Jamie Vardy has managed just one goal in 24 Premier League appearances this season - but you wouldn't bet against him making a crucial contribution in Leicester's survival bid +7 View gallery. It wasnt in my head before the game. I just like a laugh and a joke.. I just remember I started getting a bit of stick towards the end for some reason, and it was all from that end, their main home end. But some of the messages were unbelievable., Roy Hodgson, who was at the United match, left a voicemail and sent a text I made sure I replied to him, Vardy says, smiling yet it was the gracious response from the man whose achievement he had just eclipsed that meant the most. Jamie Vardy Interview - Working Up From The Bottom, Champions League & Leicester City's Thai Owners Credit : ESPN FC Check them out here : http://www.espnfc.com/ Subscribe to their YouTube. Yeah, but thats more when youve got a bit of time to properly concentrate. It is, he says, full-on, but we wouldnt have it any other way. I should press when we know weve got a chance of winning the ball. Nah, theres just a cameraman there, Vardy says, grinning. The routine is working so far. Ive got kids running riot at home! he says. The left-foot volley against West Brom (in 2018, which won Match of the Days goal of the season). Visit nike.com to explore the collection. Does he play to Vardy's strengths, despite his advancing years? He enjoyed success in the lower leagues, winning titles with Halifax, Fleetwood and Leicester before even reaching the Premier League. , Congrats, @vardy7! Talking from his home in Lincolnshire for more than an hour, he has been contemplating the prospect of scoring his 100th Premier League goal in between admiring his allotment. "We want to get to 40 points first. Ive had to do that on more than one occasion.. Do you know what I see it as? he says. No contract. So I still class my left foot as my swinger because its not as strong., Or Crystal Palace away in 2017, when he could have shot with his right, but instead chopped back onto his left before bending the ball into the far corner? How times have changed. As Vardy pictures that scene and laughs, it feels like a reminder of just how much his life has altered since the days when he would sit at home on his own of an evening and empty packets of Skittles into a three-litre bottle of vodka. Nothing can taint his legacy at Leicester. Its some going, he says, after a bit of cajoling. The one I saw when Leicester put it out, said, Watch all of Vardys 99 goals here, part 1. Ill be honest, I tried clicking on it, to take me back in time, and it said I had to sign up to some LCFC TV thing. There is a photo of him playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels against Kidsgrove in 2008 and, as he wheels away to celebrate with one finger held to his lips, theres not a supporter in sight. Well, I must have done if Ive somehow managed to be sat here on 99 goals.. One a year. 33.3. Vardy, it is worth remembering, was still playing non-League football at the age of 25 and didnt make his first top-flight appearance until he was 27. Literally as soon as it went in I was like, Here we go, and the spontaneous celebration just appeared from nowhere. Three, three, three recurring.. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Nah, theres just a cameraman there, Vardy says, grinning. Hes got me playing slightly differently, Vardy says. Shall I put it in decimals? It is hard, almost impossible, to get Vardy to say anything overly positive about his goalscoring. Jamie Vardy In depth interview with portrait. Maths was his favourite subject at school by a distance and, according to Vardy, he was flying when it came to teaching decimals and fractions to his children during lockdown. Vardy pauses for a moment and chuckles as he finds a silver lining. Nah. There is a photo of him playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels against Kidsgrove in 2008 and, as he wheels away to celebrate with one finger held to his lips, theres not a supporter in sight. You have doubts? The oldest, Megan, whom Vardy has adopted, has just begun sixth form. Gemma Collins' faceplant got an unlikely mention Mrs Vardy appeared to concede that, in a WhatsApp message that was read to the court,. He knows he can't go on forever. I didnt even try to look on Saturday night, he says. In an in-depth interview with Sky Sports as part of their. A former professional footballer with Swindon Town, Stuart James went onto spend 15 years working for The Guardian, where he reported on far too many relegation battles to mention, one miraculous Premier League title triumph and a couple of World Cups. I think we had Liverpool and then Man City and everybody was saying, This is when theyll falter. It's just something I did when I was younger. Thats not to say that Vardy is the same player. It seems a little surprising he didnt pick his record-breaking goal against Manchester United in November 2015, when he became the first player to score in 11 successive Premier League games. The Red Devils were actually winning 3-1 . Rodgers has gone definitively for the second option, asking his team to play out from the back and through midfield. Running each day until the new season begins, The Premier League 60 is designed to reflect and honour the greatest . Fucking hell, here we go Vardy says, laughing and shaking his head. So I try a different approach and wonder whether he plays Fantasy Football. I decided to start flapping my arms like an