Jamie Vardy has delivered a blunt assessment of Italian football following the conclusion of his one-season spell with Serie A club Cremonese. The former Leicester City forward opened up about the demanding training routines and the constant involvement of club executives as he returned to England.

Harsh remarks on training practices

In the debut episode of his podcast, Jamie Vardy's Having A Party, the striker reflected candidly on his time in Italy. After joining Cremonese on a free transfer, Vardy scored seven goals in 29 Serie A matches, though his efforts were not enough to prevent the team from being relegated.

The focal point of his criticism was the extreme workload imposed by Italian coaches, which he described as counterproductive for match performance.

Vardy drew a clear comparison with England’s footballing environment, saying, “How is Italian football compared to English football? It’s much slower, more defensive. Training is nonstop: run, run, run. Then you go into a match and, literally, you have nothing left to give. It’s not nice when you’re 38, 39, right? But not just for me. Here, it works like that. And the sporting director has a say in everything; it’s crazy.”

Managing mindset and recovery

The veteran striker also discussed the mental and physical approach to preparing for matches. According to him, the Italian football culture doesn’t provide sufficient time for rest and recovery, creating a pattern that negatively affects player performance.

To illustrate his point, Vardy shared an example: “Before the Bologna match, we did what we usually do in England. So we had a day off after the game. Everyone came onto the pitch feeling very fresh, and we won 3-1. Everyone was euphoric. So in my head, I was thinking: ‘Good, we’ll keep going like this.’ And instead... no, we went back to training every day, because ‘this match is really important.’ But how? All matches are important, there’s no difference, at least that’s my mentality.”

Family struggles and return home

Vardy’s Italian experience was not only challenging on the field but also off it. Although he and his family settled in a picturesque villa in Salo, on Lake Garda, the transition proved tougher than they expected. The striker revealed how the difficulties made him feel a sense of guilt towards his family.

Reflecting on his move abroad, he said, “To be honest, moving abroad with a family is really, really difficult. What was it like coming back? Very nice, to be honest. Obviously, we had already brought the boys back. It was a struggle. Really. And I also felt very guilty.”

Outlook on life and the role of football

Despite the hardships of his Italian chapter, Vardy remains upbeat. He emphasised that joy and humour are essential for him to perform at his best, recalling how football helped him steer clear of darker paths in life.

Vardy wrapped up with a deeply personal reflection, laced with humour: “I’m at my best when I’m having fun. You have to laugh. I’ve always laughed, even when I was on the bench in the lower leagues. When I never gave up, and it was truly worth it. Football saved me. I have a self-destruct button; I could have gone in a completely different direction, maybe even ended up in Alcatraz...”