James Maddison (now playing for Tottenham Hotspur)

[Andy84]

Would have loved him here, ok with it as long as we bring some creativity in 

[jack j]

Would have loved him up here tbh. Bit dissapointed to miss out. Hopefully we have someone better lined up otherwise will feel like a missed opportunity

[SteV]

Just now, TRon said:

 

I don't think they're wild takes though. He's a fantastic footballer, but there are doubts about his workrate, and whether he would fit our style of play. Most people have voiced those concerns for months, got nothing to do with him going to Spurs.

The wild takes are more to do with the views on Spurs and living in and around London than him as a player.

 

But even then, if you go back throughout the thread, you can see how attitudes towards him as a player change the less likely he becomes to sign for us.

[bobbydazzla]

I'm of the mindset that if we're genuinely in for a player, be it Maddison, or whoever, and they don't want to sign then that's OK.

We're an attractive proposition right now, so if a target isn't buzzing to get involved then it's not the right attitude to be bringing in, regardless of their on-pitch capabilities. So we move on.

 

And as for the comments about location.....our current crop of non-geordies seem to love life up here, so if a bloke from an absolute shithole like Coventry felt the North East wouldn't be a decent place to live, then so be it

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by bobbydazzla

[Viewfromtheafternoon]

11 minutes ago, SUPERTOON said:

Not sure we can do a lot better than Maddison tbh, he’s an elite player imo.

We can like and just have with Tonali, players of that class are a level above Maddison for me. 

[SUPERTOON]

Just now, Viewfromtheafternoon said:

We can like and just have with Tonali, players of that class are a level above Maddison for me. 

I’d argue right now Maddison is a better play than Tonali (obviously different positions). 

[BonesJones]

Personally agree with him not being the best fit for us. Fantastic player in the right system though!

 

For me though chances are we're just looking at someone younger, that is a better fit for our style, lower wages, and a higher ceiling.

 

Which is probably the right call really if we're thinking long term.

 

 

[Jaqen]

Love people getting offended that he doesn't want to play in the champions league and hates the North East when we've not even been in for him 

[Paullow]

It's one of those situations where some of the previous comments on here would have clearly been very pleased if he was at SJP holding up the scarf, and I'm sure he would have done very well for us, but at the same time, I think his stock is definitely lower than what it was in November before the injury vs West Ham. I also think the fact we were strongly linked with him when we were 11th in the league and realistically 3 or so years off qualifying for the CL (at the time), plus none of the Liverpool's, City's, Man U's, Arsenal's etc. have been heavily linked, is a little telling.

 

He'll be 27 a couple of months after the season starts, so there's very little resale potential, and this is pretty much his final big move, and our interest does seem to have cooled these past few months. It was very exciting this time last year when it looked like we might get him in the position we were in, but I do think we are now in a position to get a better transfer - not necessarily a better player, but one that might fit in more with our style of play, and just as important, be a few years younger and either be with us for 6 or 7 years and be a real hero, or potentially sell in 3 or 4 years if either we, or they, outgrow the other. I've said a few times, I would have been happy to have signed him, but I was MUCH more invested this time last year as it would have been a signing well above our station, and a WTF situation for rival fans, whereas now it would have been a much more 'par' signing in terms of respective stature.

 

I don't blame him at all for signing for Tottenham either, even for pure football reasons (not to mention the alleged £175k which we'd massively struggle to offer). They have a great stadium, great facilities, and haven't turned shite overnight. They probably will struggle to get into the top 5 now most seasons (our resurgence not helping with that), but it's still an attractive club and they have finished above us something like 19 times of the last 20 years, so while our future seems extremely bright, one good season in 12 years, or 2 in 20, doesn't automatically put us above them in terms of stock and appeal. That will take a good few further years of consistent progress. 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by Paullow

[Coffee_Johnny]

I think he’d be/have been a great signing. Imagine having had him as an option at key times last season? Could have been the difference between an exceptional and a best in living memory season.
I’m just not getting the vibes that he is still an option, whether price, wages, or our location, something seems awry/misaligned. 
Guess we can’t expect all (most?) to be chomping at the bit to sign for us. Shame as he could be involved in something truly special/career enhancing.
No worries; we’ll move on.

