New era but same old Vardy party

New era but same old Vardy party

When Leicester City dropped out of the Premier League last term, it brought an end to a decade of unparalleled success for the Foxes.

Just seven years earlier they had won an almost unfathomable Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri, and in 2021 they lifted the FA Cup for the first and only time in their history.

It all started with promotion as Championship title winners in 2013-14, and now the decade has been bookended with another promotion.

Jamie Vardy was there 10 years ago as an enormously gifted livewire, and now as a 37-year-old former England striker, he has helped fire them back to the top flight with 18 goals in all competitions.

Vardy and a number of last season’s relegated side have had pivotal roles, with Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi playing alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – who has provided 14 assists to go with his 12 goals – while Jannik Vestergaard, Wout Faes, Ricardo Pereira, James Justin and Hamza Choudhury have shone in defence.

But it took a fundamental shift in football philosophy to turn Leicester from the flailing Foxes that went down 12 months ago into today’s promotion-clinching outfit.

Manager Maresca, a treble-winning assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City last season, has stuck steadfastly to an approach that places patient, deliberate and possession-based football above all else.

Last summer’s additions of midfielder Harry Winks, who has 10 caps for England, ex-Arsenal and Juventus winger Stephy Mavididi, and on-loan Sporting Lisbon forward Abdul Fatawu provided fresh attacking impetus.

And the assured presence of Mads Hermansen, who was named goalkeeper in the Championship’s team of the season, also cannot be understated.