Former Manchester United striker reveals how England star transformed his career

Sheringham made 51 apperances for England

MANCHESTER UNITED legend Teddy Sheringham believes Jamie Vardy is proof that English players can still break into the Premier League despite the prevalence of foreign talent.

 

Vardy, 28, has scored 12 Premier League goals in 12 appearances this season, but just four years ago he was playing in the Northern Premier League with FC Halifax Town, before moving to Fleetwood Town, and then Leicester in 2012.

And Sheringham is convinced the Sheffield-born striker can only get better surrounded by talent, and set an example to young English footballers to keep driving for a place in Premier League teams.

“Jamie has put himself in the front line and listening to people who have played at the level he is at now can only help him,” Sheringham told ESPN.

 

“He has always had the talent and the drive to succeed, but he just needed to get into the box more and score more goals. 

“He is doing that now and people like Kevin Phillips [ex-England striker], who was working with him at Leicester last year, have helped his development.

"It is nice to see a player coming through the ranks from the lower divisions of the game and making his mark in the Premier League and with England.”

 

Jamie Vardy has four England caps to his name

Vardy now has four England caps to his name, and although he is yet to score for his country, it can only be a matter of time given the form in which he finds himself.

He now threatens the place of England captain Wayne Rooney, but he is not the only English striker scoring goals who is pressing for a start up front for England.

Sheringham, who made 51 appearances for England, is excited by the amount of English talent on show in the Premier League.

 

"We saw a similar breakthrough [to Vardy’s] from Harry Kane at Tottenham in the last year,” added Sheringham. 

“I like him a lot. He scored 31 goals last season and he has clearly shown something in the junior teams. It's not lucky when players come through.

"If you have the talent, then you should be given a chance to play at the highest level. Vardy and Kane have proved that you can make a breakthrough at the top level, even in an era when top clubs Premier League sign a lot of foreign players.”