Davis can be skipper: Hughes

Aaron Hughes believes midfielder Steven Davis has the qualities to eventually captain Northern Ireland and Aston Villa.

Hughes has seen at first hand the impact of Davis at domestic and international level during the last 12 months.

He was one of the few success stories in a season of gross under-achievement at Villa Park and helped Northern Ireland to their shock win over England in Belfast.

Davis had a first taste of skippering his country during the end of season tour of America against Uruguay and Romania when current incumbent Hughes was absent through injury.

Hughes believes Davis is the sort of player who would lead by example rather than through being vociferous but has faith in him to become a captain when he has more experience.

Hughes said: “Davo is young but he has got a lot of ability and basically he can be whatever he wants to be and do whatever he wants to do depending on how he feels and what he wants.

“A lot of people say someone has to scream and yell to be a captain. Those days are gone a little bit. It’s about example, what you do on the pitch, how you conduct yourself off the pitch and in training.

“There are a lot of things that go into the mix now for something like being a captain and certainly Davo on the pitch leads by example, conducts himself well off it and in training he gives everything.

“In a few years time he could easily captain Northern Ireland and Villa. He is the sort of captain who would lead by example.”