LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) – Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers said his playmaker James Maddison should be called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad after an excellent all-round attacking display in their 2-0 Premier League win over Everton on Saturday.
The 25-year-old pulled the strings for the Foxes, creating goals for Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes, and was unlucky not to score in an impressive performance.
Asked if Maddison deserved a place in the England squad, which is expected to be announced on Thursday, Rodgers said: “For me it’s not a debate. That’s the reality.
“I respect there are so many top players, so many attacking players, doing well but if you can’t find (a place for) a player of that quality that has produced consistently over the last 18 months as he has then it’s obviously sad ,” he told Sky Sports.
“You want to be creating and scoring goals, and he is one of the best out there. He takes risks at the right moment. An absolutely brilliant player who is ready for a World Cup with his maturity. He can do no more. He is an outstanding talent.”
Despite some fine performances as Leicester have bounced back from a poor start to the season, Maddison has done his best to keep quiet about his chances of making the England squad but on Saturday he opened up about his World Cup aspirations.
“I’d be lying if I said it (the England squad) wasn’t on my mind, because the World Cup is nearly here, and that’s the pinnacle, that’s the dream,” Maddison told Sky Sports ahead of the tournament starting on Nov. 20 in Qatar.
“If I focus on my performance for Leicester, hopefully that will catch the eye of the England manager, but that is out of my control,” he added.
Goalscorer Tielemans, who will represent Belgium at the World Cup, gave several reasons why he believed Maddison should be in the England squad.
“His form, but also his experience and his influence on the game. I think is brilliant for us, he’s our creative player,” he said.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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