Chris Sutton believes James Maddison shouldn’t be worried about making England’s Euro 2024 spot despite his poor form with Tottenham – and threw his backing behind Ange Postecgolou after suffering four defeats in a row.
Maddison started the season in terrific form under the Australian coach after his £42million move from Leicester as he contributed three goals and five assists in his first 12 games of the season – before picking up a long-term injury in November.
The 27-year-old returned in January but hasn’t been the same player since, registering just one goal and two assists – with no goal contributions since March. As a result, Postecoglou has benched him for the last two games against Chelsea and Liverpool.
But despite fears that Maddison’s poor form will see him miss out on a place at Euro 2024 this summer, Sutton believes he still has enough quality to be included after news that manager Gareth Southgate will be able to pick 26 players instead of 23.
Speaking on Mail Sport’s podcast It’s All Kicking Off, Sutton says the player shouldn’t be ‘sweating’ on his inclusion, insisting he has given a ‘good response’ since being dropped by his manager.
James Maddison should not worry over Euro 2024 spot despite poor form, says Chris Sutton
![Sutton hailed the response of Maddison since being dropped by boss Ange Postecoglou](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/06/15/84514667-13387631-image-a-11_1715007527616.jpg)
Sutton hailed the response of Maddison since being dropped by boss Ange Postecoglou
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His podcast co-host Ian ladyman said: ‘He’ll be sweating on his England place a little bit, I would think. And he might be one of the ones to benefit from UEFA’s judgment last week that there will be 26-man squads for the Euros rather than 23 because he might need to be one of those final three places.’
Sutton added: ‘That’s why he won’t be sweating. I think you’re right about his form.
‘I don’t necessarily think that many Spurs fans would have been surprised that he was dropped. Nobody has a divine right to play if their form dips. His form dipped. And he actually came on and it was a good response from him.
‘He didn’t sulk and chuck his toys out of the pram and just come on and trot around. He made a difference and that’s what you have to do as a player. But he’ll be going to Germany, I’m absolutely certain of that.’
![He believes Maddison will benefit from Gareth Southgate (R) being able to pick a larger squad](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/06/16/84514783-13387631-image-a-12_1715007617557.jpg)
He believes Maddison will benefit from Gareth Southgate (R) being able to pick a larger squad
Sutton was also asked by Ladyman what he made of recent pressure on Postecoglou after presiding over four successive defeats, with questions being asked of the manager’s tactics after watching his side being cut apart on the counter attack – as well as looking vulnerable from set-pieces.
But the former Celtic forward – who has been a staunch supporter of Postecoglou – said the coach should be judged ‘fairly’ across the season having come into a difficult situation last summer.
‘I always felt there were going to be bumps in the road,’ he said. ‘I thought that’s natural. They, in many respects, overachieved at the start under him. And then, as is the norm, everybody sort of jumped on the bandwagon and got carried away with it. They’ve had a poor spell as of late, but I think you have to judge him fairly over the course of the season.
‘Tottenham played a negative brand of football. He’s come in and played an expansive brand. They had Jeffrey Boycott before and now they’ve got Ian Botham with Postecoglou. And with that and with that comes its risks.
![Sutton also defended 'thick skinned' Postecoglou after receiving criticism over poor results](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/06/16/84514671-13387631-image-a-13_1715007719815.jpg)
Sutton also defended ‘thick skinned’ Postecoglou after receiving criticism over poor results
‘They have been exposed ruthlessly as of late but over the whole season I think Tottenham fans should be happy with what they’ve seen.’
When asked what Postecoglou might be thinking after fans and pundits questioned his set-up at set-pieces and a lack of plan B, sutton insisted he would ‘bulldoze’ through any doubters.
‘I think he’s thick skinned,’ Sutton added. ‘I think that he will just bulldoze through all this. The only thing which he cares about is how his team performs. Performance is everything. Some of the comments which he’s made, he got pulled up by many people on the Champions League comments, not being the be all and end all.
‘His whole coaching career has been about if the team is performing well, the results then will follow that. And that’s his sort of mantra. So the stuff about set pieces, the point he was making with that is that it was a broader picture. It wasn’t just about set pieces. It was about improvement in all areas.
![He backed the Australian to 'bulldoze' his way through criticism over tactics and set-pieces](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/06/16/84514825-13387631-image-a-15_1715007777632.jpg)
He backed the Australian to ‘bulldoze’ his way through criticism over tactics and set-pieces
![Sutton said Spurs fans should be 'careful' about questioning Postecoglou after enduring poor football under his predecessors](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/06/16/84514827-13387631-image-a-14_1715007725239.jpg)
Sutton said Spurs fans should be ‘careful’ about questioning Postecoglou after enduring poor football under his predecessors
‘I think he just sort of cuts through the waffle. He can’t be bothered with that. He knows where he wants to go.
‘If you strip everything back, this season at Tottenham has been a success. Tottenham aren’t a team who win trophies. So we know what the Tottenham fans wanted. He’s given them that.
‘Were at a stage now where I think that Tottenham fans have to be a little bit careful because what would the alternative be?
‘It’s about the rebuild now and they’ve got somebody in who wants to rebuild and do it in a particular way and he’s not going to change – and Tottenham fans know he’s not going to change – so if I was them I’d enjoy the ride and just get on with it.’