James Maddison’s England wait goes on as illness wrecks latest call-up

Bitter blow | James Maddison withdrew from Friday’s Euro 2020 qualifier due to illness
PA
Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP10 October 2019

James Maddison’s long wait for an England cap will continue after the Leicester City midfielder withdrew from the squad this morning through illness.

Maddison missed training at St George’s Park today and did not fly with the squad to Prague this afternoon.

He had appeared to be a shoo-in to end his long wait for an England debut after scoring in consecutive appearances against Tottenham and Liverpool since the last international break.

The 22-year-old was picked ahead of Spurs’s Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard, of Manchester United, but England have not called-up a replacement and Gareth Southgate will choose from a 23-man squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers in the Czech Republic tomorrow night and Bulgaria on Monday.

Maddison was first named in the senior squad a year ago for the double-header against Croatia, played behind closed doors, and Spain and he was again an unused substitute for the wins over Bulgaria and Kosovo last month.

Speaking before he fell ill, the playmaker said: “It’s not easy to get an England cap. I’m not naive enough to say, ‘I should be playing’. There are big names left out in my position, so I’m honoured to be in the squad and grateful to Gareth.

“I’m not banging on Gareth’s door because this is only my third camp. I’ll keep realistic, but I’m hungry to get minutes. That’s why I’m here — not just to make up the numbers. If the opportunity does come, I’ll be ready.”

Maddison has been a key player since joining Leicester from Norwich in summer 2018 and he has shone both as a central midfielder and in a free role from the left for Brendan Rodgers’s top-four chasing side this season.

He has rejected suggestions that he does not fit into Southgate’s preferred 4-3-3 system and has backed himself to make the step-up to international football when his time eventually comes.

“I’ve played as an 8, an 11, a 10,” said Maddison. “If the manager felt I wasn’t right for the formation, I don’t think I’d be here. That’s just background noise to me. I’m best in the middle, as a 10 or 8, but there are positives of playing off the left because you don’t necessarily get marked when coming inside in the pockets.

“I don’t want to be labelled as one position because the more positions I can play the better chance I have of minutes. It’s good having different strings to your bow.”

The former Coventry star added: “I always knew I was capable. Every challenge, every step I’ve always taken in my stride and that’s a positive for the mental aspect of [playing for England]. There are times when I have to almost pinch myself because I’ve achieved the dream of playing in the Premier League.

“But then it’s about getting to the next stage, the next level, always improving. It’s been a great journey so far.

“My first moment with the senior team was one I’ll never ­forget. There were a few injuries in my position in the build-up and I’d been playing well, so I thought maybe I might be called up. Then you think, ‘Nah, I can’t be’. It was a fantastic feeling.

“Looking back at that camp, I learned so much being around the lads. I went in with the attitude of learning as much as I can. Now, I’m a year better off.

“One year in the Premier League you can learn so much about the game, the league and yourself in general.

“Now I’ve had that year, I know I’m capable of performing at that level. I’m a confident person.”

Maddison’s withdrawal leaves Mason Mount, Ross Barkley, Harry Winks and Declan Rice as Southgate’s midfield options for the double-header.

Injured goalkeeper Tom Heaton has already been replaced by Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson.

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