Hodgson warns Vardy over England role: He should be happy to be in squad
England manager Roy Hodgson wants to "defuse the hype" around in-form Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy.
Jamie Vardy is the Premier League's leading goalscorer but he has been warned by England manager Roy Hodgson he cannot dictate his role in the national team.
Vardy tops the scoring charts in England's top flight with 11 goals for high-flying Leicester City but the in-form 28-year-old will not lead the line for Hodgson's men in upcoming international friendlies against Spain and France.
The four-cap international, who has scored in eight successive Premier League matches this season, has played out wide as a forward under Hodgson and that is where he is set to stay, should he start, when England travel to Spain on November 13.
Hodgson said: "When you have only played two games, you are in no position to go to the coach and say, 'I will play for England but only in this position.'
"That is the point I am trying to make.
"I am just trying to defuse hype and make one very important point which is very, very obvious to anyone who has been following England for a long time. That is: an England shirt is a very valuable commodity.
"I think Jamie Vardy can play in any of the front three positions.
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"Jamie has only played a couple of games from the start. He should be happy at the moment a) to be in the squad and b) even happier if he makes the team.
"His job, I think, should be definitely to try to convince that he has got the ability to play as a forward in an England team and not get too hung up like some people if he only plays here [in a certain position]."