‘I WILL BE MADD IF I DON’T MAKE IT INTO THIS LIONS SQUAD’
CONSIDERING he did not get on to the pitch against Brazil and was only given a 20-minute cameo in the Belgium match, it might come as a surprise that he remains confident of his place in the England squad.
But self-belief has never been a problem for James Maddison.
He is a confident lad. While they obviously bring different skill sets to the table, the performances of Kobbie Mainoo and Jarrod Bowen at Wembley on Tuesday night mean Gareth Southgate’s final squad selection for Euro 2024 has become even trickier.
If, miraculously, every contender for the final 23 was available to be picked, some high-profile names would miss the cut.
Assuming he returns to club action, Jack Grealish, for example, faces an unlikely fight to make the squad – and even Marcus Rashford’s spot should not be taken for granted.
Southgate will probably take eight defenders, which means a couple of attack-minded players could miss out.
Maddison, though, seems bullish about his prospects going to the tournament.
He said: “I don’t feel any pressure. I feel at home in the group. I’ve been in the squad for 18 months now. I know the quality that I have and that can help this team.
“I show the quality that I have in training every day. The manager sees it. I’ve shown it on the pitch (against Belgium) which is where it matters.
“I didn’t feature in the first game, which was disappointing because I wanted to play in a big game at Wembley.
“Against Belgium, I came on and made an impact. I’m showing him (Southgate) what I’m capable of and I just want to show more of that.”
After an electric start to life at Tottenham, Maddison was out for almost three months with an ankle injury and even though his comeback was in late January, he admits he is not yet in full flow.
Maddison said: “I’m not at my top, top level yet for Spurs. It takes a little bit of time to get right back to the kind of sharpness that you miss. But I feel good, I feel fit and I feel strong.”
If needed, there is an added incentive for Maddison to go to the Euros, having suffered the frustration of being at Qatar 2022, but confined to barracks with an injury. He recalled: “That was a very difficult time – people don’t see behind the curtain. I was so disappointed because going to a major tournament with your country is the pinnacle and you want to impact. I’m hungry to get there now.”
Even if Maddison does make the Three Lions squad, he is unlikely to make Southgate’s preferred starting line-up, but he has now come to terms with the scenario of making an impact from the bench.
When asked how he felt about being named as a substitute, Maddison replied: “Grumpy. Very, very, very grumpy. But I’m experienced now, I’m 27.
“On the odd occasion, when I was younger, I’d be sulking, I’d be moody, probably not go about it the right way as a teenage James Maddison.
“Now I’m older, I just assess the game and see where I can have an impact. I felt I had a really good impact against Belgium.”
But Maddison admits England will have to up their game at the Euros, adding: “Two home games at Wembley – coming away with what would be one point – is probably not enough for us.
“We are ranked third in the world. We probably need a bit more.”
‘I know the quality that I have and that can help this team’