Vardy: Mid-season break was a defining moment in Leicester´s season

Jamie Vardy lauded Leicester City’s Premier League-winning manager Claudio Ranieri for his decision to give the players a mid-season break in February. 

Having lost 2-1 at Arsenal on Valentine’s Day, Ranieri gave the players an extended break before their next game against Norwich City on February 27. 

The bold decision worked wonders, with Leicester going to win eight of their next 11 games on the way to a remarkable Premier League triumph. 

Vardy credited it as a “great idea”, especially after seeing Sunderland training on the beach while he was relaxing at his hotel in Dubai.

“I think a good thing that helped us straight after that game was the gaffer had seen exactly how much we’d all fought for each other and put into that game, and because we weren’t in the week after because we’d been knocked out of the FA Cup he gave us a week off to completely forget about everything and recharge the batteries,” Vardy said at the launch of his V9 Academy project.

“We all ventured off, quite a few of us went to Dubai together as a team, and I think that moment, for him to even think about doing that, showed what he’d thought of us as a team and how much work we’d already put in. 

“So to get those batteries recharged for that week and come back fighting stronger was a massive part [in winning the league].

“It was a great idea. I went to Dubai and I remember sitting on a sun lounger and in the same hotel Sunderland were there, running up and down the beach doing fitness. 

“For me to be relaxing while they’re doing the training was quite nice. It worked out perfectly, no one was going to go on a seven-day bender. 

“It was a case of being there to relax with family and that’s all we did until we got back to training.”