From Graham Thomas in Dinard
Andy King intends to deny Jamie Vardy another party night in France when the two meet after Wales clash with England in Euro 2016.
Wales midfielder King and England striker Vardy – who shared beers and champagne in Vardy’s house the night Leicester City clinched their stunning, odds-defying Premier League title triumph last month – are due to meet when their countries collide in Lens next week.
King says he would also like to catch up off the pitch with Vardy, although he admits the chances of that are slim with both teams on a tight tournament schedule and Vardy at the centre of a proposed £20m-plus move to Arsenal.
“I don’t know how much meeting up we’ll be able to do, but knowing Vards like I do, he’ll be wanting to beat me and I want to beat him,” says King.
“Once the game finishes, we will shake hands and go our own way. But we believe that we can cause a few upsets. I just can’t wait to get out there and prove that we are a good side.”
King, 27, was an under-estimated influence in Wales’ qualification campaign – just as he was for Leicester in their shock title triumph.
He played in six qualification matches and believes his experience of handling pressure this season – along with that of other Welsh players who tasted success – can help them stun England.
“It is going to help us that we have people who have won stuff this season. I did it at Leicester, so did Gareth Bale, Sam Vokes won the Championship with Burnley, and people like James Collins at West Ham are also coming in with their best ever finishes for their club.
“It’s only going to stand us in good stead. We need to use the experience of big games and pressure situations when we are in this tournament.
“To play in a Euro finals for your country is a whole new level. It’s a new and exciting experience, but we are going there full of confidence.
“We have three massive games and we know that every team is going to be strong. But our preparation has been good and I think other teams will be wary of us because of the talent we have in our squad.”
The only downer for King is that the feel-good Foxes’ love-in won’t include jilted England midfielder Danny Drinkwater.
“It was very unfortunate for Drinky to be left out. I was surprised at that. After the season he had, I thought he would definitely be going with England. It’s disappointing for him.”
If Vardy does leave Leicester, then King believes it will not undermine the club’s resilient spirit that was such a feature during their title surge.
Vardy scored 24 league goals last season as 5,000-1 outsiders Leicester won the title and his departure would be a huge blow ahead of the club’s Champions League debut.
But King, currently with Wales at their Brittany base, said: “I wasn’t surprised when I heard about Vards because all of our players have had brilliant seasons and are going to be linked with big clubs.
“For Leicester, it is going to be a summer of speculation of incomings and out-goings. Nothing has happened yet and it will probably be a long transfer window but I don’t think it will affect the squad.
“It is 25 players in a squad and, if one or two decide they want to go and play their football elsewhere, we wish them all the best. We want to keep our best players and hopefully add to that.”
“We want all our best players to stay and try and build from there,” King added.” But what he (Vardy) decides to do is up to him. We have a tournament and I am really focused on Wales now.
