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| Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is hopeful of making the England squad for Euro 2016 |
BACK in his gruelling non league days Jamie Vardy’s only comparison with former England striker Gary Lineker was a shared affection for crisps.
While Lineker is paid handsomely to advertise a certain make Vardy would eagerly snack on them at any given opportunity during a hectic exhausting day trying to combine part-time football with a demanding day job.
Now as a top Premier League striker for Lineker’s beloved Leicester City some observers believe there is a likeness in their finishing styles – even more so with Vardy moving onto the international stage.
Vardy, as rounded as they come through his rags to riches background, is visually flattered by the Lineker connection.
“Obviously it’s nice. It just shows I have started the season well and things are going great. But I also know it’s up to me to keep those standards up because I might have been put in that bracket, but you can soon be chucked out of that bracket.” he said.
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| Vardy was playing non-league football with Fleetwood before signing for Leicester for £1million |
After all it’s little more than three years ago that the spring heeled Leicester forward was still playing non-league football for Fleetwood Town, having moved there from Stocksbridge Park Steels and FC Halifax.
“They were long days, I can tell you that.”he recalled. “Before I signed for Fleetwood there was only training two nights of the week – Tuesday and Thursday – then a game Saturday.
“If I had training it was up at 7am, in for work, finish work at 4.15-4.30pm, straight in the car to meet up with the other lads from Halifax and we were training and not getting home until 10 or 11pm. Then straight to bed. That is just how it was.
“But it was a learning curve. It was a good experience to be honest, especially with how physical it is in non-league. There are tackles that go in which you’d never dream about getting away with nowadays. But that is just how it is.”
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| Vardy has been in formidable form for Leicester in the Premier League this season |
The diet was just as frenzied. He explained: “It was dinner at work then stop off at the service station before we met with the lads.
“The England chefs probably wouldn’t approve because back then it was whichever fast-food shop was at the service station. It was as simple as that. You needed to get a bit of food down you.”
His speed and goals eventually attracted the league scouts to Fleetwood with neighbours Blackpool having a £500,000 bid rejected before Leicester succeeded in May 2012 with a £1 million offer – a record for a non-league player.
There was to be no instant impact. Vardy admitted: “The first season after I stepped out of non-league, if I’m honest, was a struggle and I did get doubts in my head. But the manager at the time Nigel Pearson had a nice chat with me and told me it was exactly where I belonged.
“It made me try even harder. In the second season we got promoted and I chipped in with a few goals.”
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| Vardy has become a key part of Roy Hodgson's plans for Euro 2016 next summer |
At 28, Vardy is hoping to make up for lost time – and leaves nothing to chance especially he is now part of England manager Roy Hodgson’s plans for next summer’s European Championships in France.
“The secret’s just lots and lots of hard work and the motivation is that this is exactly what I want to be doing. It’s putting into practice on the training field, making sure that it’s there on match day.
“As long as I put the work in all the way to the training field, or even if it’s just in the back garden at home, it needs to be done to make sure you better yourself and you can make that transition and the step up.
“I play in the garden with the kids and to be fair I don’t give them a chance, I tell you that now. I tell them which way I’m going to shoot but I make sure it’s hard enough so they can’t see it!”
Vardy was sad to see his club manager Pearson leave but under successor Claudio Ranieri the striker has gone from strength to strength adding: “He’s been really good. He’s literally given me the license to roam free up there and do what I’m good at, which is quick pressing and quick counters. The team are brilliant as well. They are all backing me all the way and getting up there with me. That is good for the club and it shows with the start we’ve had.”
Vardy admitted all the hard work was almost wrecked with the much reported racist insult he hurled during a visit to a casino.
But a heartfelt apology to the person he offended and an agreement to attend a diversity awareness course rescued his England career.
Speaking for the first time about the incident he stated: “I regretted it massively. It was very uncharacteristic of me and that is why I wanted to meet the chap himself.
“We sat down and had a chat and just said it was literally silly, stupid. Things were said on both sides, we shook hands and that was it, it was done. As far as I’m concerned I just want to concentrate on my football now and let my feet do the talking.
“I appreciate all the backing that I had. There was a lot of support out there and it was a massive learning curve. Uncharacteristic and stupid of me but I’ve learnt my lesson and moved on and just want to concentrate on my football.”
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