Jamie Vardy backs Russell Martin as Leicester boss after lacklustre appointment

Jamie Vardy will not be returning to the hallowed turf of Leicester City this summer.

The revered striker is without a club now, as he left Cremonese after they failed to secure their Serie A safety, but he has already ruled out a Foxes reunion.

This hasn't stopped him from being vocal when it comes to all things Leicester, though, as the 39-year-old is clearly an avid fan, having made a staggering 500 appearances for the Midlands giants before jetting off to Italy.

Indeed, he has now weighed in with his thoughts on Russell Martin, with the jury out on whether the 40-year-old is a positive appointment, or a lacklustre roll of the dice.

Vardy's thoughts on Martin

Martin's appointment has been met with a lot of critics, with his last two managerial gigs ending in heartbreak, as the Scotsman was dismissed by Southampton after only one Premier League win had been obtained during the 2024/25 season.

Moreover, he could only muster up one Scottish Premiership victory in charge of Rangers, who are usually near the top of the SPL pile.

There will be a weight on Martin's shoulders, therefore, as he knows he will have to be a success from the get-go to get a disgruntled Leicester fanbase back on side, after suffering the awful reality of back-to-back relegations.

Despite the wheels coming off on both his reigns at the Saints and the Gers, Vardy has come out to back Martin, when speaking on his Jamie Vardy's Having A Party podcast.

When answering a question on his thoughts on the 40-year-old's appointment, the outspoken striker said: "At the end of the day, I think you have to look at where Leicester are (and) what league they're in.

"Is it probably the best they could have got? Yes. Has his career gone as good as he would have wanted? No.

"Obviously [he] did well at Southampton but then went to Rangers and it was the complete opposite. Only time will tell with that and he just needs some help.

"I think the main thing is if he's wanting to play a certain way then he needs to be given funds to bring his own players in to help him go that way."

Vardy's backing of Martin, who he hails as the "best they could have got" considering their League One status, will buy the divisive manager some time.

The 39-year-old is arguably correct with his assessment, too, as Leicester have been ambitious in hiring a boss who was residing in the Premier League only two years ago.

This backing will help

He hasn't gone overboard with his praise of Martin, either, as he acknowledges that the 40-year-old will need to be backed in the market to be a success.

It's a realistic take, and not a doom-and-gloom observation from the much-loved Leicester legend, with Martin presumably thankful for his kind words, as he tries to grow into the Foxes' hot seat.

With the likes of Arthur Okonkwo and Conor Chaplin on the rumoured shopping list, it does look as if the ex-Saints boss will be backed with some high-quality League One acquisitions, with both targets mentioned recent promotion winners from the exhausting level.

At the end of the day, you can be backed all you want by prestigious former King Power alumni, and transfers in through the door.

But, if he doesn't get results when the main action gets underway in August, he will be on shaky ground, with the Foxes hierarchy praying they get this appointment spot on, so Vardy fires back with even more notable soundbites.

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