eagle., Vardy celebrates like an eagle against Palace (Photo: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images). Yeah, I joined a league. With that conversation out of the way, and having established that well be relying on Vardys long-term memory, we finally get down to what we were meant to be discussing: His favourite three Premier League goals, in no particular order. But youve not signed up to the LCFC TV thing, have you? Vardy fires back. Vardy likes numbers, as long as they have nothing to do with his goals. Lancashire Police said his death was "not being treated. We have to win, otherwise, there is no chance of us staying up. Asked what they would say if I quizzed them on what hes like in the changing room, Vardy replies: A loud, cocky shit., He shrugs his shoulders and smiles. And, to be fair, I saw the replay of the goal and you can actually see a couple of Man U fans clapping.. Its non-stop., Jamie Vardy, Leicester Citys greatest-ever player, and Premier League icon, is describing his garden and the pleasure he takes in planting, digging and harvesting with his children. Now, he looks and sounds totally content. Its a good category to be in, especially from where Ive come from.. Me, Im just like, Hell do. I missed out by one, he says. But the way I saw it was, especially with West Brom the year we stayed up, if it wasnt for that little run that we went on at the end of the season, then the 11 (straight) wouldnt have happened., Ive always been that split-personality kind of guy, Vardy says. Thats just me. There is a Bentley parked outside, a goalscoring record that has stood for 83 years in his sights and a place in that England squad firmly within his grasp. He joined The Athletic as a Senior Writer in 2019. Hes got me playing slightly differently, Vardy says. Following the drama of that improbable title triumph, there was the equalising goal for his country in the Euro 2016 win over Wales. We'll try to reach that target and keep going from there.". So the manager has to adapt accordingly. Vardy sniggers when I tell him that I watched all 99 of his Premier League goals the day before this interview, almost as if he wonders why anybody would want to do that. So you just have to try to be as positive as possible.. With Vardys form so impressive this season and Harry Kane faced with a race against time to be fit for Euro 2020 before football got suspended, there was a fresh debate about whether he should come back into the England picture. Whats happening in life?, he news that Jamie Vardy had failed to make the. Lets just see how it goes and focus on winning games., Assuming Vardy gets a goal between now and the end of the season, he will have scored 100 in fewer games than it took Romelu Lukaku, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Jermain Defoe, among others. All the best." All the numbers suggest otherwise. Famously, of course, those younger days were spent playing non-league football having been released by Sheffield Wednesday. Ive had to bring different aspects to my game. Rodgers loves the threat that Vardy gives Leicester. It wasnt in my head before the game. We are always out there together and what we grow gets brought into the house and used. Ive got kids running riot at home! he says. "Because I've come into the game a lot later I've not had so much wear and tear on my legs at this age that I would have done if I'd come onto the scene at 17 or 18," he says. Its whatever they want to do as they get older. Its in the wardrobe, says Vardy, in a manner that suggests it was never in doubt. The one I saw when Leicester put it out, said, Watch all of Vardys 99 goals here, part 1. Ill be honest, I tried clicking on it, to take me back in time, and it said I had to sign up to some LCFC TV thing. Only 20 more for the 100. Iheanacho's top asset is to drop deep, combine with Maddison and use his vision to release Leicester's wide players. I might as well let them have the ball at their feet and try and nick it off them that way., Vardy, by his own admission, is a pest on the pitch. You still need that hunger and desire to want more otherwise you are just going to let yourself go., There seems to be a greater longevity for players at the top of the game, not least Cristiano Ronaldo, newly-returned to the Premier League, who is 36. On the same day son Finley started reception. After telling him there was no need to sign up for anything when I clicked on the link, I ask why he didnt get in touch with the club and request a login. Im a lot different but Ive still got that (old) me in me, he says, casting his mind back to the afternoon when he scored that first Premier League goal against Manchester United to gauge his development. If Id have scored that last penalty (against Everton in the penultimate game) Id have shared it, but I put it up into the stands. Vardy - who cost Leicester one million pounds, when he was bought from Fleetwood Town in 2012 - scored 24 goals and won the Golden Boot. To be honest with you, that shows in my performances, that Im in a happy place, knowing that Im doing the job that I love., The Leicester striker explains why his signed record-breaking shirt is staying in the wardrobe, how his fiancee has changed his life and why he is relieved not to be on the Sports Personality of the Year shortlist, Leicesters Jamie Vardy sets up academy to help non-league talent, Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Following the news that Schmeichel's move had been finalised