Postecoglou issue with Maddison revealed as Tottenham admission made
James Maddison has put Tottenham Hotspur fans through a mill of emotion since his arrival, with performances demonstrating a wide spectrum of capability.
The attacking midfield man has shown strokes of genius, scattered among other days when he has looked completely ineffective or just not suited to what Ange Postecoglou is trying to achieve.
Maddison has appeared a player who plays well when his team is playing well, and that has of course been nowhere near the case for Postecoglou’s ailing Lilywhites in 2024-25.
Maddison ‘best in country’ call made as problem suggested
Maddison has been left frustrated at this midpoint of his career, the 28-year-old having been cut from the England squad for Euro 2024.
Thomas Tuchel’s arrival has changed little, as Maddison was overlooked for the incoming Three Lions manager’s first selection, and Postecoglou clearly sees shortcomings in the undoubtedly immensely talented attacking midfielder.
TV commentator Ian Darke has branded Maddison’s career path and performance levels as that of a player deeply inconsistent but who, at his best, can appear the “best in the country” in his position.
“I think he’s been inconsistent throughout his career. He’s enormously gifted and he has these purple patches where he looks like he’s the best midfielder in the country,” Darke exclusively told Tottenham News.
“There are other periods when he’s extremely quiet and gets relegated to the bench. That seems a common pattern. The very best James Maddison walks into the England team, but that inconsistency is a matter of some frustration for all concerned.
“When he has those periods when he doesn’t look as if he’s on it, he then looks like a luxury player within the team who Postecoglou thinks is being carried in the team. That shows in his starting XI selections in recent months.”
Postecoglou needs his best Tottenham players but no ‘luxuries’
In among all the issues Postecoglou is facing as Tottenham head coach, striking the balance between his top-calibre stars and their habitual dip into ‘luxury player’ territory is one he could do without.
Maddison can share the blame with Son Heung-min in that regard, and also the established defensive players – albeit in a system Postecoglou devotes wholeheartedly towards risky attacking football.
| James Maddison – Tottenham Hotspur 2024-25 | Total |
| Appearances | 40 |
| Goals | 11 |
| Assists | 8 |
The Spurs number 10 has shown some end product for sure – he has accumulated 19 goal contributions including 11 goals in all competitions this season, having featured 40 times.
The Europa League could not just turn a massive corner for Tottenham and Postecoglou, but also Maddison – whose England hopes could rest plentifully on competing on the European stage next season.