"I've not changed much!" 😁 | Jamie Vardy on why Burnley, current fitness & more!
Jamie Vardy on joining Burnley, his Italy spell, match sharpness and role, and why the first target is escaping relegation
This interview focuses on Jamie Vardy’s move to Burnley, why he did not return to Leicester, what he gained in Italy, and his current match sharpness and role. He believes Burnley must first build consistency and get away from the relegation zone before setting bigger goals.
- Burnley must now keep their momentum and pick up as many points as possible — Results before the international break were not good, so the only way forward is to keep pushing
- Joining Burnley was a perfect fit — After speaking with the manager and people above him, he felt it matched what the club wants to achieve
- A return to Leicester was never on the table — He had great years and success there, and it was time to close that chapter
- Playing in Italy was an experience worth trying — He experienced another top league and learned how football differs between countries
- His match sharpness is improving — Training is not the same as a game, so he needs as many minutes as possible
- His game has not changed much, and although he may have lost pace, he can make up for it with his head — A drop in pace is natural, but cleverness and experience can compensate
- He does not expect to start every game and is happy to help from the bench or as a starter — There are many games and no one can expect to start them all; the important thing is contributing positively
- The 4-0 win at Watford feels like a turning point, but one game is not enough — They must stay consistent and keep producing those results
- The target before the international break was simply to survive — The manager said that period would be tough, and Burnley have done it by going two games unbeaten
- Burnley’s first target this season is to get away from the relegation zone before setting new goals — There are still many games left, and building results first can put them in position to aim higher
► Subscribe to Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWFootballYT Jamie Vardy reflects on the last few years, including why he chose to sign for Burnley and his current fitness level! efl burnley jamievardy ► EFL highlights: https://bit.ly/EFLHighlights2627 ► EFL Cup highlights: https://bit.ly/CarabaoCupHL ► SPFL highlights: https://bit.ly/SPFLHighlights2627 ► Bundesliga highlights: https://bit.ly/BundesligaHighlights2627 ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball / https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportswsl ► X: https://x.com/SkyFootball / https://x.com/SkySportsWSL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage
Transcript
Right. Jamie, you made your first start for Burnley on Tuesday night. How did you find it? >> It was good. Obviously result, we'd have wanted it to be different, but we just know now that we've we've just got to keep going. The results haven't been great, >> especially up to international break. Uh, I think from now going forward, it's all just about trying to keep that momentum going and and picking up as many points as we can. >> How did the move come about? >> Spoke to me agent literally a couple of days before the the transfer window was was closing and he mentioned mentioned Burnley. So, got on a Zoom call, had a great chat with with everyone here, manager, the people above and it was a perfect fit, I think, for >> for what the club wants to go on and achieve. There was talk of a return to Leicester. Was that ever on the table? >> No, no, it was never, never. I think it just happens constantly every year now. Great time there. Unbelievable years of football, great success, and it was just time to to rubber stamp in and finish that part of the chapter off. >> So, how was your year abroad playing in Italy for Greazi? >> It was an experience. Experience very different, but an experience that I'm I'm glad I I tried. I can I can always say that I've I've been there. I've I've done it and I've played in in another top league and that side of it also probably taught me a few things in how different football is in in the different countries. >> You started a lot of games out there, didn't you? >> Yeah, just shows that I do look after my body and and I am still able to to do that at at a higher level. So, it's all about building again and and making sure that I can do that do that for Burnley. Do you feel like you're getting there with your match sharpness? >> Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely definitely improving, >> but that's all that can happen. You know, training's one thing, but during training, it's it's never a game. So, just getting as many minutes as as I can or just keep that getting better and better. >> Can you do exactly what you did earlier in your career, or do you have you noticed much of a change? >> Well, I mean, I've not really changed much that I have been doing. >> So, I just I just keep going. Just keep going. legs are still feeling feeling good. Probably dropped off a bit with with pace, which I think is natural, but you can always gain that bit back by having a bit of cleverness in the head. >> Yeah. Did you have that discussion when you signed about your role and and games should you be starting? >> No, we listen, we sat down, we spoke. I'm I'm not stupid, you know. I'm not going to be one of them that's sat here expecting to start every game. It doesn't work like that. There's a lot of games. >> You just want to make sure that you're helping the team. M >> you're helping the team in a positive way, whether that's coming off the bench or starting and and you're involved in helping the club pick up points. >> 4-0 win at Watford for your first win of the season. Did it feel like you'd turn the corner? >> Yeah, it feels like a a turn of the corner like you said, but we know that we we've got to keep that going. It's not just just one game. You've got to be consistent with with that side of things and the results. I think the manager openly came out and said that that it was going to be tough going into international break and it was was about surviving. So, we've done that. Two games not lost. So, it's all about trying to kick on now and and making sure that we're moving up that table. >> For the time being, the priority is to get away from trouble, isn't it? But beyond that, what what's still possible for Burnley this season? >> There's so many games left. That's the the good thing about it. And with them coming thick and fast, it's it's all about just concentrating on that next game. And I think build a few results together and that puts you in a better position and then you can set new targets. But like you say, I think first and foremost it's it's about getting away from the relegation zone and and moving up that table. >> Brilliant. Thank you very much. Thank you.