VARDY A 21ST CENTURY FOX Striker aiming to hit 100 for Leicester and make World Cup year his greatest so far
JAMIE VARDY wants 2018 to be his best-ever year as he aims to star at the World Cup.
The former non-league forward smashed his 50th Premier League goal in Leicester’s draw with Manchester United on Saturday.
The England forward hopes he could end up with a century of top-flight goals, insisting he has several more years left at the top.
Vardy has won the Premier League and excelled in the Champions League after his amazing rise from obscurity.
But he knows the World Cup may top the lot and is anxious to keep his form ahead of Russia next year.
The ex-stocksbridge forward said: “I hope the goals start flowing and 100 could happen, why not?
“I am going to try to score as many as possible. Fifty has happened and it is now time to kick on and hope a lot more come.
“First and foremost, it is concentrating on Leicester and hopefully the goals will keep flowing, and that will put me in good stead.
“No player is guaranteed an England spot and it is all down to form for your club to even be within a chance of getting selected.”
Just seven years ago, Vardy was playing non-league football after being rejected by local club Sheffield Wednesday as a kid.
He admits his wild celebrations at his half-century against United reflected his delight at the achievement.
Vardy, who notched 24 times in the Foxes’ 2015-16 title triumph, said: “I am delighted. It probably should have come a lot sooner but, obviously, I saved it for one of the big teams.
“You can see it meant something. I was going nuts with my celebration and that is just me and my personality. I don’t plan anything.”
Vardy is looking forward to the New Year, but admits he is not relishing turning 31 on January 11. Yet he still feels a lot fresher and younger than his age, after coming into the pro game late with Fleetwood.
He added: “I am lucky I am only waking up sore the morning after (a match) and, after that, I am back at it in training.
“Long may that continue.” AUSTRIAN hardliner Sebastian Prodl has ordered Watford to stop “dreaming” and wake up to the threat of a relegation battle.
Marco Silva’s side, who were up to fourth in October, have lost four consecutive matches before today’s visit of Leicester to Vicarage Road.
The Hornets are still in the top half of the table – six points above the drop zone – but Prodl (left) admitted his team had to quickly stop the rot.
“Maybe we were dreaming too much, we were too comfortable in our situation, too comfortable in the table. Maybe too confident when we went into these games,’’ said the centre-back.
“These last four games and results, we dreamed of something else. We didn’t deliver. We just have to make sure we are 100 per cent again because we could face some trouble.
“Relegation is not a topic at the moment and we need to make sure it doesn’t become one. Our team is only strong if we act as a group, if we have 11 players who have the same plan. At the moment it feels like we are not in this condition so we have to get back into it.’’