James Maddison believes it’s time for Tottenham Hotspur to rid themselves of the “black mark” associated with their long trophy drought and is confident manager Ange Postecoglou can lead them to success. Spurs haven’t lifted a major trophy since their 2008 League Cup triumph over Chelsea, and despite coming close in competitions like the 2019 Champions League final, they’ve fallen short of adding to their silverware collection.
Maddison, who joined Spurs from Leicester last year, made it clear that his ambition in moving to North London was to win trophies. He is optimistic that Postecoglou, who has a track record of delivering silverware at every club he’s managed, is the right person to guide Tottenham to success. “It’s spoken a lot in the media here and it’s a bit of a black mark against Tottenham’s name in terms of silverware, and that’s on us,” said Maddison.
The midfielder stressed that it’s the responsibility of the team to change recent history and secure trophies. “The club needs to be winning trophies. A club of this size and the quality we have, we should be battling it out for trophies,” he added, pointing out that Spurs have multiple opportunities this season in the Europa League, Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League. Maddison emphasized that, for him, trophies are the true measure of a footballer’s career: “When all is done in your career, you look back on what you’ve won.”
Tottenham’s start to the season has been mixed, with four points from their opening three Premier League games. However, Maddison is looking forward to the upcoming north London derby against Arsenal, a fixture he knows is significant for the club. “Last year, I learned how much it meant for Tottenham to play against Arsenal and what it means to beat your local rivals,” he said. The build-up to the derby, he noted, “is a little bit different to the other games,” reflecting the intensity and pressure surrounding the clash.
As Tottenham prepare for this key fixture, Maddison’s desire to break the club’s long trophy drought aligns with Postecoglou’s ambition to bring winning football back to Spurs.
