Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright believes one of Tottenham Hotspur’s key men has been unfairly treated during his spell in North London.
Thomas Frank has had a somewhat decent start to life at Tottenham Hotspur, with the new Spurs boss suffering just one defeat since taking charge of the north London club.
It certainly has not been straightforward for the Dane, who has had to manage with a number of his key stars sidelined through injury.
Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin are among those currently out, and Frank will be hoping to have them back soon as Spurs continue to push on multiple fronts.
However, Ian Wright has now made a claim suggesting that one of those injured players is being treated unfairly at Tottenham.
Ian Wright defends Tottenham star James Maddison
While speaking on the Stick To Football podcast, former Arsenal striker Ian Wright shared his thoughts on how James Maddison is perceived, insisting the playmaker faces an unfair level of scrutiny.
Maddison picked up an ACL injury during Spurs’ pre-season tour of Asia and is expected to miss most of this campaign as he continues his recovery towards full fitness.
Wright said that Maddison is often criticised simply for expressing himself, even when his intentions are genuine and rooted in passion for the game.
“It is 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?’” Wright said.
“Some people say, ‘oh listen to him, he does not even play, he is injured always.’ But he speaks his mind because he has got personality. And then people dig him out.”
Maddison’s leadership and mentality clear for all to see
The English midfielder is certainly not one to hold back his thoughts, and that was plain to see last season when Maddison and Roy Keane were locked in a constant back-and-forth.
Keane had suggested that the Englishman tends to go missing in the big moments, only for Maddison to respond in the best way possible, scoring the winning goal when Tottenham beat Manchester United 1-0 last season.
The 28-year-old has had to prove himself and has done so at Tottenham, helping the club to a Europa League triumph, and it is no surprise that Maddison is now part of Frank’s leadership group.