Davies: Sven rescued me from my Villa hell

Curtis Davies has thanked Sven Goran Eriksson for rescuing his career after admitting life at Aston Villa was like a dull job.

Davies, 25, joined Eriksson's Leicester last month and has had his loan extended in the Championship until January.

The Villa centre-back is hoping regular action can restore his Premier League status after being called up into the England squad in November 2008.

But Davies later dislocated his shoulder and hasn't played in the top-flight since scoring in Villa's 3-1 win at Liverpool in August 2009.

The stopper is now in the shop window after Villa agreed to sell Davies for a knockdown £2.5million as owner Randy Lerner cuts costs.

And scouts from Stoke, Bolton, QPR and even Liverpool are due at the Walkers Stadium this evening to see Davies play for Leicester.

Davies said: "Sven lets me get on with it and has the confidence to allow me to express myself and show what I am about.

"Going into games he says: 'play how you play' and for him to think I am good enough without overly instructing me means a lot.

"This is the first time I have been able to play for a year in a run of games.

"I am more upbeat as I feel it is football again now - it is not going to work.

"It sounds stupid but there was a time at Villa when it was like getting up and going to a job which it shouldn't be like.

"Now I feel like I am going in every day, enjoying it and playing well."

Davies cost £10m from West Brom in July 2008 after a successful loan under Martin O'Neill and has made nearly 100 Premier League appearances.

But he fell behind Richard Dunne, James Collins and Carlos Cuellar in O'Neill's pecking order as the Irishman rarely rotated his squad.

Now successor Gerard Houllier has agreed to sell Davies as he is out of contract in 2012 and Villa have rookie Ciaran Clark emerging.

But Davies only blames his looming Villa exit on O'Neill, who he accused of favouritism when he resigned in August.

Davies added: "I am smart enough to know when I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

"I like the club and fans but I am coming to the last year and a half of my contract and I would rather the situation be resolved.

"If that means moving on to play football elsewhere then that's what I will have to do.

"I was a victim of the old regime rather than the manager now.

"I do blame things on Martin O'Neill  but I don't want to be bitter.

"If I had never got injured I would have stayed in the team.

"As it was we had a new manager come in and see a player who hasn't played for a year and there are four other centre halves."

Davies is now anxious to get his career back on track as agent Phil Sproson explained: "Curtis' confidence is starting to flood back under Sven.

"Given his age, price and Premier League experience he's going to be a very good take in January."

But despite Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd's recent England call-up, Davies thinks he has no chance of more international recognition unless back in the top-flight.

He said: "I would have to be playing regular Premier League football to even have Mr Capello look at me.

"I know Jay Bothroyd managed to get into the squad through playing well for Cardiff but playing as a centre half in the Championship is even harder."