Foxes top scorer is banned from shooting drills
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has said that manager Claudio Ranieri has stopped him from doing shooting drills in training.
The former Fleetwood Town striker, who has netted all 21 of his goals in the Premier League this season, scored twice at the weekend, to beat relegation-threatened Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
Ranieri is keen to rest Vardy in parts of training, in order to conserve his energy and fitness, and save the goals for their big remaining fixtures.
“I don’t really get the chance to practice that much on my finishing because we have our shooting drills early in the week when the gaffer’s wanting me to rest my legs,” Vardy admitted.
“So normally, when there’s a bit of shooting, the gaffer tells me to go inside. I’ll keep doing that if it means I’m saving my legs – and goals – for games.”
Team spirit
Vardy believes Leicester’s team spirit is what helping to sustain their place at the top of the league, and be seven points clear of Tottenham.
And it will cause a dilemma for Ranieri this season; whether he sticks with his tight-knit squad or looks to add quality to his side, with Champions League football next campaign.
“We are always laughing. It’s the same group of characters we had at the start of the season and to be honest with you that’s the good thing about us. It’s a squad and we are tight knit,” the 29-year-old added.
“That’s how we have been from day one. We’re only looking ahead to the next game. Next week. That’s all we have done all season, one game at a time.”
Vardy and winger Riyad Mahrez have lead the attack for the Foxes this campaign, and are three wins from securing the league title, in the same season they were tipped for relegation.
Ranieri’s appointment was questioned last summer, but he, too, has proved the doubters wrong.
