Var from finished

ROY HODGSON reckons no one should rule out Jamie Vardy banging in a crucial goal or two for England at this year’s World Cup finals.

The Leicester ace, 35 (right with Hodgson) retired from Three Lions duty in 2018 after scoring seven times in his 26 internationals.

But before last summer’s Euros, boss Gareth Southgate revealed he was talking to Vardy about a shock recall only for injury to end that possibility.

And, ahead of the Foxes’ visit to relegated Watford today, Hodgson insisted the evergreen hitman is still good enough to do a job in Qatar.

The ex-England boss, who gave Vardy his first cap in 2015, said: “You keep an open mind by not writing anybody off.

“Jamie has one clear advantage in that what he brings as a forward is often very different to other forwards.

“I’m sure Gareth will be considering that. They could use him in certain games. That wouldn’t surprise me for one moment.

“Jamie’s a really good guy and a good player who deserves consideration.”

Having bagged a double in Wednesday’s win at Norwich, fit-again Vardy is clearly not hanging up his prolific Premier League boots any time soon.

When he does, however, Hodgson can picture the livewire striker becoming a coach. The Watford boss, 74, with two matches to go before retiring, added: “It’s foolish to say this player is managerial material, this one isn’t because they always surprise you.

“It boils down to how much he wants to do it. Ask him and I’m pretty sure he’d say he just wants to play. But in four or five years he might surprise us all.”