Tottenham ‘outrageously erratic’ as James Maddison controversy blasted
Ange Postecoglou deserves his players running “through walls” for him after the Tottenham manager played down the controversy surrounding James Maddison, according to Andrew Dillon.
Dillon praised the Australian in his column on page 49 of The Sun (10 January), after he defended Maddison’s appearance at the World Darts Championship with Brennan Johnson hours after the disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves (29 December).
The England playmaker was criticised by certain sections of the Spurs fanbase, even responding to one fan on Instagram to brand him a “wally”, and Dillon was baffled by any negative reaction.
He said: “Well done to Ange Postecoglou for the way he handled the ludicrous outcry over James Maddison going to watch darts at Ally Pally. Such is life in the 21st century that if a player has an ingrowing butt hair or their team doesn’t win 10-0, the players must sit at home and stew.
“Given Tottenham’s outrageously erratic season and worrying position firmly ensconced in the lower half of the Premier League, it would have been easy for boss Postecoglou to deflect the blame onto Maddison, who would be ‘reminded of his responsibilities’. Instead he backed his midfielder to the hilt.
“There aren’t many managers I know who would come out fighting like that when their team is in a rut. If I were Maddison, I’d run through walls for Big Ange now.”
Tottenham uproar over Maddison was ridiculous but expected
Dillon is correct in his opinion here, and to be honest it appeared to be a view shared by the sensible majority of the fanbase at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Footballers have lives and the entitlement to live them as much as anyone else – end of story. Of course, the side-note is that players know their responsibilities as a role model. Going to watch the darts locally with a teammate certainly falls well within that boundary.
Postecoglou can be criticised for a range of factors depending on your view towards his style of play, his attitude with the media or his general mannerisms. But he backed his players at a key moment over something that should have been considered trivial.
Unfortunately, when the Sky Sports cameras panned live to Maddison and Johnson at Alexandra Palace, you knew it would attract unjustified criticism from sections of the fanbase. We’re trying to break down barriers between high-profile footballers and fans, not dehumanise them further.
Players have more public behavioural responsibilities than the everyman, we know that. But they aren’t robots, and should no longer be treated as such.
In other Tottenham news, a potential surprise exit for a player who has featured more often in recent weeks.
For more Tottenham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.