GARETH GETS MADD
Maddison sweating on his England future after casino visit as angry Southgate warns his young stars: I’m watching! I know everything you do
GARETH SOUTHGATE has left James Maddison sweating on his immediate England future.
And the Three Lions coach has warned his young players he knows EVERYTHING about them and that Leicester star Maddison’s situation should be a warning to them all. Maddison sent a message to tell Southgate he had been pictured in a Leicester casino after being sent home ILL from
FROM BACK PAGE the England camp ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifying doubleheader in Prague and Sofia.
But Southgate has not given Maddison the chance to explain himself, considering it a distraction to his preparation for tonight’s Bulgaria match.
The England boss said: “He sent a message to tell me, but my focus has got to be on the 22 players here, and getting everybody in the right place for this game.
“Without having had a conversation with James, I can’t comment too much, but I’m sure he recognises now that when you’re involved with England, there is a different sort of spotlight on you.
“For any young player coming into the squad, they probably aren’t as aware of that.”
Asked if he would speak to Maddison when returning from Sofia, Southgate was a little vague, merely reiterating that he speaks to all his players in between international get-togethers.
And although he said it was up to the individual how he spent his time once he had been discharged from England duty, it is understood Southgate is none too impressed with the 22-year-old Foxes midfielder.
Southgate added: “I know pretty much everything about my players. I speak to their club managers. We have a very clear picture of every player and that is the due diligence we always do. You need to know them as individuals and players.”
Southgate rated England’s shock defeat to the Czechs as possibly the most disappointing of his three years in charge.
But he added: “Now I’m focused on getting a response from them.”