Maddison praises Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou as a “alpha-male” and enjoys playing the “pantomime villain.”
It’s easy to see why James Maddison is happy at Tottenham.
The midfielder, who moved from Leicester over the summer, has adapted to life in north London like a duck to water and already looks like one of the better signings of 2023 thus far.
In addition to his two goals and five assists to put Spurs in the running for the championship, Maddison has garnered praise for his engaging and straightforward post-match interviews as well as his dynamic on-field performances.
Whether he’s playing darts with colleagues like Heung-min Son or scaring Bournemouth fans by pretending to move the ball at a corner kick, Maddison is a player who enjoys joking about with both the fans and his teammates.
Although his actions frequently make headlines and draw laughter from onlookers, Maddison claims that everything about him comes naturally.
Prior to the match against Fulham on Monday night, Madison stated: “Everything that is mentioned there is spontaneous.”
For instance, if I’m not being abused, the corner thing doesn’t occur.
There’s no structure to it; when I approach to take a corner, they eff and blind me. Isn’t that just a means for me to get the better of them?
Because of the type of player I am and occasionally even the person I am, I enjoy the pantomime villain feel that is frequently produced at away games and don’t mind taking a little flak for it.
“I don’t mind that; sometimes it comes with the character I have.
“I like to give it as much as I can take it; it’s all back and forth banter.”
He has attributed a great deal of his success to his friendship with Ange Postecoglou.
Like Maddison, Postecoglou has become one of the Premier League’s most well-liked managers thanks to his genuine, approachable style of dealing with the media.
Maddison remarked of the Australian boss, “He’s a really good motivational speaker.”
“When he addresses a bunch of players, there’s something about him that makes him seem almost like an alpha guy, you know?
“Everyone pays attention to him when he speaks; you don’t even blink; he is one of them.
“He is an excellent motivator; his talks the day before or even the day of the game get you energized and prepared to play because he sets high expectations for you.
That’s the kind of guy you see in the media when he speaks at news conferences and in everything you see on social media. He has a natural gift because, although it’s difficult to define, he connects football to real-world experiences in a way that inspires you to play for him, run, and put in a lot of effort.