on Wednesday, the Leicester striker wrote on Instagram : "Kasper, it's been a pleasure mate. Gardening is a new hobby for the Premier Leagues top scorer something that was taken up during lockdown while being a part-time mathematics teacher and losing running races on his back lawn. The only surprise was that they weren't anticipating the run. But its not a normal situation that the whole world finds itself in. For example, if theres a packet of crisps, youre going to eat them. You know what that means, though, dont you? Vardy says, playing me like a central defender hes about to spin in behind. Listening to Vardy rowing back over his story it is hard not to smile at how much his world has been turned upside down. "Your training was to go out and do a bit of ball work, a bit of fitness and then finish off with a game. Ive seen loads of him, the goals that he scored. How many of his 99 goals does he think have come against the big six clubs? Its all right, my teacher has already marked it. Jamie Vardy's wife said she pressed on with legal action . So Im celebrating, dont worry about that.. West Brom again, the year we stayed up (in 2015). With that conversation out of the way, and having established that well be relying on Vardys long-term memory, we finally get down to what we were meant to be discussing: His favourite three Premier League goals, in no particular order. Try a week on us. In an interview with The Athletic back in November, he described him as everything I want in a striker. Having had to fight his way to the top, he's in no rush to give it all up. In fact, it sounds like hes been teaching the teachers. You know what that means, though, dont you? Vardy says, playing me like a central defender hes about to spin in behind. That must mean something assuming he watched Fowler back in the day? But if thats what they want to do, then so be it., Perhaps another story that surfaced was designed to keep his feet on the ground not that Vardy seems to need any help in that respect. The school run is a carefully-calibrated operation and the day began for Vardy at 6.30am, serving breakfast, as well as overseeing the brushing of teeth and the putting on of uniform. Stuart James. Little more than 24 hours later Adrian Butchart, the British screenwriter and the man behind the Goal! pic.twitter.com/leDftT6EYS. That benefits me. . Schmeichel has moved to the south of France for a reported 1million, having spent a decade playing alongside Vardy at the King Power Stadium. Excerpts from an interview Mrs Vardy gave to the Daily Mail, published the day after Mrs Rooney's online allegation, were read to the court. A replacement gets signed., The bottom line is that Vardy has always felt happy and fulfilled at Leicester and, as things stand, it is hard to argue with his thinking. Billy, the French bulldog, hes sprinting in front of me. People come, people go. I just want to keep it going for as long as possible." Let me have a look what youve sent in. ", Some of the tastier morsels in Vardy's book reference his habit of sipping port on the night before matches and an earlier penchant for drinking skittles vodka. A Premier League winners' medal, appearances at both Euro 2016 and in the Champions League, and now a Ballon d'Or nominee. He insists the reality isn't quite so shocking. The Leicester striker's journey from non-league to Premier League winner is very well documented, but you may have missed some funny moments along the way. As a Premier League player, those lengths of the pitch are a thing of the past. Ive had to bring different aspects to my game. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The 40-year-old wife of Jamie Vardy has given her first interview since last week's verdict. It is easy to forget that Vardy is 33 now, mainly because there is no sign whatsoever that age is creeping up on him. I come home and Im a family guy. Hes like, Yeah. Jamie Vardy accompanied his wife at court on Tuesday 6. Jamie Vardy is making up for lost time. He is the complete opposite of somebody like Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was so obsessed with winning the Golden Boot every season that one of his first thoughts after a game was to see whether any of his rivals for it had scored. Probably not. This can't be real'." Its not too bad, is it? he says, listening to those names as they are read aloud. I was like, Ive not got time for that.. It took a 27-year-old Vardy all of three games to open his Premier League account by scoring Leicester's fourth goal in a dramatic 5-3 win against United. Then one might not have predicted that he would be the face of a major brands campaign encouraging children to be creative but there is another side to Vardy. Knowing him, he probably just wants to get it all over and done with and move on. Before, Id have probably sprinted from right-back to left-back and back across again, which is just burning energy up for no reason. Youre not going to if youre on your own, he says. Honestly, when did he first start thinking about scoring 100 Premier League goals? Yeah. A lot of them., So a third of them, says Vardy. I have deffo still got that desire but as for looking that far in the future, who knows? He is no longer first choice, either, with boss Brendan Rodgers relying on Kelechi Iheanacho as his main striker. I managed to take it around the keeper and nick it in to get us a draw.. The Leicester striker, who will be 32 in . Cringing as he relives the moment, Vardy clears things