Davis eyes new Palace deal

Reggae Boy Claude Davis has been guaranteed he will be offered a new contract at English Championship Division club Crystal Palace, if he is able to maintain his current form.

The Jamaican will be out of a contract at Selhurst Park come the end of the season. However, the club's manager George Burnley seems ready to present a new deal to the defender, but wants to see more consistency.

"I've spoken to Claude about the situation and he knows he'll get his contract if he keeps playing well," Burley was quoted as saying in the Croydon Advertiser.

"He has let himself down once or twice this season and he knows that, but he's determined to pay the team back.

"There's no doubt that on his day he is one of the most commanding defenders in the Championship and one of the best."

Davis, who has been sent off twice this season after receiving a red card, admits that the issue of being out of a contract has been on his mind, but is determined to prove his worth to the club.

"I lost a bit of confidence [earlier in the season]," said Davis. "When I came back in the summer] I expected things to happen, but nothing ever did. I'm on my last year of my deal, so that's on my mind," the 6ft 4in centreback said.

good player

"But I speak to the coaches and they say, 'Listen you're a good player, we like you, we need you. If you keep giving us performances, everything will sort itself out.'

"So, me personally, I need to try and get this club up into the play-off race. And I think if we can get five or six games on a run, the way the Champion-ship is, we can get right up there."

Crystal Palace have had a tough start to the season so far and are currently third from bottom in the npower Championship table. Davis last represented Jamaica's national team at last year's CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.