|
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy deserves to play as a central striker for England, according to Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Vardy has been restricted to roles out on the left wing in his four caps for England, with manager Roy Hodgson preferring to play just one traditional striker. But the 28-year-old is in the form of his life, and is the Premier League's leading goal scorer this season with 11 goals -- four more than his nearest rivals, teammate Riyad Mahrez and Odion Ighalo of Watford. He has now scored in eight consecutive Premier League matches, a feat only matched by Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy and Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge. He is two games away from equalling Van Nistelrooy's all-time record of 10 games. Schmeichel believes Vardy has now earned the right to prove himself up front for England. "He is on fire at the moment," Schmeichel told the Leicester Mercury. "For me, he is the best striker in the Premier League right now. "I think Jamie is as exactly what international football needs. International football can often get very tactical and predictable. He is very unpredictable because the opposition don't know what he is going to do. He chases and harries. "He definitely deserves his chance to play for England down the middle and not on the left like he has been doing. He drags us through and sets the tone every single game. When you have a player like that, he is a dream to play with. "You hit balls and clearances and he makes something of them. He turns them into good balls because he chases everything down and never gives up. That is exactly what international football needs." England face friendlies against Spain and France later this month, with captain Wayne Rooney -- who recently broke Bobby Charlton's goal-scoring record -- and Harry Kane currently first choice to play up front.
|
