Youngster ready to continue his development after signing his first professional contract this week, and scoring twice in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday…
Coventry City midfielder James Maddison expressed his delight at signing his first professional contract this week, and says he is desperate to play regularly in the Sky Blues' first team.The 18-year old from Wyken, who celebrated his birthday last Sunday, broke through into the first team at this start of this campaign and has featured nine times this season, as well as scoring his first professional goal against Oldham Athletic last month.
Now the three-and-a-half year contract has been signed, Maddison wants to get back to what he loves the most; playing football.
"I was delighted to sign my contract," he said. "It was a relief and now I can focus on my football.
"My goal is to get into the first team regularly but I just take every game as it comes. I don't care what team it is, as it's just a bonus to be training and featuring at times for the first team at my stage of my development.
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"However, I know I have a long way to go. My family keep me grounded, which is good. I'll wait if I need to for my opportunity, because I have faith in my ability. When I get that chance I will take it.
"There will be bad runs of form too, but I have to cope with that correctly when it comes. As I'm young I'll have opposition players trying to put me in my place but I'm trying to get stronger, as that's important in this league and I want to keep playing with the ball at my feet."
Although he is remarkably assured, belying his tender years, Maddison stresses that the faith in his ability, as well as working hard in the City Academy, have seen him progress remarkably quickly over the last 12 months.
He continued: "Some people say I'm cocky. I'm not, I just believe in my ability. The way I play on the field is confident.
"I got into the academy at an early age and they've been fantastic. It's been my only goal and football is the only thing I've ever played.
"I want to progress with the style I've been playing with, I love to dribble past people, go past defenders and win free kicks. I think I'm good at dead ball situations too, it's something I'm always practising."
Maddison showed flashes of what could be to come when he scored twice at Spotland and he turned in a Man of the Match display as the Under 18s beat Rochdale 4-3 to progress to the third Round of the FA Youth Cup.
With players like Jack Finch and Maddison progressing to the senior side, Maddison believes that the academy will continue to produce future stars.
He concluded: "The win midweek was great. We have a great side in the youth team.
"There are definitely more players ready to come into the first team. Every year I have been here I have seen great players.
"For me, I am desperate to get in the first team. I want to show everybody what I'm about."