Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Jamie Vardy, Serie A, Italy, Leicester City
Jack Kenmare
"You must be one of the doubters," said a slightly irritated Jamie Vardy at his first press conference as a Cremonese player in September. "You're one that I'll have to prove wrong."
Vardy was responding to a reporter that suggested fans in Italy can be "a little bit sceptical" about players who are approaching their 40th birthday.
"We tend to say, where’s their motivation," the reporter added: "How fit are they?”
After a brief pause, Vardy disputed the claim. "No, listen, for me age is just a number," he said. "As long as my legs are doing exactly what they used to and still feel as fresh as they do then I will carry on. I will be giving my all for this club."
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That reporter wasn't the only sceptic. However, after making a relatively slow start to life under Davide Nicola, the former England international has scored four goals in 10 appearances for the newly-promoted side.
The former Leicester City striker featured in three games in Italy's top flight last month, scoring one goal against Juventus.
And this week, Vardy was named as the Serie A Player of the Month for November, becoming the first English player to win the award since it was introduced in 2019.
"Vardy is truly a player from another era," Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo said after Vardy received the award, which is decided using a rating system that uses data tracking software.
"His arrival at Cremonese was greeted with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy is repaying them with top-level performances, innate leadership and important goals, the result of the competitive spirit and shooting skills that have always distinguished him."
Shortly after Vardy netted a brace for Cremonese in their 3-1 win over Bologna this month, Cremonese coach Davide Nicola described the Premier League winner as "a point of reference" for the team.
“As a coach, I can only say that great champions are incredibly simple people," he told DAZN.
"They already know what they must do and how they must do it. They never show attitudes that aren’t constructive to the team. A champion differs from an ordinary player not only because he has immense qualities on the pitch, but also because he has the spirit and awareness of what he represents.
"A true champion never gets his attitude wrong. He’s very self-confident and light-hearted, someone who always trains."
“He has his habits, but he came here with the mentality of making himself available. I’ll also add that the Cremonese group, those who welcomed Vardy, have just as many qualities from this point of view,” added Nicola.
“A player like him must be understood in his habits and integrated in the best way. The Cremonese group welcomed Vardy with great privilege. Vardy has recognised it, and he’s proving to be a great man in every aspect.”