Willian the priority for Lamps
The tournament started yesterday, with the semi-finals on Thursday June 27 and the final in Udine on Sunday June 30 Tonight
Friday June 21
Monday June 24
TV: Sky Sports Football
ENGLAND: FRANCE: JAMES MADDISON admits he wants a career laden with winners’ medals... starting this month with England Under-21s. The Leicester playmaker has surveyed the success of his teammates here in Italy, and sees Premier League winners, FA Cup winners and comrades who have won the U-17 and U-20 World Cup. Maddison is “buzzing with excitement” to join them and start his own medal collection.
The 22- year- old’s career progress has been rapid. He is being linked with a £40million n switch to Manchester United d after a fine debut season in the e Premier League with the Foxes, , and is “confident but not arrogant” about what he wants to achieve in the game. Maddison refuses to talk possible transfers but, perhaps in a subtle nod to the top flight’s elite, said: “My trophy cabinet is empty. I have a few individual ones but there are no winners’ medals. I am desperate to go and win.
“I am excited, determined, buzzing. The other lads have had success in tournaments. This is my first. I am so excited! I can tell you in August, walking out at Old Trafford for my Premier League debut against Manchester United I’d never been that excited in my life! “At the moment I think: Yeah, okay a few man of that matches here, and a player of the season there.
“But football is a team game and I want to have winners’ medals.” Asked directly about the transfer speculation around him, he said: “I just take it all in my stride. “When I was playing as a 17-year-old at Coventry I had speculation. I love playing football and the rest will take care of itself.” Aged 18 he asked Tony Mowbray, his Coventry boss, for the No.10 shirt: “I was young and it surprised him,” said Maddison.
A year ago he’d bossed it at Norwich in the Championship with 15 goals in 49 games linking attack and midfield, switching to Leicester for £20m. He demanded a loan move from fiery boss Alex Neil at Carrow Road after being dropped to the bench, heading away from home to Aberdeen to get games and learn “to iron and pay my own bills.”
He conceded: “I’ve always been a very confident lad. I always say: ‘No one is going to believe in me for me’ so you have to believe in yourself first.” Looking ahead to the Euro U-21 tournament, Maddison spends 15 minutes giving a rousing explanation of why it means so JAMES MADDISON will make an emotional tribute during England’s bid to win the Euros.
The Leicester attacking midfielder became friends with Sophie Taylor (above) 16 months ago while he played for Norwich and she was a mascot. The five-year-old died from bone cancer in January and now Maddison has revealed the special boots he will play in at the tournament in Italy in her memory.
He tweeted photos of his new footwear (right), which he said he would wear for “my best much to him, despite his claims for a chance in Gareth Southgate’s senior set-up.
His first memories of England are watching Wayne Rooney score twice against Croatia in Euro 2004.
Maddison got a shirt with ‘Rooney 10’ on the back. Now he has his own England shirt with Three Lions on the front and is glad of the op opportunity.
“People ask, ‘ What do you th think about not getting called to the seniors.’ I don’t care. W When I put that badge on I w want to go and win this to tournament, and the lads feel th that as a group,’’ he added.”
Maddi son’s family, in including dad Gary, who has c created videos of his son’s c career since he was a kid, are o on hand to support. Th There is a sense in Aidy Boothroyd’s squad of having a chance to show their talents to earn senior call-ups next season.
Maddison added: “It is such a big stage to express what good talent we have in the England ranks. England fans will be watching thinking this is the future. As a team we’re such good friends and we want to do it for each other. France are a brilliant team. We will have to be at our best, but we have a brilliant team, full of talent, full of legs and full of character.
“We go into the game wanting to win it and have the confidence.” Attacking midfielder 22 (November 23, 1996)
2018/19: 2016-18: 2016-17 Loan: 2013-2016: FROM BACK PAGE problem. But Lampard faces a tricky task to keep hold of Willian.
The Brazil star is out of contract next year but Chelsea, who have turned down £35m bids from Barca and Atletico Madrid, cannot afford to let him go given a looming transfer ban. The 31-year-old will be asked to fill the void left by Eden Hazard’s departure and offered a new two-year contract.
Derby have made it clear they will demand hefty compensation for Lampard.
Chairman Mel Morris said: “If Chelsea want to hire Frank then it is in their gift to make an offer in pursuit of that.”
The Chelsea backroom staff brought in by Sarri, who has taken over at Juventus, are set to follow Gianfranco Zola out of the door. Zola, who had been Sarri’s assistant, is set to be replaced by Jody Morris, Lampard’s assistant at Derby, while Claude Makelele – instrumental in Chelsea’s first title win back in 2005 – is on course for a return to help take charge of the club’s loan players.
Lee Bowyer, who led Charlton to promotion, is in the frame to succeed Lampard at Derby after pay talks broke down.
‘We are such good friends and want to win this for each other’