Cremonese head coach Davide Nicola has opened up about how the newly promoted Serie A side managed to sign Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy on a free transfer. The English striker`s arrival has generated excitement around the club, which has started the season strongly with two wins from two matches.
Speaking to the media, Nicola explained the process of convincing Vardy to join Cremonese:
“When we realized signing Vardy was possible, we presented our vision to him. We outlined what we`re trying to build here. The fact that he chose us based on that pitch was crucial. Vardy is still a player with a lot of hunger and motivation.”
Nicola emphasized that Vardy`s work ethic and team-first mentality will be vital assets:
“Our tactical setup is designed to get the ball to our experienced forwards like Vardy and Vazquez. But if we need them to drop deeper and help defensively, they do it without complaint. That attitude is so important.”
The manager also touched on Cremonese`s strategy of signing Italian talents this summer, stating: “There are many gifted players in Italy. We just need to show faith in them and provide proper support.”
Nicola believes Vardy and the other new signings will help Cremonese be competitive in what he sees as a very challenging league:
“Serie A is an extremely selective and complex competition. Any player or coach who comes here quickly realizes how tactically sophisticated and demanding Italian football is. It`s often unfairly criticized, but the level here is very high.”
Cremonese will look to continue their perfect start when they face Verona away on September 15th. The club will then host their first home match after the international break against Parma on September 21st. Vardy is set to be officially unveiled to supporters at a special event on September 10th.