Leicester boss Claude Puel worried Jamie Vardy red card will hurt for club
CLAUDE PUEL says he won't try to tame the tiger lurking within star striker Jamie Vardy.
By Dave Armitage and Alex Crook
PUBLISHED: 00:00, Sat, Aug 25, 2018 | UPDATED: 00:11, Sat, Aug 25, 2018
Leicester boss Claude Puel insists he is not angry with Jamie Vardy after getting sent off (Image: GETTY)
Leicester boss Puel insists he is not angry with his marksman or the reckless challenge which counts him out for three games.
The England international misses Saturday's clash at Southampton after being red-carded last week for his lunge at Wolves defender Matt Doherty.
Vardy is also sidelined for the midweek Carabao Cup clash against former club Fleetwood and next weekend's game against Liverpool.
Leicester can ill afford to be without their one-man goal machine but Puel says he refuses to blow his top over the moment of madness.
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It is difficult. His absence hurts us because he is a valuable player but we cannot play all season with just one striker and one player with a possibility to score
Claude Puel - Leicester manager
The Frenchman reckons Vardy wouldn't be the same player if he didn't play on the edge sometimes.
"He needs to keep that character and fighting spirit because it's the most important thing for him," said Puel.
"Perhaps last week it was a bit too much and too dynamic but we cannot change him and we don't want to change his character. I want him to continue like this."
The Foxes boss believes half the reason Vardy scores at will is because of his aggressive streak.
Jamie Vardy was red-carded last week for his lunge at Wolves defender Matt Doherty. (Image: GETTY)
Claude Puel will be without Jamie Vardy for three matches (Image: GETTY)
"I cannot be angry with Jamie because in the game he gives his best, always with good spirit and he brings a lot of good attitude to his team-mates," he added.
"It is difficult. His absence hurts us because he is a valuable player but we cannot play all season with just one striker and one player with a possibility to score.
"It is a good opportunity to develop and give responsibility to other players."
Vardy's enforced absence paves the way for £25m Kelechi Iheanacho to try to earn a run in the team.
Puel said: "I was happy with the progress of Iheanacho at the end of the season. He played very well."
Iheanacho has also been hitting the net in pre-season and Puel also has Shinji Okazaki back in the reckoning after injury.
"Okay, we lost Jamie for three games but it will be a good opportunity to give responsibility to other players," he said.
"We need to have players always ready to take someone's place because it will be a long season."
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Alex McCarthy ousted England international Fraser Forster as Saints' first-choice keeper (Image: GETTY)
Meanwhile, Southampton manager Mark Hughes is backing goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to become an England star.
McCarthy, 28, was called up by the Three Lions under Sam Allardyce and watched by Gareth Southgate during Saints' 2-1 defeat at Everton last weekend.
And Hughes psaid: "Alex is a very accomplished goalkeeper and Gareth will know that.
"He has been doing good work in training and hasn't had any opportunity with the goals that have gone past him. He has made key saves as well.
"He is in good form if he gets picked by England he won't let anybody down. He's a modern-day goalkeeper and towards the end of last year made some saves that were match defining.
"That is the mark of a top-quality goalkeeper, making saves to protect results. Alex did that on any number of occasions."
Southampton manager Mark Hughes is backing goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to become an England star (Image: GETTY)
McCarthy ousted England international Fraser Forster as Saints' first-choice keeper earlier this year and Hughes said: "He has got a lot of pressure for his role from Fraser and another outstanding keeper we bought to the club in Angus Gunn as well.
"He's got pressure to perform, which he seems to thrive on.
"He has come into the role of No1 at a Premier League club and is enjoying it and embracing the experience."
Hughes has warned his players to guard against Leicester's counter-attack threat as they bid to pick up their first win of the season.
He added: "Leicester are the club that gain more points on the road than most.
"They are a very accomplished counter-attacking team and it is very difficult to go up against them. You want to be on the front foot but you are very aware of the threat they have on the break.
"We want our first win on the board to settle everybody down and then crack on with the rest of the season.
"The test physically is a big one because they have got power in the middle of the park. They are one of those teams that before the season will have similar ambitions to ourselves in terms of league position at the end of the year."
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