---
title: "Exclusive: Ex-Aston Villa star shares Keinan Davis training ground experience"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/exclusive-ex-aston-villa-star-shares-keinan-davis-training-ground-experience-ollie-watkins-e109/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Caleb Sage"
section: "Aston Villa"
published: "2021-05-10T05:14:22Z"
modified: "2021-05-10T05:14:22Z"
---

# Exclusive: Ex-Aston Villa star shares Keinan Davis training ground experience

**In an exclusive interview with [The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/), former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has shared his experience of seeing Keinan Davis up close for the first time in training after returning to Bodymoor Heath.**

Davis, a product of Bodymoor Heath, has worked his way into Villa’s first team and has been Dean Smith’s second-choice striker this season.

With Wesley having been unavailable following the serious injury he picked up last term, Davis has been deputising for Ollie Watkins.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”350804″\]

And, in that deputy role, the 23-year-old has managed to come up with a couple of [important contributions](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/keinan-davis/leistungsdaten/spieler/412660) of late, including a goal against West Brom and assist versus Fulham.

For Hendrie, he is a player who has always had talent, talent which Villa supporters are now starting to see.

Speaking exclusively to **TT** about what he remembers from the first time he had a good look at Davis, the ex-Villa player said:

*“I went back, a few years back now, and I went in and just watched. It was actually when Steve Bruce was managing and I watched the training.*

*“Kevin MacDonald was at the club at the time and he was working with a lot of the younger lads that were certainly pushing for first–team recognition. And Keinan was one of those players.*

*“I went and watched a game. It was the first time I’d actually seen Keinan and I thought to myself, ‘certainly with lots of coaching and guidance, he’ll be a player. He will be a player.’ “*

If Davis’ last few performances are anything to go by, then the 23-year-old is a player who certainly has something to offer.