Maddison: Fitness Gains & Building The Right Mentality
- James Maddison speaks during the Club's pre-season training camp in Surrey
- Leicester City face Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Wednesday (7:30pm BST kick-off)
- The 24-year-old provided an update on the Foxes' summer training so far
- He also discussed the winning mentality which now exists among Brendan Rodgers' squad
City head to Adams Park on Wednesday to tackle Sky Bet League 1 outfit Wycombe Wanderers after a fortnight of pre-season work at LCFC Training Ground. Now, though, the Club's players are based in Surrey as that clash with the Chairboys is followed by a trip to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
Ahead of that double-header down south, Maddison caught up with LCFC TV to reflect on Leicester's efforts so far this summer and to provide an update on their condition as they prepare for another campaign which is set to include both domestic and European football once more.
"I’m feeling really good," the England international said. "Pre-season’s obviously always a tough period in terms of physically, but [I feel] good. When you have the break – and we had quite a long break – from the last game of the season to the first day back, you need that break.
City Prepare For Wycombe Clash In The South East
The Foxes were hard at work in Surrey on Tuesday as their pre-season camp intensified ahead of Wednesday's trip to Wycombe Wanderers.
"You get that hunger back, the motivation to come back, and you come back ready and raring to go. It’s been a good break, I’m feeling really good personally. Training’s been really good. The lads look in good condition. I’m really enjoying it."
The importance of pre-season is not lost on Maddison, who echoed his manager's sentiments, describing how dedication in training increases the chances of the Foxes effectively deploying their strategy onto the field of play.
"That’s what he’s reiterated to us from the moment he came in: you train how you play," the 24-year-old explained. "Training’s always very competitive, very intense. There’s a lot of people wanting to win, but that’s the winning mentality that we want to install here.
"Obviously, we got success last year by winning the FA Cup, and that doesn’t come by a fluke. You want to install that winning mentality, but it doesn’t just come by saying it out loud. You have to actually do it and put it into practice in training. The competitive edge in training is only good news.
"We’ve got such a good group here, training’s been good, and we’re all really happy here."
The test at Wycombe, meanwhile, offers Leicester's players another opportunity to increase their fitness levels and sample a matchday environment - all the more exciting with the Blue Army set to travel in numbers to High Wycombe.
"It’s another chance to go and get good, valuable minutes in the legs," Maddison said. "It’s the same as every pre-season game, it’s the same messages at this stage. We’re getting back into the swing of things, getting back on a pitch in a stadium. It was really nice to have fans at Burton the other day.
"It felt normal again in a way, so it will be another good test for us, more minutes in the legs for the lads and, at this stage of pre-season, that’s what it’s about. We’re getting that physical input into the legs and into the lungs.
"The professionalism we have in the group means that we want to win any game, no matter what. If we’re playing darts out there, we’d want to win. That’s just installed in us, as I was saying, so we’ll go into the game wanting to win.
"That’s the kind of mentality we create here, but it’s about the physical element as well and getting that balance right, so it’s one we’re looking forward to it."