Talk ht hirt lit

Vardy’s meteoric rise has brought huge changes to his lifestyle and that’s meant a few negatives have intruded into an overwhelmingly positive story.

But he admits he has the perfect sounding board when he meets up with England.

Skipper Wayne Rooney has been dealing with the price of fame all his life.

“We’ve had a few chats,” says Vardy. “Wayne was thrown in at the deep end when he was 16, so to have that experience to call on has definitely helped me.

“The biggest difference is that I can’t leave my house. I can’t go to the shops without getting harassed. I don’t get to have too many family days.

“People want photos and autographs. But if I’ve got my little girl with me, I don’t really want to be putting her down to have a photo taken.

“I try to explain it in the nicest possible way. A lot of people understand but some don’t and think we should be made available 24/7.

“You want to be giving kids as normal a life as possible, so you have to try and adapt.

“It’s one of the things about the job we’re in. It feels a bit mad because I’m still the same person I was.

“Wayne is always there, keeping all the lads together, and when he’s on the pitch he’s a massive leader.

“Him being kept on as captain is good for England.

“Football-wise it’s great to train with him. It can only benefit me as a player.

“I’m sure he thought long and hard about announcing that he’d be retiring from international football after the next World Cup.

“I’m only a year younger but I hope to play a lot longer than 2018.

“I’m hoping the legs haven’t had as much hammer as if I’d been playing since 18, and that I don’t lose too much of my pace as I get older.”

Vardy isn’t too concerned about how Allardyce uses him over the qualifying campaign – just as long as he does.

It’s a sharp, if unintended, contrast to Daniel Sturridge’s comments about his discomfort at being played wide at Liverpool.

“I’d play left-back if you want me to and try to put it in the net,” says Vardy.

“All I want to do is play. I’d always give 110%, whatever position I am in.”

Jamie Vardy (inset with his family) went from the highs of winning the title with Leicester City to the lows of being dumped out of the Euros with England.