The manager of Premier League club Leicester City, Brendan Rodgers, has backed midfielder James Maddison after the latter’s casino visit and shared his concern that the young player is being described in a wrong way.
The manager of Leicester City did not deny that the midfielder made a mistake by visiting a casino last week after he was released from England’s National squad due to illness. However, Rodgers described Maddison’s visit to the casino as totally innocent and added that the player is being wrongly portrayed.
The 22-year-old James Maddison was dismissed of the England squad for its Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria on account of illness. However, the young player was photographed at a poker table in a Leicester-based casino on the same night when England was defeated by the Czech Republic’s national squad.
According to Rodgers’ explanations, Maddison was there to watch the second half of his squad’s match after he watched the first half of the game at home. Leicester’s manager claims that the young player went out at half-time and went to the casino, where he only sat and watched the second half of the game. He utterly denied suggestions that Maddison had stayed home rather than travelling with the rest of the England squad on purpose and then went to the casino, saying this was not the case at all.
Exclusive Pictures Show Maddison Sitting at a Poker Table in the Grosvenor Casino
The Leicester manager is concerned that Maddison has been facing a strong wave of criticism at a time when he has already been put in the spotlight for some other decisions made by the young attacking midfielder regarding his purchases and personal styling. As for the casino visit, things might not be just as Rodgers says.
An exclusive picture published by The Sun shows Maddison actually sitting at a poker table in the local Grosvenor Casino, with a pile of chips in front of him. As revealed by some fans who were present at the casino at the time, he sat at the table wearing a baseball cap and a hood but he still agreed to chat and take pictures with them.
According to an unnamed source cited by The Sun at the time when the picture was published, James Maddison is known for his love for poker and for the fact that he even participates in poker tournaments. Still, the source found it surprising to see him in a casino when the English National squad were playing, especially considering the fact that he was been sent home as he had been “too unwell” to travel with the rest of the team.
According to poker databases, Maddison’s poker winnings amount to nearly £5,000. Last December, he won £2,300 in a charity poker event, which he donated to a charity organisation in Leicester which is named after the club’s late owner.
It remains unknown whether or not the casino visit would have any negative consequences for the young midfielder.
- Author
Daniel Williams