up. According to the Premier League's tracking data, Vardy was the fastest man on the pitch in the first three games at the King Power Stadium this season. He is the complete opposite of somebody like Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was so obsessed with winning the Golden Boot every season that one of his first thoughts after a game was to see whether any of his rivals for it had scored. A replacement gets signed., The bottom line is that Vardy has always felt happy and fulfilled at Leicester and, as things stand, it is hard to argue with his thinking. So he does think highly of himself after all. Well, I must have done if Ive somehow managed to be sat here on 99 goals.. West Brom again, the year we stayed up (in 2015). Im thinking, You lairy git youre making me look bad here! Then Id turn and hed turn sharply and decide to just run into my legs while Im running., Gardening has presented challenges of a different sort and, by the sound of things, Vardy is hooked. Ive gone through them and his teacher has sent a message back. "Kids love. Vardy points to several reasons behind his red-hot streak, including being deployed as an out-and-out striker. My life has changed, but Im not money-motivated at all; thats the last thing on my mind. Jokes aside, Vardy must take some personal satisfaction from his record and the way that he has proved people wrong. Dancing On Ice fans blasted the footballer as "miserable" when he appeared via video link to support his gorgeous wife on the ice on Sunday. When I was at school and we entered the competitions I used to do the 100m, 200m and the 1500m as well, so its never just been a pace thing., Being so lean helps. So, like, when Im at football, its opposite to how I am here. Asked what they would say if I quizzed them on what hes like in the changing room, Vardy replies: A loud, cocky shit., He shrugs his shoulders and smiles. Even after that title-winning season, pundit and former striker Michael Owen said Vardy wasnt a natural finisher. Weve never totally closed the door, we made that clear, Vardy says. It was an incredible moment for the team and the city. Rebekah Vardy recently lost a libel battle against Coleen Rooney in the "Wagatha Christie" trial before giving a bombshell interview and husband Jamie has broken his silence for a departing teammate. Vardy is part of the furniture at the club now it is eight years since they paid non-League Fleetwood 1 million for him in what must go down as one of the best pieces of transfer business in modern times and hard to picture him playing for any other club. Before, Id have probably sprinted from right-back to left-back and back across again, which is just burning energy up for no reason. The main part is pressing-wise. Frankie Bridge Large interview with portraits. Vardy looks flabbergasted. Obviously to do it like that, in the last minute, meant absolutely everything.. February 13, 2020: Vardy is on TV In a tearful appearance on ITV's Loose Women, Vardy - who previously said she wanted a forensic investigation into the leaks - says the stress of the dispute. I was like, Ive not got time for that.. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Oh right, I told John. Leicester City striker is up to his usual mischief in Russia, Get City transfer latest, team news, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox. We know weve got to finish it off. One of the greatest strikers the Premier League has ever seen, Vardy has made a career from defying expectations. It werent happening. That's a trait that Leicester as a team will need this season. But with the team having overachieved so sensationally last term, it should be little cause for alarm. The only one left at home is two-year-old Olivia Grace. Schmeichel has moved to the south of France for a reported. He celebrated his first against Wolverhampton Wanderers by howling like a wolf at the away fans mimicking the oppositions iconography is a Vardy trope. Its often overlooked that after scoring his first Premier League goal, against Manchester United in September 2014, it took Vardy another 22 games and six months to get his second. He can be pathologically opposed to any self-praise. Show more Show more Live chat. Thats true, Vardy adds. A former professional footballer with Swindon Town, Stuart James went onto spend 15 years working for The Guardian, where he reported on far too many relegation battles to mention, one miraculous Premier League title triumph and a couple of World Cups. That one is there just because of what it meant. "His influence and his leadership on and off the pitch speak volumes about him as a professional, as a football player and as a human being. You know what kids are like, Open the seed pack and get em all in!. I can do all the long-distance runs. