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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
John Cross & Tom Blow

Gareth Southgate rubs salt in James Maddison's wound with England playmaker claim

Gareth Southgate has claimed England do not produce playmakers in comments which will not please James Maddison.

Southgate was asked about the qualities of Germany's Joshua Kimmich and the way he dictates games and said England do not have anyone similar.

England boss Southgate said: "In terms of the profile of players, we cannot buy somebody, we cannot generate somebody - we have got to make the most of the players that we have. That’s what we try to do - we try to find different ways of building from the back to allow us that lack of a playmaking pivot, if you like.

"At the moment, we don’t have that sort of player in this country. I don’t think we develop that sort of players well through youth football and through academies. Other countries probably have a little bit more focus on that.

"So we have players with other excellent attributes and we try to get the most out of that, and that’s what we did with Declan and Kalvin in particular in the summer. Jude is a different sort of profile for that.

"He is somebody who can gallop forward and take the game to the opponent in a different way. Yes, you’ve got to get the best out of the attributes of the players you have got."

James Maddison was left out of Gareth Southgate's most recent England squad (CameraSport via Getty Images)

Do you think James Maddison should be in the England squad? Let us know in the comments below!

Southgate has been criticised for not selecting Maddison. The 25-year-old has not played for England since making his debut in 2019, despite consistently performing for Leicester. He's scored three goals and produced one assist in the Premier League this term.

Maddison was also superb for Leicester last season, scoring 18 goals and providing 12 assists in all competitions. England, meanwhile, haven't scored a goal in open play in a competitive game since their 10-win against San Marino last November.

England's only goal since then was a Harry Kane penalty in a 1-1 draw against Germany three months ago. Southgate's side are in the middle of a nightmare run of form - losing 4-0 at home to Hungary in June and suffering a 1-0 defeat to Italy in Milan on Friday night.

"A gentle reminder that England's most creative midfielder, James Maddison, was not in the squad of 28," tweeted Gary Lineker after the Italy defeat. "And England's most creative footballer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, sat on the bench getting splinters in his a***."

Speaking about his latest England rejection after Leicester's 6-2 defeat to Tottenham earlier this month, Maddison said: "The England stuff is not at the forefront of my mind at the minute when we're sat bottom of the Premier League... tough week."

He added: "I always have that belief [that I can get back into the squad] - I've always had that belief. That's why I'm standing here doing an interview for a Premier League club. I've worked hard to get where I am and that will never change. That self-belief is something I've had as a young kid. On the England stuff, we've just got to focus on the collective at Leicester... and hopefully that'll leave me in better stead on that front."

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