Davies crossing divide between pitch and boardroom

Davies crossing divide between pitch and boardroom

BySimon Davies

BBC Sport WalesAtDragon Park, Newport

Inside the committee room, surrounded by suits and the formal quiet of administrative procedure, Ben Davies looks surprisingly comfortable.

For over a decade, the Wales and Tottenham Hotspur defender's natural domain has been the high-stakes intensity of Premier League and international football.

But in a week when the Football Association of Wales (FAW) is convening to shape the nation's footballing future, Davies is occupying a very different seat at the table.

Appointed to the FAW Council in August 2026 as a dedicated representative for Welsh players, the Wales captain hopes to bridge the gap between those who execute the strategy on the pitch and those who draft it in the boardroom.

BBC Wales Sport was granted rare access to the FAW council's inner workings at Dragon Park in Newport, where Davies joined fellow executives to discuss the future of Welsh football.

The 33-year-old's decision to take on administrative responsibilities alongside a demanding playing schedule comes down to a simple impulse - stewardship.

"Firstly, it's an absolute honour and privilege to play football for Wales," he said.

"Because of that honour and how much I've loved doing it - and still love doing it - you want to give back in any way you can.

"If I can help using my stature and position as a player to help Welsh football, I'm more than happy to do that."

A player's perspective at the table

Looking around the room, there is the usual entourage of older men in suits.

But it's also clear the FAW has undergone a significant structural change in recent years, modernising its model to bring broader expertise to its decision-making.

A notable contingent of women and people of previously underrepresented ethnic backgrounds were also present at the meeting.

That's not to say that having the more seasoned administrators there is a bad thing.

After all, they bring decades of operational knowledge, but having different voices - including Davies' - and direct experience of modern football is a welcome sight.

Davies, a Europa League winner and Champions League runner-up with Spurs, acknowledges that dynamic with characteristic modesty, while identifying precisely what he brings to the discussion.

"There are a lot of people in that room with a lot of experience that know a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in football," he conceded.

"[They] probably know a lot more than I do. I've only been a player. But ultimately, I'm here with a player's voice.

"Having played at the highest level for a long time, I want to be able to maintain those standards, bring us up to the levels that I've seen in the world of football, maintain us, and put us in a good place going forward."

Rather than arriving with a narrow agenda, Davies sees his mandate as broad-reaching, ensuring that decisions made at the governance level translate into tangible benefits across the Welsh domestic pyramid.

"I want to see that Welsh football is giving the best opportunity to all players at every level - not just at the professional level like we are, but throughout the Welsh leagues and down to the grassroots as well," he said.

"If I can impart any of my advice or where I've seen things that work or don't work throughout my time as a player, I can give my opinions, and hopefully that's acted upon, then all the better for Welsh football."

'Big things' expected

It's a break for lunch.

Pointing enthusiastically at the now-empty boardroom, FAW president Mike Jones paid tribute to Davies' contributions in their morning session.

"He spoke this morning - and there are quite a lot of people who don't speak in there," Jones highlighted.

"You always find in a community of people that some will have louder voices than others, some are quite comfortable standing there and talking, and some aren't.

"But he actually spoke up this morning, which is a good indication of what's to come.

"As a professional player, if Ben tables some issue that we would never have found out if we didn't have him on the council, it can keep pushing us to best practice."

Mind you, Davies is not your typical professional footballer.

For keen observers of the Welsh game, his transition into governance feels like a natural evolution.

A thoughtful and articulate figure who holds a degree in Business Management, he has previously represented Welsh cultural interests on wider public platforms, including a visit to Downing Street.

Clearly impressed, Jones sees a bright future within the organisation and beyond for Davies, capped 104 times by Wales since debuting aged 19.

"Ben does some work for Uefa, as I do, and we were together last year at some of the congresses," he added.

"I understand his passion and why he wants to be here. It's early days, but I'm expecting big things from him".

Davies has also earned his Uefa A Licence in coaching, which gives him options - on the touchline or in the boardroom - when his playing days are over.

"Look, hopefully [retirement] is still quite a few years away," said Davies.

"I feel fit. I love playing football, and I want to play as long as I can. But you're a long time retired in this game, and I don't see myself just doing nothing after football.

"For me, it's a great learning experience as well - to see how it all works behind the scenes in the world of football. This is a great start.

"It's more than just a role for me; it's great to be able to give back as much as I can to a footballing country that's given me so much."

While many retiring professionals instinctively pivot towards coaching or management, Davies remains open to charting a less-trodden path for ex-players.

"It's hard to put a nail in it where your future lies," he added.

"If something falls on my lap in the coaching world, then maybe that will be my route.

"But I want to be able to use my expertise and what I've learned in the best way that it can be, and I don't know what angle that takes after football yet.

"I'd like to be someone who maybe, at some point, crosses that divide from a player to the boardroom or a front-office kind of role, because I haven't seen too many players over the years who have done that.

"I think it definitely adds a pretty good perspective when making decisions."