Many were sceptical when Vardy signed for Cremonese in the summer.
“You have to be one of the doubters,” said a slightly annoyed Jamie Vardy in his first press conference as a Cremonese player in September. “You’re one of those people I have to prove wrong.” Vardy was responding to a reporter’s claim that fans in Italy may be “a little skeptical” of players approaching the age of 40.
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“We tend to ask ourselves: where is their motivation?” the journalist added: “How fit are they really?”
After a short stay, Vardy disputed the claim. “No, listen, for me, age is just a number,” he said. “As long as my legs are doing exactly what they used to do and still being kept as healthy, then I’ll keep going. I’m going to give everything for this club.”
The journalist was not the only skeptic. But after a relatively slow start under Davide Nicola, the former England international has scored four goals in ten games for the newly promoted team.
The former Leicester City striker made three appearances in Italy’s top division last month, scoring one goal against Juventus.
And this week, Vardy was named Serie A Player of the Month for November, becoming the first English player to win the award since it was introduced in 2019.
“Vardy is truly a player from another era,” said Serie A boss Luigi de Siervo after Vardy received the award, which is determined using an assessment system based on data tracking software.
“His arrival at Cremonese was received with great enthusiasm by all Serie A fans, and Vardy reciprocates it with top performances, innate leadership and important goals – the result of the competitive drive and finishing technique that has always characterised him.”
Cremonese manager honours Jamie Vardy
Shortly after Vardy scored two goals for Cremonese in their 3-1 win over Bologna on December 1, Cremonese coach Davide Nicola described the Premier League winner as “a reference point” for the team.
“As a coach, I can only say that great champions are incredibly simple people,” he told DAZN.
“They already know what they have to do and how they have to do it. They never show attitudes that are not constructive for the team. A champion differs from an ordinary player not only because he has outstanding qualities on the pitch, but also because he has the spirit and awareness of what he represents.
“A true master is never wrong in his attitude. He is very confident and easy in it, someone who always trains.”
“He has his habits, but he came here with the mentality of making himself available. I would also like to add that the Cremonese group, those who received Vardy, have just as many good qualities from this point of view,” Nicola added.
“A player like him must be understood in his habits and integrated in the best possible way. The Cremonese group received Vardy with a great privilege. Vardy has recognised that and he is proving to be a great man in every aspect.”
Dønt north and down, Cremonese now find themselves in the top half of the Serie A table.
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