England's Jamie Vardy set for long international career as Roy Hodgson dismisses burn-out
JAMIE VARDY has been backed to enjoy a lengthy England career because his improbable rise to fame means he will not suffer from burn-out.
Posted Thursday, March 31, 2016 by Express.co.uk
Jamie Vardy has netted two England goals in his six caps (both coming in the last two matches)
The Leicester striker scored for the second successive game in the defeat to Holland to book his place to Euro 2016 and stake a claim in the process to start for his country against Russia on June 11.
It is four years ago today that Vardy was on target for Fleetwood in 4-1 win over Bath City in the Blue Square Premier League and that round-about route to the top can help prolong his international fortunes, according to England manager Roy Hodgson.
Hodgson believes late bloomer Vardy, 29, will not have endured the same stresses as someone who came into senior first team football at 16.
"We're happy with him," said Hodgson. "His task first off is to fire Leicester to a Premier League win. That will be his major goal and, as long as he can keep that form going, then I'm sure he is someone we will be looking forward to seeing in an England shirt for a long time to come.
"He's 29, so he's not a youngster compared to the others, but he's very, very young in terms of his top class playing career.
"He's a very fit guy so he's not going to be burnt out at the age of 31, 32, like some fellas who, to be fair, when you get into the first team at 16, you've had 14 (15,16) years of it.
"Jamie at 31 will have had four or five years of it."
Hodgson was speaking generally and the Football Association clarified that his comments were not about skipper Wayne Rooney.
Rooney, now 30, burst onto the scene at 16 with Everton and is one of those under pressure from Vardy's burst of form.
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