'I do things on what I feel' (From Times Series)

Former Barcelona and Juventus star Edgar Davids admits he turned down big money moves before joining Barnet

4:55pm Monday 15th October 2012 in Sport By Adam Newson

Edgar Davids admits he turned down plenty of big money offers from around the world before joining Barnet because he did not feel a lucrative move would contribute to his development.

The former Dutch international was surprisingly announced as joint Barnet head coach/player last Thursday and was in the stands at the weekend as the Bees slumped to a 4-1 home defeat against Plymouth Argyle.

Speaking on Friday, Davids stated he didn’t want to go somewhere to wind down his career and would rather accept the challenge of helping Barnet move away from the bottom of the League Two table.

“Yes, every year,” Davids replied when asked about receiving big money offers.

“This is going to be quite a challenge but I’d rather have this than go somewhere and chill on the beach.

“That doesn’t contribute to my own development.”

Prior to his arrival at Underhill, Davids continued to play street football and coached a Sunday league side in Brixton – winning two trophies in the process.

To many it may seem an unusual route into management but Davids disagrees.

“I think it is normal,” the midfielder said. “You go back to your roots and I think you have a responsibility to the community.

“If you can contribute to young adults who want to play football, and especially at Sunday league football where they really have fun and take pleasure from playing, then for me it is an easy way to help them and to guide them in a certain way.”

He continued: “It has to come from inside. You can’t force things because if you do that you will look silly, especially if you go to certain neighbourhoods because they will never accept that.

“I do things on what I feel and I am lucky and blessed to be able to do that. So that is not my nature. I’d rather be in Brixton on a cold Sunday morning to try to help them have fun than being somewhere else where it is 50 degrees in the shade.

“That’s because you know that isn’t going anywhere and you are not contribute to something. For me it is important to contribute to something and really know that you are helping to develop something.

“It is not only about football, it is about the human that you are trying to train and teach certain things.”