James Maddison aims to take centre stage again on Sunday after revealing how he ended up doing a duet with Robbie Williams in England’s World Cup camp.
The Leicester playmaker says Manchester United defender Harry Maguire “stitched” him up in Doha into performing with the former Take That star. Reluctant singer Maddison grudgingly took to the floor to join Williams amid howls of laughter from the England squad.
But, this weekend the in-form ace can have the last laugh over Maguire, who returned to United’s Premier League team last weekend in their win at Leeds. Ahead of Sunday's trip to Old Trafford, Maddison revealed: “Robbie came to visit the squad in the camp in Qatar. It was a little treat for us and we had a BBQ.
“He performed for us and Harry Maguire stitched me up because he knows Robbie, he told him beforehand I was actually really good at singing. It was a joke because I'm absolutely horrendous. Robbie called me up and wouldn’t let me stay in my seat. I had to go up and do a duet with Robbie - we did Sweet Caroline.”
Maddison’s return to Brendan Rodger’s Leicester side after injury has coincided with an unbeaten four-game run to climb away from danger and into the FA Cup fifth round.
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The ace has been exceptional in back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Tottenham after scoring in each. He aims to add to his nine Premier League goals and five assists this weekend.
James Maddison gave his England team-mates a night to forget during his duet with Robbie Williams (Getty Images)In-form Maddison, made skipper against Spurs, added: "I want to be the main man. That's not being arrogant or big-headed, but I want to be the main man. I love the responsibility and I'm at my best when I have that pressure on me.
"Getting the [captain's] armband just adds to me wanting that pressure and responsibility. That's when I'm at my best. I just keep doing what I'm doing. I know, especially in the last couple of years, I've been very effective for the team. I'm probably on my best form I've ever been in, so I am trying to keep that up.”
Maddison’s red-hot Leicester displays saw him gatecrash England’s squad for Qatar, but he never played due to a niggling knee injury.
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Robbie Williams serenaded England in Qatar (AFL Photos via Getty Images)"It wasn't bitter-sweet - it was sweet,” Maddison insisted. “It was an unbelievable experience and one I'll never forget even though I didn't actually play. I struggled a little bit with my knee at the start and I was playing catch-up then.
"It wasn't ideal because you obviously want to play in the tournament, that's what we dream of. But the experience as a whole, I've no qualms about that, the experience was unbelievable and I took so much from it.
"Everything you do is a learning experience and a World Cup is no different, just like any other game. So it was a really good experience, you just take what you can from it. It's hard in the moment, but when you reflect you can see what you've actually learned."
Maddison has since put the experience to good use helping Leicester turnaround their form. He says being moved inside to his favoured No.10 role has paid off after Rodgers brought in Brazilian winger Tete to play wide right, where Maddison was previously deployed.
He said: "I'll play wherever the gaffer wants me to because I have such a good relationship with Brendan. I actually enjoyed getting to know that role and scoring and assisting from the right, but I'm a player who is best centrally, I'm a player who is best in the middle.
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"When I've got two wingers and a striker in front of me, that's when I'm at my best, receiving centrally, but I did well off the right, so the gaffer was keeping me out there. We didn't have many options off the right that he wanted to go with. Now, we've got Tete in, who is very direct and actually a proper winger, so it lets me get inside again."
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