Ange Postecoglou says he has “no problem” with James Maddison watching the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace on the same day he could not start Tottenham Hotspur’s draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers because of illness.
Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur started for Spurs in Sunday’s 2-2 home draw with Maddison coming off the bench in the 64th minute.
A few hours later, the 28-year-old went to watch Peter Wright beat Luke Humphries in the last-16 of the tournament in north London along with his team-mate Brennan Johnson. Tottenham’s squad had been given Monday and Tuesday off.
“He was due to play last week but he was sick so I had to change the team on the day and leave him on the bench,” Postecoglou said on Friday before Tottenham’s match with Newcastle United when he was asked about the England international being in and out of his starting team.
“I don’t think any player can play the volume of games we’re playing at the moment, and the way we want to play, and maintain performance. I don’t think it’s feasible. I don’t think there’s anything in the way Madders is playing that would mean we would get more game-time.
“I still think the key with Madders is to keep him fit, keep him healthy, keep him sharp and that’s by not playing every game, especially with the programme we’ve got. When he’s played this year, his goal tally is strong, he’s always impacted the game and that’s what we need him to keep doing. I don’t think that means he’ll play more, I don’t think it’s feasible for anyone.”
Maddison is a big fan of darts (Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Postecoglou was then asked how he felt about Maddison going to watch the darts even though he had been unwell.
“I’ve got no problem with the players having lives,” he said. “It’s a lot different trying to play a game of football and living a life. I don’t see any problem with that and I don’t think it hurt him. He wasn’t 100 per cent and it was a game where we needed someone to be 100 per cent.
“He was still well enough to play so it wasn’t like he was bed-ridden. If he was bed-ridden, didn’t turn up to the game and then still went to the darts, there may be an issue there. But I had no issue with that.”
Postecoglou’s response is similar to what Brendan Rodgers said in October 2019 after Maddison, who played for Leicester City at the time, pulled out of England’s squad for a game against the Czech Republic but was pictured in a casino the following day.
Maddison is “feeling better” now according to Postecoglou but an illness bug has spread throughout the rest of his squad which has impacted their preparation for Newcastle. Postecoglou said a “few” players had been affected but did not provide a specific number.
Spurs are already without Micky van de Ven, Ben Davies and Cristian Romero due to injury. Postecoglou is hopeful they will return by the end of January but Destiny Udogie is out for six weeks with a hamstring injury. First-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is targeting a return from a fractured ankle by the end of February.
(Top photo: James Fearn/Getty Images)
