'What is the point'- Tottenham star hits out amidst ‘pillow-fight’ with pundit

Simon Jordan did not take Maddison biting back well and went on to criticise him. He gave a brutal verdict on the Tottenham No.10, suggesting that had the 28-year-old been “fit all season”, Spurs would have been relegated like his former club Leicester City.

Maddison decided to respond to Jordan’s fresh swipe when speaking live on talkSPORT. He said:

“I do not want to get into a pillow fight with Simon Jordan. But listen, even with the Roy Keane thing and the Simon Jordan thing, it is all a little bit tongue in cheek, you know what I mean, over the course of the season, as a player, you have to accept people in the media giving you criticism and that is part and parcel.

“But when you win the trophy as a club, if you are not entitled to have a little dig back, then what is the point? People always want personality in players and then they moan there are not enough players with personality.”

As we all know, criticism is all part and parcel of the game and the players have to be ready to take it when that comes their way. However, sometimes criticism goes over the top, and the same has happened with Maddison in this case. The England international has faced heavy scrutiny this campaign despite delivering plenty of standard displays in a Spurs shirt, but that hasn’t stopped certain pundits and media outlets criticising him in recent weeks.

If pundits feel players have to be gracious when taking in criticism, then they must also be ready to raise their hands up and admit they were wrong. Jordan, instead of bringing on Leicester’s relegation and mixing it with Tottenham’s 2024/25 season, should have just gulped the humble pie down handed by Maddison.

All in all, it is clear to see that Maddison will not back down and react to over the top criticism when required, and we need such colourful personalities in the game.