[Stottie]

Good player, I'd have happily welcomed him, but will trust the club's judgement on this, in both financial and football terms.

 

With Tonali, its hard to read the club's intent. We were expecting an AM (like Maddison) and a DM, but Tonali is more box to box like Bruno. There is a good chance that Maddison would no longer fit. For a new signing at RW, ideally we'd like someone who can also play centrally as a FW, not an SS.

[JP]

Interesting if Kane is off to Bayern it makes the move a bit more questionable on Maddisons side?

 

[Thomson Mouse]

Would’ve been good here and with Howe developing him but there’s others out there that are better.

 

Bit meh about it overall.

 

[Kimbo]

I suspect we moved on from him a while back, there’s been no real evidence we’ve been in for him since last summer. Maybe he would have chosen Spurs anyway, but it also seems that that is his only choice.

[Viewfromtheafternoon]

He’s not at the level for where we want to remain and get to for me. He’s not a champions league level player, if he’s so good why aren’t Man U arsenal Chelsea etc after him,

[Rich]

I have to make a post like this every year, but can we please just be a bit mindful of our language folks?

 

There are numerous posters here with disabled children. Think how they feel when certain words are chucked about.

[Manxst]

6 minutes ago, Viewfromtheafternoon said:

He’s not at the level for where we want to remain and get to for me. He’s not a champions league level player, if he’s so good why aren’t Man U arsenal Chelsea etc after him,

Because those clubs have different transfer priorities and require other positions filled?

[Viewfromtheafternoon]

4 minutes ago, Manxst said:

Because those clubs have different transfer priorities and require other positions filled?

Man U after Mount, arsenal paying 65 for Havertz.  Same position as Madisson. 
 

We are shopping at a higher level than a player who had question marks about their attitude in a relegated Leicester team. We have just taken one of Milans best players who has won Serie A and been the most creative player in the champions league. Tonali/Bruno signings are a level above Madisson and I have faith we will get another midfielder in this window who will be better than Madisson. 

[McCormick]

Bild saying big Dom will stay at Leipzig: https://m.bild.de/sport/fussball/rb-leipzig/rb-leipzig-was-der-gvardiol-deal-fuer-ihn-bedeutet-jetzt-muss-szoboszlai-bleiben-84470664.bildMobile.html?t_ref=http%3A%2F%2Fsportwitness.co.uk%2F

[SUPERTOON]

4 minutes ago, McCormick said:

Bild saying big Dom will stay at Leipzig: https://m.bild.de/sport/fussball/rb-leipzig/rb-leipzig-was-der-gvardiol-deal-fuer-ihn-bedeutet-jetzt-muss-szoboszlai-bleiben-84470664.bildMobile.html?t_ref=http%3A%2F%2Fsportwitness.co.uk%2F

Wonder with this and the Maddison news, our interest in Franca has been revisited. (Think we need someone a little more proven mind)

[McCormick]

We desperately need creativity and goals. Franca seems decent but we already have a lot of “triers” in midfield and on the wings. Someone like Maddison (and possibly DS) would have been perfect but ah well, FFP being a thing means we can’t get everything we want, all the time.

[The Prophet]

 

[WinstonFC]

5 minutes ago, McCormick said:

We desperately need creativity and goals. Franca seems decent but we already have a lot of “triers” in midfield and on the wings. Someone like Maddison (and possibly DS) would have been perfect but ah well, FFP being a thing means we can’t get everything we want, all the time.

Franca isnt a trier, hes arguably more creative than Maddison and Szobo

[SUPERTOON]

Just now, WinstonFC said:

Franca isnt a trier, hes arguably more creative than Maddison and Szobo

I’d be amazed if that was true 

[TRon]

7 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

 

I doubt the wages would have stopped us buying him. For good players that's par for the course now. More likely he preferred Spurs, or maybe we just didn't think it was a good deal for someone who'll be 27 soon.