James Maddison Apologises to Coventry Fans After Tottenham Goal Celebration
James Maddison has apologised to Coventry City supporters after celebrating his first Tottenham goal since his long injury lay-off against the club he supports and where he began his career.
What we know
- Maddison made his first start for 526 days on Monday after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered last April.
- The England midfielder opened the scoring with a curling finish as Tottenham won 3-1, their first Premier League victory of the campaign. Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies also scored.
- Spurs moved off the bottom of the table with the win.
- Maddison kissed the Tottenham badge after scoring against Coventry, prompting criticism from some Sky Blues fans.
- He said the celebration had been planned as a thank-you to Tottenham for supporting him and his family through “the darkest days” of his career during the previous 18 months.
- Maddison insisted he still loves Coventry, said he remains a supporter, apologised to anyone upset by the timing and wished Frank Lampard’s side well for the rest of the season.
Next step: Maddison targets a regular Tottenham role
Maddison must now turn his comeback start into a sustained place in Tottenham’s XI. Competition has increased after Dejan Kulusevski also returned from a knee problem on Monday.
Jamie Carragher believes Maddison’s confidence will help him fight for his position. The former Liverpool defender said the midfielder will believe he is better than the attacking options brought into the squad, describing him as a player with the “football arrogance” needed at the top level.
Tottenham’s next task is to build on their first league win, while Maddison manages his fitness and attempts to establish himself again at the centre of the attack.
