At a time in their careers where professional footballers take stock of their future, in terms of playing time, fitness and earnings, a new story is being written. It is the story of the rise of a team and a player, an unprecedented rise, a complete turn-around from playing in the B division to heading the Premier League table. Jaime Vardy, the hero of Leicester City F. C., is rewriting history and so is the club. It’s a case of David vs Goliath, and as underdogs, both player and club are enjoying their moment in the spotlight.
The top 4 spots in the English Premier League have been, for the last few years, dominated by Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. These clubs have had managers who have carved their names in the history books. And precisely for this reason it is particularly interesting that Leicester F. C. has as manager, Claudio Ranieri, who was once fired from a previous outing as manager of the Greek national team for poor results.
Jaime Vardy learned his craft at Sheffield Wednesday, his local club, and at the age of 16 years signed on with Stockbridge Park Steels. Impressing talent scouts for other teams, he ensured his steady climb across the other English football divisions by playing for teams like F. C. Halifax Town, Fleetwood Town, finally arriving at Leicester in 2012. That first year proved to be a disaster that left him questioning his future as a player, to the extent that it needed a lot of persuasion from the team management for him to commit to continue playing.
It was a wise decision all around, because the new season turned out to be Vardy’s breakout year. He became Leicester’s most prolific scorer, with them winning the Football League Championship, and earning a promotion to the Premier League.
The following year, 2014-15, Vardy’s performance ensured them a relegation-free spot in the League table, finishing at number 14. On the personal front, Vardy won the Premier League Player of the Month for April 2015. He was also included in the English national team for the first time, and although was only brought up as a substitute, he justified his inclusion by scoring for his country in 2 matches in 2016.
In the current season, Vardy is the architect behind Leicester’s astonishing climb to the top of the table. His flexible ability to play as both midfielder and striker ensures that he is either scoring or setting up assists for other players like Mahrez and Kanté to score.
In Claudio Ranieri’s words: “He has great intensity, great concentration. He’s got a strong mentality and never gives up. He’s an inspiration with the way he is because then others believe.”
Tenacity and grit! These are the two adjectives that come to mind when one sees Vardy weave his way around the field, outfoxing opponents (pun intended here as Leicester are known as ‘The Foxes’), and finding the goal. He was deemed too “slight” during his formative years with Sheffield Wednesday. Coming from a working class background, he has not had the benefit of a football academy like Leo Messi, but like Cristiano Ronaldo, he has put his heart and soul into the game. And all that hard work has put him in top of the pedestal.
With 19 goals (and counting) this season for Leicester, Vardy is certainly a late bloomer (like Salvatore Schillaci for Italy in the 1996 World Cup), but he has come into his own as a player and team leader, leading by example and inspiration to a whole new generation of players and fans alike.
He’s already been called England’s great hope for the upcoming Euro Championship. Take a bow, Jaime, you’ve certainly earned your glory and honors.
The League is still up for grabs, although Leicester is enjoying a 9-point lead over Tottenham Hotspurs, ranked second in the table. There are 6 more matches to be played, and as the British have long displayed an affinity for the underdogs, it is ensured that new admirers along with die-hard Leicester supporters will be cheering them on; hopefully all the way to the podium for the lifting of the Cup.
And no one would contradict me when I say that it’ll be a victory most justified.
– Bindu Nayar
FanGaadi 