Maddison On 2021/22 Positives, Recharging & Going Again Next Year

- James Maddison takes stock after the 2021/22 season draws to a close
- The Leicester City midfielder netted his 18th goal in Sunday's 4-1 win over Southampton
- Maddison says the Foxes can view the campaign as a positive one on the whole but can do better
- He also thanks the Blue Army for their support, at home and away, through the entire year

Maddison opened the scoring for City before Jamie Vardy also struck and Ayoze Pérez hit a brace on Filbert Way on the final day of the season. It's a result which means Leicester conclude the campaign finishing eighth in the Premier League at the end of a season like few others. 

The Foxes had to contend with a huge injury list and fixture disruption over the winter months, while also embarking on a lengthy European run. Speaking at the end of a term which saw Maddison score a career-best 18 goals for Club, City's No.10 took stock on the side's end to the season.

"We said, with weeks to go, that we wanted to finish strong," the 25-year-old told LCFC TV. "Obviously, when you get put in that bracket of teams that have nothing to play for as such, as professionals, it’s not like that. You want to finish strong, you want to win every game.

"There’s so much at stake in every game you play in the Premier League and we wanted to finish strong. Obviously, with the last game being at home, with our supporters, who have followed us all around Europe this season, it’s always nice to put on a bit of a show and score four goals.

"We’re really happy to finish on a high, finish with three points, and finish with goals for the fans, who have been brilliant for us all season. If people are looking back and saying we had a bad season, finishing eighth and in a European semi-final, Leicester are obviously on the up.

"A few years ago, if you offered eighth in the Premier League and a European semi-final, they’d had bit your hand off. It’s all relative. It’s a season where we know we could have done better and we look back on with probably a bit of hurt because of losing the semi-final and not qualifying for Europe.

"Realistically, if you look at it relatively, it’s a positive season in terms of where the Club’s going. We’ll look to bounce back and go again next year."

Maddison says the importance of recuperating cannot be understated as the players head away for summer breaks after a season including 58 matches. He believes it is crucial for the Foxes to recover from a gruelling 10 months in order to be ready for the 2022/23 campaign.

"It’s so important to recharge the batteries," he explained. "If you look at the starts of seasons which some players sometimes have, or teams have, when they’ve gone far in European competitions, or even with players who go on international duty, sometimes they can have a slow start to the season.

"They didn’t get to recharge. It’s very important you have your downtime, you go on holiday, relax with your family… all the stuff you almost get starved of during the season.

Photos 23 May 2022

Leicester City's 2021/22 Season – In Photos

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"A lot of people don’t realise the schedule and what it’s like in terms of how much games we play and how much time we spend away from our family, not resting and constantly travelling. It’s very gruelling.

"It’s very important to recharge the batteries and be ready and fresh for pre-season, just for the motivation and hunger side of it, to want to go again."

Maddison's 18-goal haul is the best of his career and the former Norwich City man admits he's hit the targets he set at the season's outset.

"Yeah, I hit them this year!" he beamed. "I’ll have a deserved break and holiday. When you set targets, you want to hit them. Sometimes you’ll set targets that are maybe a bit out of the zone that you might feel you can get to, but that wasn’t the case this season.

"Eighteen goals is something if you offered me it at the start of the season, I’d have bit your hand off, so I’m really happy.

"You always try to reflect game-on-game, how you’ve played and what you can do better. On the season as a whole, I know the numbers are the best, but probably I’ve not yet reflected on the whole season and why that was my best season in front of goal.

"I think it has been my best season to be honest because, over the past seven months, I feel like I’ve been at my best. I’ll probably reflect more on holiday. It’s been a long season with a lot of games for us.

"When you’re in Europe, the schedule becomes relentless and it’ll be a deserved break for the boys because they’ve worked very hard."

Vardy, on the other hand, netted his 17th goal a week after marking the 10-year anniversary of joining the Foxes. In that time, Leicester's No.9 has risen to third in the Club's all-time goalscoring charts, lifted the Premier League, FA Cup, FA Community Shield and the Championship, and starred in Europe.

"He’s the 'goat' (greatest of all time)," Maddison said. "He just always delivers for us. He’s just a born goalscorer and a world-class striker.

"I don’t throw that term around lightly but he is. He’s a Premier League legend. When you’ve got him in your team, you’ve always got a chance and he did today what Jamie Vardy does and that’s why he’s so loved and adored among Leicester fans."

Maddison was able to share a special moment with his young family on Sunday, firstly being joined by his son for the pre-match walk-out, before sharing the lap of appreciation with his relatives and partner on the pitch. That, coupled with the Blue Army's reception, made it a memorable occasion.

"These moments are priceless," Maddison explained. "Becoming a father is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I love my son so much and just to carry him out and spend moments with my girlfriend and my family on the pitch after are moments you’ll look back on.

"They’re moments that are bigger than football. Family is the most important thing.

"They were brilliant again, the fans. It’s almost a bit of a dull-looking game if you looked at the fixtures because it would be one of those games that’ll probably be towards the end of Match of the Day just because of the nature of both teams having nothing to play for.

"They made it loud. They’ve been brilliant all season to be honest… away from home, at home. We really wanted to go out with a win for them, just so we could enjoy the moment after. If you lose, sometimes you see a few more empty seats and stuff, but it’s just to thank them for staying to applaud afterwards and thank them for the long yards they’ve travelled in Europe and in the cup competitions. Just brilliant, so it’s a big thank you."