Buon compleanno al GOAT Jamie Vardy: la vita alla US Cremonese

Thankfully, the Foxes faithful were to be there every step of the way for as he chased the magical 200 goals in a Leicester shirt across 500 appearances for the club, with the long-time lynchpin earning the feat, forever etching his name into Leicester folklore, in the penultimate game of the season.

What came next for the former England striker was not clear; he knew he wanted to carry on playing, perhaps in the Premier League still, as he told Sky Sports in an exclusive:

Yet, time moved on across the summer with little movement. Unsubstantiated rumours linked him with moves north of the border with Celtic in a possible reunion with former boss Brendan Rodgers, as well as links to the likes of free-wheeling Wrexham, Premier League new boys Leeds United, or even a return to his roots at a Sheffield Wednesday side, beset by issues. 

Most fans felt that a move to the lucrative MLS might be in the cards too, particularly as he was a previous investor in Rochester Rhinos, a US based side in the lower regions of American soccer.

But then came the start of what grew into strong rumours of a move to Italy. First came an elite club in Napoli, before two smaller provincial sides emerged in Como and US Cremonese.

Reports of his negotiations were regular and on 1st September, his legend expanded when he was announced as US Cremonese’s newest recruit on a one-year contract, with an option to extend. 

So life began in the small city of Cremona, just 30 miles outside the multi-team powerhouse city of Milan. He made his debut, coming on in a 0-0 draw with Hellas Verona, before scoring his first goal for the club in a 1-1 draw with Atalanta in October.

Since then, the former Fox has gone on to make 15 appearances in total, scoring five goals for his newly-promoted side, who encouragingly sit firmly in mid-table in Serie A. 

So, how has Leicester’s unarguable GOAT started at UD Cremonese? 

For Fox Sake spoke to Italian journalist Ivan Ghigi from local news site La Provincia Cremona to find out how the Foxes legend is getting on over in Italy, and how he has adapted so far and why he is fast becoming a legend in his new homeland.

“Vardy’s signing was without doubt the most sensational signing US Cremonese made last summer," said Ghigi. "His adaptation has been almost seamless, because Cremonese were very transparent about the difficulties the club would face throughout the season.

"Vardy embraced the challenge, and the five goals he has scored show how quickly he has settled into Davide Nicola’s system.

“He has shown that age is just a number. He spent a few weeks working hard to regain his best physical condition, and once on the pitch he immediately displayed all his qualities as a dangerous striker. He embodied the humility that Cremonese bring to the pitch in their fight to avoid relegation.

“His movement, his pace, and his instinct for goal quickly proved that he has become the symbol of this small but proud reality in Italian football. Vardy also sets an example with his attitude: he accepts physical battles and tough marking, he doesn’t complain, and he gets back up immediately after every knock.

The only objective this year for US Cremonese is to avoid an immediate return to Serie B, says Ghigi, and so far they look on course to remain in Serie A as they sit nine points above the relegation zone, with a significantly better goal difference than most of the teams below them. Managing the squad and Vardy are the main areas to watch.

“Avoiding relegation is the club’s only objective," Ghigi continued. "Cremonese currently sit in a good position in the table, but maintaining it requires enormous effort.

There are seven clubs who are really accelerating, and we could call them the “seven big sisters” because they have very strong squads capable of competing in Europe. Cremonese have gone beyond every expectation.

“So far, coach Davide Nicola has managed the Cremonese squad very well, keeping the team in top condition. It’s never easy to leave out a leader like Vardy, but we know that at times he might need to be rested for his own good. 

“Up to now, the English striker has had very few physical issues and has played regularly. I wouldn’t be surprised if Vardy were to miss a few matches — it would simply be part of the normal management of the entire squad.”

So what could Vardy expect when moving his family to a small provincial city approximately 40 miles outside of Milan?

Well according to Ivan, there is plenty for him to like about a city rich with tradition and history, and there would be reminders of his time at Leicester, a possible reason why he chose the I Grigiorossi over other reported clubs.

“I’m sure Jamie had a desire to challenge himself again and it seemingly became very clear — starting from a reality that, in many ways, reminded him of his early days in English professional football. 

“Cremona is only a very small city (77,000 inhabitants), famous for its violin-making tradition. It is the birthplace of Stradivari, one of the most renowned luthiers in history, and also of Gianluca Vialli, the champion who passed away three years ago and who became an idol at Chelsea.

“US Cre­monese is a club with deep roots in Italian football, as it is 123 years old. Despite such a long history, it has played in Serie A only a few times. For this reason, the current season represents a source of pride and joy for the fans. Everyone wants Cremonese to avoid relegation, and every match is followed by thousands of supporters. 

“The stadium is often full. Two Leicester fans have already travelled to Cremona several times to watch Jamie Vardy up close, and they attended the match together with the US Cremonese supporters. The club’s home is the Zini Stadium, which is over 100 years old and is considered a small gem by the city.

"It has a style I would describe as English, because the spectators are very close to the pitch and the players.

“In 2007, the club was purchased by Giovanni Arvedi, an entrepreneur in the steel industry, whose investments have already led to two promotions to Serie A in the last four years. After the first experience, which ended with very disappointing results, Cremonese is determined not to repeat the same mistakes and built a stronger team in line with their financial resources.”

Whilst the hearts of Leicester fans are less full without the anointed GOAT in their midst these days, the story is now onto its next chapter, one that now bonds fans of both the Foxes and US Cremonese forever.

Our loss is I Grigiorossi’s gain, but when it comes to the legend that is Jamie Vardy, his iconic status not only at our club, but now worldwide, remains strong and still constant.

For Fox Sake would like to thank Ivan Ghigi from La Provincia Cremona for his interview. Check out Ivan's post celebrating Jamie Vardy's birthday by clicking on the button below.