Call of Duty fan Vardy is gunning down rivals
FROM the pitch to the PlayStation, Jamie Vardy simply cannot stop shooting. The title may be at stake, but for Leicester City and the Bar clays Premier League’s top goalscorer, it is all fun and games.
On Wednesday, title rivals Tottenham and Arsenal were beaten as Leicester stayed top, despite being held to a draw by Westest Bromwich Albion the night before.
Vardy did not watch either match. Instead, he was playing a shoot-’em-up video game.
‘I saw a lot of people saying the results on Wednesday night went in our favour, but I was playing Call of Duty on the PlayStation,’ said Vardy.
‘I had the football on in thee background, but it was Liverpool v Man City. Liverpool put a good result in and I was just relaxing.’’
Was he not tempted to watch what went on at Upton Park, particularly as a win for Tottenham would have knocked Leicester off the top? ‘No. It’s down to us,’ he added. ‘There was no disappointment on Tuesday. We got another point on the board, which is what we need to do.’
That playful persona is what Leicester are all about, from their star striker to their manager with the magic touch.
Danny Drinkwater revealed in an interview with Sportsmail last week that Claudio Ranieri shouts ‘Dilla-ding, dilla-dong’ — imitating a bell — if he catches someone not concentrating.
The 64-year-old Italian gave every player a Christmas present on the same theme.
‘He just likes to have a little laugh and joke,’ said Vardy. ‘You have seen him when he does his press conferences. He has always got you lot laughing, so he must be doing something right.
‘He got us all a little present for Christmas and it was a bell. Just a bell in a box. We all opened it and, the next thing you knew, everyone is walking around the changing room dinging these bells.
‘I could not tell you why. It must be something for Claudio to have a laugh and joke about. It relaxes all the lads. It made the lads all have a laugh and joke.
‘He is exactly the same as us. He has a little nickname for me that I am not allowed to say. It is just banter. He is more than happy to dish the banter back as well.’
The Leicester squad did watch t he north London derby on Saturday as Tottenham and Arsenal cancelled each other out, meaning the Foxes would go five points clear with a win over Watford. Riyad Mahrez’s goal was enough to put daylight between them and the chasing clubs.
‘We got down a bit early because it was the first game on TV,’ added Vardy. ‘We thought we would watch it just before food.
‘There were no emotions. None at all. At the end of the day, we know it is up to us.
‘No matter what the result was earlier, we knew that we needed to come to Watford and get three points. No one gave us a chance at the start of the season. Everyone said we were relegation fodder. Now we’re just enjoying it.’
Vardy is angling for an England call-up ahead of Euro 2016, with the squad for their friendlies against Germany and Holland set to be announced on March 17.
Asked if he is taking it for granted, Vardy s ai d: ‘ No. There are top-quality players there and you never know what will happen. We will have to wait and see.’ WATFORD (4-4-2): Gomes; Nyom (Anya 82), Prodl, Ake, Holebas; Amrabat, Suarez (Abdi 65), Watson, Capoue (Oulare 88); Deeney, Ighalo. Subs not used: Pantilimon, Behrami, Guediora, Paredes. Booked: Amrabat, Ake. LEICESTER (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez (Amartey 85), Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton (Schlupp 46); Okazaki (King 46), Vardy. Subs not used: Schwarzer, Gray, Ulloa, Wasilewski. Booked: Fuchs, Morgan. Referee: Jon Moss. Attendance: 20,884. Man of the match: Riyad Mahrez.
26 RIYAD MAHREZ has been involved in 26 goals in 28 Premier League games this season (15 goals, 11 assists)