‘Ignore all your critics and just play with joy’

RODGERS’ MESSAGE TO HIS ‘SPECIAL PLAYER’ MADDISON

JAMES Maddison will have to learn that “more people want to take him down” as his reputation grows.

The Leicester City midfielder had to watch from home as England played three games over the international break, with a calf injury preventing him from earning a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad.

The 23-year-old, right, has one senior cap to his name, from last November, but a month before that he was pictured watching a Three Lions game in a casino, having been withdrawn from the squad because of illness.

That added to a narrative around Maddison, but club manager Brendan Rodgers says that while it’s an incorrect one, it will be something the playmaker has to get used to.

“It’s what happens,” Rodgers said. “There’s a narrative built around people and then people will try to justify that.

“He’s such a caring boy. But some people will try to bring him down and want to bring him down. I said to him: ‘You make sure you play with that joy.’ As you grow and develop as a football player in this country, more people want to take you down, and that is the way it works, unfortunately.”

With Maddison staying at City for the international break, that has given Rodgers the chance to coach a player he says is “a joy to manage”.

Maddison is yet to make his first Premier League start of the campaign because of hip surgery in the summer and his recent calf problem, but will hope to be fit enough to be involved against Aston Villa on Sunday.

“He’s a joy to manage,” said Rodgers. “He couldn’t be easier. It’s a joy to see a player of that talent work as hard as he does. He’s a breath of fresh air.

“He was really unfortunate at the end of last season with his injury and his operation.

“He’s first class. Football is his life. He studies the game and you see him playing with that expression and personality.

“What he can do is he can back it up because he has big talent.

“He wants to improve and develop, so you couldn’t wish for a better guy to coach. I’m looking forward to seeing his maturity and development over these next number of years.

“He’s a really special player and hopefully we’ll see that again this coming season.”