Ian Wright believes Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison is overly criticised by the English media
Thomas Frank has steadied the ship at Tottenham Hotspur after replacing Ange Postecoglou at the helm. The Lilywhites appear to be on the right track under the Dane, as they look to build on last season’s Europa League triumph.
Spurs are third in the Premier League table after seven fixtures, just two points below league leaders Arsenal. This is a testament to the quick progress made by the club under Thomas Frank’s tutelage. There is a genuine shift in the performance levels and mentality, although Frank has a lot to prove in the coming weeks, months and years.
One player who has not managed to contribute to Tottenham’s strong start to the season is James Maddison. The playmaker was unfortunate to sustain an ACL rupture in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in South Asia in August- a game which actually marked his return from a knee problem. As a result, he is set to miss a large part of this campaign.
Arsenal legend feels Tottenham star is judged unfairly by the English media
While James Maddison was unlucky to miss out on playing in the Europa League final against Manchester United in May, he did contribute heavily in Tottenham’s continental success under Ange. Indeed, the 28-year-old registered three goals and four assists in 11 Europa League appearances.
Last season, Manchester United legend Roy Keane criticised the England international for his lack of consistency as Tottenham struggled domestically. When discussing Tottenham and their strong start to the 2025/26 season on the Stick To Football podcast, ex-Arsenal striker Ian Wright claimed Maddison is unfairly treated by the English media.
“It’s like someone like James Maddison, he would say something, he would say, he would just speak his mind and speak, and everyone says, ‘oh, really?’ Ian Wright said.
“Some people say, ‘oh listen to him, he doesn’t even play, he’s injured always.’ But he speaks his mind because he’s got personality. And then people dig him out.”
Maddison is a colourful character!
After the Europa League triumph, Maddison, who was out with a knee injury, made sure to give a cheeky riposte to Roy Keane. Throughout the 2024/25 season, Keane was highly critical of the Englishman for not doing enough to help the Lilywhites overcome the rut in the Premier League and even went as far as to call out his trademark ‘dart’ celebration. However, the creative midfielder had the final laugh against Keane, poking fun at the pundit after the Europa League win in May.
Currently, Maddison is putting considerable effort during his recovery process from an ACL injury. If hopefully everything goes as per the plan with regards to his rehab, fans could see him return to action in the latter stages of the season.