Congratulations on getting into the Goal 50,
you must be thrilled with how the last 12 months have gone?
Yes, it could not be better. It was a good season, one we won’t forget.
12 or 18 months ago could you have imagined how well it was going to go?
No, we were just getting on with doing what we do,
the manager set a target to hit 40 points then after that he set another target.
We were just doing it game-by-game then eventually I think every fan
and every player’s dream came true and we won the league
How important were those fans in getting you over the line?
They were brilliant, they always are home and away,
they are the 12th man when they are making noise with the ‘clappers’
it creates a good atmosphere and the lads appreciate it.
In the Goal 50 you were second in terms of Premier League players.
If you look at some of the other stars, that must be thrilling for you?
Yeah it’s great, to have two players shows how good we were last season.
You are in the Ballon d’Or list as well, could you have imagined that?
Not at all but being nominated for that is an absolute honour.
Fancy your chances to win?
We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
Everyone knows your story, if you think back five or six years,
to where you were, did you ever think you would be at this level,
one of the top ten to 15 players in the world?
No, I was just playing with friends enjoying myself, didn’t think this would happen
and luckily I got given a chance and it all happened,
but a lot of hard work has had to go into it.
You said you enjoyed playing with your friends,
did you ever think you could make a career out of football?
No, nothing like that entered my head I was just enjoying football,
I was working full-time as well. Luckily I quit my job
and signed as a full-time footballer three days later.
You must look back on that now as the best decision you ever made?
Yes, definitely.
In the last year what is the one highlight for you?
Lifting the trophy, don’t think it gets any better than that
What was the one moment you thought you’d won it?
When we played Man City away, we beat them and we thought
we have a chance if we carry on playing like that.
But obviously the party at my house when we were watching Tottenham v Chelsea
That was definitely the defining moment.
That night must have been one of the most special nights in your career.
Especially with it being at your house?
Yes it was, it was unbelievable Bit quiet when Chelsea were 2-0 down
But as soon as the goals went in it turned into a mad house.
Any stories from that night?
I think they are all already out there!
Have you had much time to reflect on what you’ve achieved?
Not fully, but you do get bits of time to try and let it
sink in, I mean it has done but as soon as it does you’re straight
back to pre-season and the new season so you basically have to forget about it
[In the Champions League] You have had a great start
Three wins in three games, do you think you can go all the way?
You can never say yes or no, we can just take each game as it comes
That’s all we’ve been doing before and it’s not done us any harm
We’ve got three wins from three and we’ll take that into the next game.
There’s less games in the Champions League although the teams are stronger
Do you think it could even be easier to win?
By focusing on those games as they com,
especially in the knockout stages?
No, no game is easy, we just know we’ve got to play our game
and if we’re on form that day we know we can give teams a game
What will be will be but we’ll have given our all
Your own form hasn’t been quite as good this season
How do you go about proving people wrong, if they say
“Jamie Vardy was a one-season wonder, he only scored in one season?”
Just get back to what I’m good at, that’s it.
You don’t get concerned about not scoring goals?
No, no, as long as I’m contributing to the team
Claudio Ranieri, left you out a couple of weeks ago
Do you still believe you can be the main striker here?
Yes, definitely.
Riyad Mahrez made the Goal 50. How would you sum up his
Contribution to the Leicester story and what’s happened at this club?
He’s brilliant. If he’s on his game then no-one is stopping him
He really is that good and it was good for him to sign a new
contract to stay here as well
You must have been happy to see him stay after the partnership
you formed last season?
Yes, most of the team from last season signed new contracts
Keeping that core of players together was really important