Jamie Redknapp refused to criticise James Maddison for lashing out at Ryan Yates because he has a conflict of interest when it comes to the Tottenham midfielder, according to Richard Keys.
Maddison sparked a major talking point on Sunday after punching Nottingham Forest midfielder Yates in the stomach during Spurs’ 3-1 win. The incident was missed live by referee Simon Hooper, but was checked by VAR, who did not deem it a red card offence.
The game was live on Sky Sports on Sunday evening and the incident was discussed by former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane, who did not think it warranted a red card and instead criticised Yates for milking it. "I worked with Yates at Forest, really nice kid, but every week somebody touches him he goes down," Keane said. "He goes down far too easily. For such a decent lad he needs to cut that out of his game."
Former Sky Sports anchor Keys, who now works for beIN SPORTS in Qatar, has criticised Redknapp for not speaking up on the incident. “Palace should’ve had a pen v City,” Keys wrote in his blog. “And was everybody in the bunker asleep when Maddison punched Ryan Yates off the ball at Spurs? It’s not so bad that Simon Hooper missed it – but it was as clear as day for VAR. Maddison should’ve been sent off.
“I’m told Jamie Redknapp didn’t want to make much of the incident on Sky. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Maddison models for Redknapp’s clothing company? If that’s not a conflict of interest I don’t know what is.”
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Maddison has been pictured wearing clothes made by Sandbanks – the luxury fashion company that Redknapp co-founded in 2018 – but does not appear to work for the company. Mirror Football has contacted Sky Sports and Redknapp’s representatives to request comment.
Along with his long-time colleague Andy Gray, Keys left Sky Sports in January 2011 after they were caught on camera making derogatory comments about women. He has always maintained he left after Sky sacked Gray and was not dismissed and he retains an anger towards Redknapp, who kept his job and his reputation.
James Maddison escaped punishment for punching Ryan Yates (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)One of the infamous clips from a Sky studio while off-air shows Redknapp awkwardly laughing as Keys repeatedly makes sexist comments about an ex-girlfriend of his. Keys has previously claimed in his blog – without proof – that journalists were told to “bury” him in the wake of the scandal “and make sure nothing sticks to Redknapp”. Keys also claimed that the phrasing of his infamous comments came from him mimicking something Redknapp had said previously which was not shown in the clip.
Maddison appeared alongside Redknapp on Sky show A League Of Their Own back in November, as well as on Redknapp’s Home Fixture in May 2020. He has frequently been praised by Redknapp, who writes a column for the Daily Mail, as well as working as a pundit for Sky Sports.
Back in 2020, Redknapp’s friend Freddie Flintoff landed himself in hot water after repeatedly wearing a Sandbanks coat while filming Top Gear. The BBC has strict rules around being seen to promote other companies and social media posts from Sandbanks showing Flintoff wearing their coats had to be deleted.
James Maddison wearing a Sandbanks coat in February 2023
Sandbanks used this photo on social media in March 2021Redknapp may not have commented, but Keane thought the Maddison ‘punch’ was overblown. “I don’t see that as a punch – a bit of a coming together, that’s the way I look at it,” he said. “Players, you have to respect each other and especially playing in the middle of the park.
"Yates, I see it all the time he likes to give it out, he likes to tackle people and if someone gives you a shove, come on, you’ve got to play that game. If you’re gonna give it out, you’ve got to take it.”
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