind champions Manchester City.[12] Davies left the club in October 2015 when Rodgers was replaced by Jürgen Klopp.[13] During his time at Liverpool, Davies completed his UEFA Pro Licence, earning the qualification in 2015.[6]

Davies (centre right) as assistant to Rodgers at Celtic in 2018.

Following six months at Reading as a first-team coach in 2016,[14][15] Davies joined Rodgers as his assistant manager at Scottish Premiership club Celtic.[16] In their first season, Celtic won the domestic treble for only the fourth time in the club's history.[17][18] Under Rodgers and Davies, Celtic broke their 100-year-old record for successive domestic games unbeaten, going 69 matches without defeat.[19] They won the treble again in Davies's second season.[8]

In February 2019, Davies moved with Rodgers to Leicester City, again as his assistant manager.[20] They finished fifth in two consecutive seasons, missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification on the last day of both seasons, but won the 2021 FA Cup and the Community Shield.[8] Davies left the club with Rodgers in April 2023.[21]

On 27 June 2023, Davies was appointed senior assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.[22]

Birmingham City

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On 6 June 2024, he departed Tottenham Hotspur in order to become the manager of Birmingham City. He signed a four-year contract with the newly relegated EFL League One club.[23]

Coaching style

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"Controlling the game with the ball will always be central to my philosophy but I want a degree of tactical flexibility to adapt to different opponents and different situations. I'm a pragmatic person, and I feel that transfers into my coaching."

—Davies on his coaching philosophy.[8]

During his early career as a youth coach, Davies used futsal coaching to improve the technical development of players, including their ball control and passing.[8] He then developed his tactical knowledge at Swansea and Liverpool, having worked in opposition analysis roles at both clubs.[24]

At Celtic and Leicester, Davies's job was to "lead training on a day-to-day basis, managing the other coaches and working closely with the sports science department".[8] His sessions included on-the-field training, as well as individual meetings with the players and video analysis.[24]

Davies's coaching style has primarily been influenced by Brendan Rodgers, having worked with Rodgers at several clubs throughout his career.[3][24] He also cites the work of Roberto Martínez and Paulo Sousa at Swansea, as well as the influence of Pep Guardiola on English football.[8]

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 3 November 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref
G W D L Win %
Birmingham City 6 June 2024[23] present 18 13 3 2 072.22 [25]
Total 18 13 3 2 072.22

References

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  1. ^ "People Active Sanctions" (PDF) (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 28 June 2024. p. 16. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Chris Davies: Arthritic player, columnist, trusted coaching assistant – who is Swansea City target?". BBC Sport. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "From a man of mystery to Rodgers' most trusted lieutenant". The Athletic. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  4. ^ Bradbury, Sean (31 May 2012). "Brendan Rodgers' back room staff at Liverpool FC". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b Pearce, James (26 July 2012). "Chris Davies keeps an eye on Reds' opposition". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b Francis Kelly (17 August 2012). "Sport Talks: Chris Davies". The Epinal. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  7. ^ Pearce, Bob; Vladimirov, Mihail (5 September 2014). "Interview with LFC's Head of Opposition Analysis". The Tomkins Times. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "CHRIS DAVIES". Coaches' Voice. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  9. ^ Will Tidey (28 October 2013). "Inside Liverpool FC". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. ^ Kelly, Francis (16 August 2014). "Liverpool have an offensive mentality". The Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  11. ^ Jimmy Areabi (31 May 2012). "Rodgers not joining Liverpool alone". Live 4 Liverpool. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Premier League Table, Form Guide & Season Archives".
  13. ^ "Liverpool coaches Sean O'Driscoll and Gary McAllister leave club". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Former Academy player Chris Davies is announced as a new First Team Coach at Reading Football Club".
  15. ^ "The inside track on Chris Davies, the student of Brendan Rodgers who cut his teeth at Liverpool and Celtic now in Swansea City frame". Wales Online. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Celtic name Chris Davies as Brendan Rodgers' assistant". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  17. ^ "I'll never forget Brendan Rodgers' Celtic unveiling, says Chris Davies". The Herald. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  18. ^ "How Brendan Rodgers got his mojo back". The Sunday Times. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Unbeaten Celtic break 100-year-old record with 63rd straight game without defeat". The Independent. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Brendan Rodgers Named Leicester City Manager". Leicester City Football Club. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  21. ^ "LCFC Statement - Brendan Rodgers". Leicester City Football Club. 2 April 2023.
  22. ^ "Coaching staff update". Tottenham Hotspur. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  23. ^ a b Scott, Ged (6 June 2024). "Birmingham appoint Spurs' Davies as new manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "'A good assistant manager must have loyalty'". Premier League. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  25. ^ Chris Davies management career statistics at Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chris Davies (football coach).
  • Profile at the Birmingham City F.C. website
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