James Maddison can become a better player if he MISSES Euro 2020, says Brendan Rodgers
James Maddison will return a better player for Leicester City and England if he misses out on Gareth Southgate‘s Euro 2020 squad this week, according to Brendan Rodgers.
Maddison has been on the fringes of Rodgers’ side during the run-in having appeared as a substitute in last weekend’s FA Cup final triumph, is again expected to be on the bench when Leicester attempt to secure a top four finish against Tottenham on Sunday.
A hip injury disrupted the midfielder’s season stalling his efforts to win a place in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad ahead of this summer’s Euros and Rodgers insists the onus rests on Maddison to recover the levels that helped make an impact when the Foxes established themselves in the leading group at the head of the Premier League table.
James Maddison has been encouraged to use his summer to get fit after a difficult season
Gareth Southgate is expected to overlook Maddison for his Euro 2020 squad this June
‘The one thing that you can control as a football player is fitness,’ said the Foxes manager.
‘There are things in the game you can’t control as a player. You can’t control what tactics the manager uses for a game, what position he plays you in.
‘But you can control your mentality and your fitness. And this will be a great summer for him, to be able to get back.
‘He hasn’t returned to that level of fitness yet and it take a bit of time. And he hasn’t been able to because we have been playing a game, and then when he hasn’t played the games, he hasn’t been able to play maybe a section of the games.’
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers (right) feels a summer off can make Maddison a better player
Maddison, 24, was a £20m signing from Norwich three years ago and won his only England cap in the 7-0 Euro qualifying victory over Montenegro.
Rodgers indicated a summer regaining full fitness will benefit the player, club and country with the next World Cup in Qatar only 18 months away.
‘Towards the end of the season he will have an off period and then he’s going to have a really good period to get himself back to the level,’ he added.
‘And if he can can get back to that highest level, which he needs to, if you want to compete in the league at the top end, have a good pre-season and then get a bit more luck with injuries and that will see him through. And then it’s an exciting year next year for him with England as well.’
Defeat at Chelsea on Tuesday meant Leicester dropped to fifth ahead of the final day and realistically now must beat Tottenham and hope Thomas Tuchel’s side slip up at Aston Villa or Liverpool falter at home to Crystal Palace.
‘There is pressure to win on every game, from the first to the last,’ said Rodgers. ‘I only focus on what we can control. I don’t give too much thought to the other games because if you don’t do your own job its doesn’t matter.
‘My concentration is purely on us picking up three points and then see how Chelsea do at Villa. Villa had a great performance at Tottenham and Crystal Palace have shown they are very good on the counter-attack. But despite all of that, my only focus is picking up a win and finishing the season as best we can.’
