My pal Vardy can do wonders for England

Vardy played a key role in the Three Lions coming from behind to beat Wales 2-1 at the European Championships.

The striker scored the first goal and played a part in Daniel Sturridge’s stoppage-time winner in Lens.

New Pompey signing, Danny Rose, knows Vardy well after playing in the same side at Fleetwood in the Conference in 2012.

Rose noted his ‘frightening’ potential back then and had little doubt he could achieve things at the highest level.

He said: ‘Jamie single-handedly won us the league.

‘He still plays the way he played when he won us the league.

‘You know any ball over the top he is going to get on to it.

‘In the Conference, as we were at the time, the defenders were quite a bit slower than they are in the Premier League, so he was even more destructive.

‘You knew if there was any kind of half-chance with him it’s a goal.

‘It was inevitable he was going to go at the end of that season.

‘But the short time he was there it was quite frightening to see the potential he possessed.

‘It’s no surprise to me, having watched him day in, day out, he has gone to achieve what he has.

‘He can now go on to achieve one or two more special things for his country.’

Rose has his reservations about how far England can go in France but sees the competition as one where a number of sides can win it.

He said: ‘I’m not sure if England can win if I’m honest! We have to play to our players’ strengths to do well.

‘It’s a difficult one but I think it’s the most wide-open tournament we’ve had for a while.’