MAD FOR SUCCESS
Ruud & Goetze helping me is great
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I speak to Ruud a lot, and after every game... he tells me to keep going and that he is happy with me. That’s just huge.
NONI MADUEKE will be hoping to rescue England’s juniors this afternoon – and if he does it will be with the help of a Dutch master and a German World Cup winner.
The exciting teenage winger is poised to make his debut for Aidy Boothroyd’s side with the hopes of the Under-21s hanging by a thread.
Lose to Portugal and their European Championship hopes will be over inside four days following a disastrous opening game against Switzerland which ended in a 1-0 defeat.
But the 19-year-old, who left Spurs and turned down a contract with Manchester United to seek a path to firstteam football with PSV Eindhoven, is looking to spark an improvement.
And he has two familiar faces helping his progression in
Holland – former Red Devils’ hit-man Ruud van Nistelrooy – now in charge of the club’s Under-19s – and German World Cup winner Mario Goetze.
Madueke said: “Before I signed for PSV, I went there and spoke to Ruud.
“My father and I had a long conversation with him and he was definitely one of the reasons I went there. His CV SUPER MARIO Goetze has been helping Madueke with his game
speaks for itself, he’s a legend of the game.
“In terms of my attacking work and goalscoring, I don’t think there’s a better man to have on my side.
“And he’s helped me a lot with my all-round game.
“First of all, he simplified the game for me in terms of the options with the ball. He makes it easy for you.
“In terms of my goalscoring, it’s getting into the box, scoring one-touch goals, scruffy goals, it doesn’t matter.
“Even though I’ve had some matches in the first team I speak to Ruud a lot – at least once a week – after every game. He’s telling me to keep going and that he’s happy with me. It’s been huge for me.”
Almost as valuable has been the advice he has gleaned from team-mate Goetze.
The man who bagged the winner in extra-time for Germany during their 2014 World Cup triumph over Argentina has endured a roller coaster few years since.
But he is rebuilding his career in the Eredivisie following the discovery of a debilitating muscle disease that hampered his progress with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Madueke added: “If I want to know something or talk about details of top-level football, I go to Mario.
“I can learn so much from him about things on the pitch and off the pitch – how he looks after himself, how he has his daily routine, how professionally he approaches his job. Absolutely everything.
He is not only an example to me, but for everyone else in the team.
“It is wonderful to work with a player who leads by example, as it’s not always his words you need to take on board.”
Madueke admits to taking the tough decision to leave England behind – following Jadon Sancho’s example – to “get ahead of my peers.”
After a breakthrough season with PSV – he has made 27 appearances so far – he is certainly doing that.
England Under-21 boss Boothroyd said: “He’s a powerhouse of a player. Technically, he’s very good – left-footed and he likes to come in off the right.
“He’s got a goal in him, which we like obviously.
And he’s got a massive smile. He has fitted in really well.
“The lads really like him.
“Noni has got their respect – as he would do because he’s a good player – but also because of what he’s doing at PSV.”