VARDY PARTY GOES ON & ON
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JAMIE VARDY has his doubters and detractors.
But you will not find Marc Albrighton among them – even if the former England striker leaves Leicester at the end of the season.
Vardy’s contract is up this summer and, at 37, the club will have to think long and hard over the value of any new deal, especially if they are in the Premier League.
The man who answers taunts about his wife from away fans with goals, cupped ears and shushed lips, wants to carry on until he’s 40.
Albrighton has been setting up Vardy for goals for a decade and insisted: “I don’t know why you would ever write him off.
“I find that baffling. Any time he’s been out of the team, he has always come back and come up trumps.
“I would never write that boy off.”
Vardy may have lost a yard of pace but is still a yard quicker than most defenders, and proved his goalscoring touch with the Foxes’ first, put on his head by Albrighton.
Two months out with a knee injury has not dulled his fighting spirit, either, as he proved by blowing kisses to the noisy Birmingham fans before he left the field.
Albrighton said: “He loves all that. He gets a lot of abuse wherever he goes, but it’s nice when he gives it back by scoring goals against them.
“However he decides to give it back, he enjoys it. He’s just got that kind of relationship with fans.
“Without a doubt, there is more in him. He’s still a great player for this club.
“He’s just been massive for the club and epitomises everything we want to do and want to be. We will see how the end of the season goes.” Albrighton, 34, also has a deal which ends in a few months’ time and there will be more to ponder there for Foxes boss Enzo Maresca.
Somewhat younger than Albrighton and Vardy is keeper Jakub Stolarczyk, the 23-year-old Pole who denied Brimingham with five superb saves in a goalless first half.
“I thought Jakub was absolutely superb,” added Albrighton. “We wouldn’t have got into the next round if it wasn’t for him.
“He has been fantastic for us every time he has stepped in.”
Maresca balanced his desire to stay in the FA Cup, whilst not draining too much energy from his squad, ahead of the league game at home to Swansea City tomorrow night.
After subduing Birmingham with Vardy’s opener, Leicester could have added further goals to those scored by Yunus Akgun and Dennis Praet.
Maresca denied he left out Kieran Dewsbury-hall because the midfielder is about to join Brighton, saying the player’s absence was to “give him a