Tottenham Hotspur playmaker James Maddison will be getting a rest over the summer after being axed by England ahead of Euro 2024.
England prepared for this summer’s major tournament by playing two friendly matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then Iceland.
Whilst they beat Bosnia in an unconvincing manner, it was followed up by a tame defeat to Iceland, with the 26-man squad for Germany being finalised in between those matches.
James Maddison, who signed for Tottenham from relegated Leicester City last summer, came off the bench for the Bosnia game and was then told about his Euro 2024 snub days later.
The 27-year-old was the first name booted out, and when he was told of the news, he opted to exit camp early and head for his holidays, including removing England from his Instagram bio.
But that decision hasn’t sat well with Gary Neville because he questioned the Spurs star’s actions and stated ‘I would have stayed there’, as he told The Overlap.
The Manchester United legend was part of the England squad for the 1998 World Cup when Paul Gascoigne infamously thrashed Glenn Hoddle’s room when he was left out.
So, he has been in that space and environment to know how emotional it can get.
That was the point Wayne Rooney was trying to put forward to his former teammate because he stated that there was ‘no way’ he would have stayed.
Rooney mocked Neville and said ‘not every player is you’, as he defended Maddison’s actions for leaving early and explained how it’s hard for them to hide their emotions.
James Maddison left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad
“Why did he leave early?” questioned Neville about Maddison. “I would have stayed there.” To which Wayne Rooney responded in amazement in the background: “I wouldn’t. No way. Why would you have stayed?”
Neville then added: “The reason I would have stayed would probably have been one, there is an element of duty, ultimately you are in it together and I always have this feeling in football that if you are left out, and I’m not having a go at Maddison, different players deal with it in different ways.
“But the reason I would have stayed is I used to get really p’d off as a player if someone went mad that they were left out because what you are saying is the guy that was picked in front of you isn’t good enough, you think are you are better than him, which is fine, don’t get me wrong, confidence is good, but at least respect the fact the guy that has gone into the team. He doesn’t need to hear about your problems, he needs your support. You have a duty to be professional.”
“But not every player is you,” Rooney told Neville. “Not every player can give that support. You have got big players. You have got Grealish there, Harry Maguire, who I know was upset, even though he was injured. You have big players and personalities. So, for them to hide their emotions and support their teammates. You hope they could do that, but it’s very difficult.”
Neville then added: “I actually love Maddison, to be fair. I love him as a character. I wouldn’t want him to change one bit. The reason I would have stayed, secondly is, let’s say Foden got injured somehow in that game. I would have wanted to make sure. I think Gareth would have thought I’m going to keep the guy who stayed, I’m not going to pick the guy who has gone home.”
Right call to boot out James Maddison
It just goes to show how form can be a killer. After ten Premier League matches, Spurs were top of the table, Maddison was causing havoc and Ange Postecoglou had made a dream start.
But how the London club ended the season wasn’t exactly something to shout about.
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Maddison, who was in the treatment room for several months, returned out-of-form and was then dropped for huge games against Liverpool and Chelsea.
In that regard, he can’t argue because it’s not like he was banging the door down and demanding to be picked. On form, he was rightfully booted out and will not be playing at Euro 2024.
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