Amid a dark, dismal start to Leicester City’s season, James Maddison has been their shining light.
And on Monday night, it was the artful England outcast who inspired the Foxes to a first Premier League win as Nottingham Forest were put to the sword to ease the pressure on Brendan Rodgers. "An outstanding player in fantastic form," declared Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
One point from seven games, featuring 11 conceded in their last two, had seen Rodgers position called into question. Some suggest he’s only still in the job because they cannot afford to sack him amid financial constraints. Others have claimed he’s been keen to go for a while questioning his body language during the thrashings at Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur.
But amid his and his side’s woes, the Leicester boss has seen Maddison, unwanted by Three Lions counterpart Gareth Southgate, lead by example on and off the pitch. Just as he has shown for teammates when under pressure and shown for his manager as the side’s top scorer - now with five in eight games - he has fronted up to supporters, not sugar-coating the team’s struggles when answering, honestly, questions about what has been going wrong.
Throughout, the club's recent turmoil his manager has retained his support. It is Rodgers whom Maddison, now 25, credits with his maturation in recent years.
“I’ve improved in every aspect, on and off the pitch,” said Maddison when asked about working with Rodgers in 2021. "I think he’s helped take me to the next level, so I’m very grateful because he puts a lot of work in as well.
“The fact he cares about making me a better player, he has my utmost respect and hopefully we can keep working together for a long time.”
Since Maddison spoke so glowingly about his manager’s influence they have won the FA Cup, Community Shield, and reached a European semi-final. Maddison has only got better too, pushing himself to get the “numbers” - goals, assists, chances created - which see him compared to the Premier League’s leading lights and he had hoped would lead him into World Cup contention.
Alas, despite his deflected opener, sumptuous free kick and assist for Patson Daka’s fourth taking him to 27 direct goal involvements (17 goals, 10 assists) since the start of last season - second to only Harry Kane when it comes to English footballers in that time - it appears he won’t be heading to Qatar.
For whatever reason, he appears to simply not be trusted by Southgate.
Maddison himself however promises not to give up in his quest to book a spot on the plane: “I’m not naive, I know there’s top players in those forward areas. But I have a self belief and a confidence that I’m a top player and I can be in that category. I’ve got to have the mindset of ‘I’ll force my way in’.
"I think there could be a space for me so I’ll just keep working hard, producing performances for Leicester and the gaffer here and see where it leaves me.”
Rodgers believes a space should be found. “It’s such a shame, I think for the country and for James himself.
"You see his talent and his performance level in the last 18 months, there’s only Harry Kane who’s created and scored more goals than him. "
Thankfully for Rodgers, the No.10 whom he spent time getting to know, to understand, over cups of tea in his office and out on the training field, working day in, day out to be the best version of himself, came up trumps once more and instead pushed Forest boss Steve Cooper closer to being handed his P45 by trigger-happy owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Maddison was handed a standing ovation when substituted after 85 minutes, a quiet word in the ear and a smile from his manager on his way to take a seat.
Leicester remain rooted in the relegation zone despite their 4-0 thrashing of these not so Tricky Trees and Rodgers does remain very much a man under pressure.
But if Maddison continues this form, and those around him can maintain the standards they set on Monday night, it won't be long before Leicester are rising up the table once more, led by their overlooked, but not-giving-up pied piper.
