Tom Davies using chopsticks business to help distract from Everton critics
Tom Davies has tumbled down the pecking order at Goodison Park but the Everton midfielder is having much better luck with his business ventures.
Davies has made just seven Premier League appearances for the Toffees this season, with Frank Lampard investing heavily in a new midfield over the summer.
Idrissa Geuye, Alex Iwobi and Amadou Onana have all been Lampard’s first-choice players this season, with Davies limited to a spot on the bench.
Amid his football struggles, the 24-year-old has become the director of a business named ChopValue which recycles chopsticks into products for homes and offices.
Davies has faced a lot of criticism for his performances but insists his business venture has helped him “distract himself”.
“To be honest I’ve stopped reading what people said about me a long time ago,” Davies told the PA Media, as quoted by The Independent.
“If you are too full-on with it (football) it can be a burn-out situation.
“Like I’ve done here with ChopValue, I’ve been able to distract myself in different ways to give me that respite I need from football and to refocus when the time is right. In life I want to try to help in the ways I can, speaking on subjects which need to be spoken about or doing something like this.
“If this extends to speaking on other topics then I’m happy to do so. Educating people is a massive thing. Maybe one day people will say some things nice about what I’m doing off the pitch.”
Good intentions
Everton fans immediately took to Davies after his breakthrough at Goodison Park. He’s a local lad who grew up loving the club as a fan himself, so he knows what it means to put on the blue shirt.
His effort and work rate have never been criticised but his lack of quality became an issue for Lampard who moved quickly to replace him with Onana in the summer.
However, Davies’ morals are on show through his latest business move. It’s great to see an Everton star doing his bit to help out, and it’s certainly something both he and his fans can be proud of.
But when it comes to his performances on the pitch, Davies might have to accept that he’ll be spending much more time on his business than his day job. Even the likes of James Garner are slowly edging ahead of Davies in Lampard’s pecking order.
If he is serious about continuing his football career as a regular starter, then Davies will likely have to look elsewhere. Sadly there seems to be no space in this Everton squad for him anymore.