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Vardys description of his left foot as his swinger seems odd. Leicester City FC 'Truth is' - Leicester City fans wade in on Jamie Vardy verdict Latest Leicester City news from LeicestershireLive as fans respond to pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor's comments about . By his own admission, he didnt cope particularly well with the demands of professional football in his first season at Leicester and ended up searching for answers in all the wrong places mostly nightclubs. A Premier League winners' medal, appearances at both Euro 2016 and in the Champions League, and now a Ballon d'Or nominee. His weight hardly changes irrespective of what he eats Im always between 11st 3lb and 11st 6.5lb (71.2kg to 72.8kg) and he has lost none of his pace. He is exchanging tweets with members of One Direction one minute and Ruud van Nistelrooy the next. Yet he comes across as fiercely proud of his roots Thats made me the person I am and says that the former Fleetwood team-mate who described him as someone who doesnt care whether hes on two grand or two quid was spot on. Lets just see how it goes and focus on winning games., Assuming Vardy gets a goal between now and the end of the season, he will have scored 100 in fewer games than it took Romelu Lukaku, Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Jermain Defoe, among others. Good feels like a bit of an understatement, bearing in mind only 28 footballers have done it since the Premier League was formed in 1992. "I was training twice a week on a miserable, cold night," explains Vardy. Ill probably be the only person to ever do it (like this)! he says. One thing is for sure, it wont be the first time that Vardy has scored in a competitive game in front of next to nobody. So you just have to try to be as positive as possible.. His landmark goal against United came almost four years to the day since he scored in front of 768 people at Gateshead. Yeah. Knowing him, he probably just wants to get it all over and done with and move on. Earlier this season, boyhood Sheffield Wednesday supporter Vardy teased Maguire by claiming he was a fan of both Steel City clubs, despite the centre-backs allegiance to United. By Stuart James. After telling him there was no need to sign up for anything when I clicked on the link, I ask why he didnt get in touch with the club and request a login. He joined The Athletic as a Senior Writer in 2019. How many of his 99 goals does he think have come against the big six clubs? Whereas if Ive seen it late and (Im) trying to be a bit too quick, it goes over the stand.. Honestly, when did he first start thinking about scoring 100 Premier League goals? He parried it into the side-netting for me.. I think youll be able to do it this season. Vardy rolls his eyes. The records are coming from nowhere, Vardy says. Im like, Mate, you see this one when she said youre right, and this one when she said youre right? Hes like, Yeah. Yeah. A club legend like Vardy, the 35-year-old Dane heads to Nice with well wishes from the entire of Foxes family, as chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added: "Throughout his time with us and particularly as a captain and vice-captain, Kasper has always been a player willing to stand up and take responsibility, leading the team with distinction. You dont want to be stuck on it for a few games, like the cricketer who is on 99 not out for 20 balls.. Its all right, my teacher has already marked it. But Vardy is a proud man and it is hard to imagine him wanting to end a glorious Foxes career in the shadows. No. I just like a laugh and a joke.. We know we have to adapt on the training field and put that into the matches with plans A, B and C if needed.". One can only guess it is the drive that has got him all the way from Sunday league to the top of the Premier League. We have to win, otherwise, there is no chance of us staying up. We dive a little deeper into the life of a man who retains a remarkable sharpness, given the occasionally dubious refuelling habits of previous years. Yeah, I joined a league. Leicesters Jamie Vardy says he made sure he replied to the England manager Roy Hodgsons congratulatory message after scoring in an 11th straight Premier League match. Not bad for a lad who was still playing non-league football at 25. His weight hardly changes irrespective of what he eats Im always between 11st 3lb and 11st 6.5lb (71.2kg to 72.8kg) and he has lost none of his pace. You want to score as many as possible, but I dont think you look at the ratios, how many games its taken, minutes-wise thats for stattos.. Man Utd revive interest in Barcelona star De Jong, Papers: Chelsea divided on future of head coach Potter, PL Predictions: Chelsea to draw another blank vs Leeds, What is Chelsea's best XI? Vardy, it is worth remembering, was still playing non-League football at the age of 25 and didnt make his first top-flight appearance until he was 27. Jamie Vardy is definitely the craziest current player in the Premier League! The same with a packet of sweets. Kids love watching what they have planted grow, he reflects. Hell do. I want them to be as successful as they possibly can but Im not going to force anything on them, he says. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. LEGO DUPLO has partnered with football greats Jamie Vardy and Casey Stoney to help parents celebrate their toddlers milestones, from scoring a goal to building their first LEGO DUPLO masterpiece. The gaffer has helped me a lot. Its about them learning what they really enjoy doing. So I'd be doing a different drill to the centre-midfielders. "I picked up the phone and I called her and basically said 'what the f*** is this?' It didnt bother me one bit.. Vardy signed a new two-year deal with the Foxes last August but this has been a season of struggle for both player and club. Jamie Vardy, Leicester City's greatest-ever player, and Premier League icon, is describing his garden and the pleasure he takes in planting, digging and harvesting with his children. I think if youd have asked back then, it was basically, Hes just one of those lads who wants a ball over the top and hes gone.