Scunthorpe United manager Graham Alexander has praised striker Paddy Madden’s performances of late, despite the Irishman struggling to find the net.
One thing that Madden offers, regardless of an input in goals, is 100% effort and determination from minute one to minute ninety.
Most Iron fans know that the goals will flow again for the talented forward, it’s just a case of getting that all-important first one.
Lee Novak’s injury has meant that Madden has been paired with Tom Hopper up front recently, and the partnership has worked well – but we revert back to the problem of lack of goals from a pair that should statistically be the most likely to score each week.
Madden may well be low on confidence in front of goal, but his manager has every faith in the 27-year-old – and praised his all-round game.
“Each player is different, and you can break it down each individual player has to do and what their job is for the benefit of the team – that is the biggest thing for me, how does a player benefit our team,” Alexander told the Scunthorpe Telegraph.
“When players come in and help the team win, then I am happy and that has been the case with Paddy.
“I, you and everyone knows Paddy wants to score goals, I want Paddy to score goals and we know the capable goalscorer that he is. But what he is doing is contributing to a winning team, whether it be his work-rate, intensity, tenacity, he is contributing and it’s the same with all the strikers.”
“This team is not about Paddy Madden scoring 20 goals and finishing half way up the league.
“This team is about us finishing at the top end of the table and Paddy Madden being a contributing factor to the team, and that is the same for all the individual players.
“I always put the team first, and I always want the players to put the team first. What I have seen in Paddy’s work ethic, is that he puts the team first and if he carries on doing that then the opportunities to score goals will come… he knows that.” Alexander concluded.
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