James Maddison (28) has asserted that he has successfully tuned out the “noise from outside” after scoring the decisive goal against Manchester United, just days following Roy Keane’s sharp criticism of the Tottenham midfielder.
Keane, known for his candid opinions, had taken a pointed jab at Maddison, who has faced a challenging season filled with injuries, poor form, and doubts about his commitment.
The former Manchester United skipper suggested that Maddison wouldn’t be a game-changer upon his return from injury, referencing his presence at the World Darts Championships in December while he was working to regain fitness.
“People claim Maddison is the man. When will he rise to the occasion? He got relegated with Leicester, and he’ll find himself in the same situation with Spurs,” Keane remarked on The Overlap podcast.
“Maddison isn’t terrible when he’s not engaged with darts, but honestly, if you believe he’s going to come back and push Spurs into the top six, you’re being unrealistic.
“He’s certainly a talented player. But if you’re a member of the Spurs squad and Maddison returns, you wouldn’t be saying, ‘oh great, he’s back, we’re sorted now.’
“England boasts a talent pool of 300 players and he can’t even crack that squad. Get real, everyone.”
Maddison took exception to Keane’s remarks and celebrated his 13th-minute goal in Sunday’s 1-0 triumph over United by miming a dart throw followed by a shushing gesture.
When asked post-match if that act was targeted at anyone specific, the midfielder responded to Sky Sports: “Just a bit of outside noise this week, wasn’t there?
“Look, everyone has their views, but I aimed to make my statement on the pitch today, so I trust that a few people took notice of me being the match-winner.”
Maddison acknowledged that Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has advised the squad to disregard external criticism.
Nonetheless, the England international harnessed it as motivation for his performance, which propelled struggling Tottenham above an underperforming United in the Premier League standings.
“No one is harder on myself than I am. Fair play to the gaffer; he always speaks about shutting out outside noise, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. It’s always in your face,” he stated.
“You can channel that energy, but I believe the gaffer prefers us to stay in our little bubble and just focus on his guidance.
“Given the prominence of social media and WhatsApp, it’s often overwhelming, especially for high-profile individuals.
“Ultimately, it’s about how you respond, and I think I did that today. Being the match-winner has me feeling really pleased.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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