Thursday 14 January 2016 15:25, UK
Claudio Ranieri admits he has no idea when Jamie Vardy was last fully fit, but says he expects the striker to be ready for Euro 2016.
The Leicester City manager revealed England forward Vardy had not trained for the last month as he battled a groin injury which eventually needed surgery earlier in January.
He has also played with an ankle injury and broken wrist this season but is the Premier League's joint-top scorer with 15 goals.
Vardy returned to play after 71 minutes of Leicester's 1-0 win at Tottenham on Wednesday and Ranieri expects him to be fine for England's European Championship campaign in the summer.
He said: "He should be fit when he arrives there - slowly he will get better. That doesn't mean getting better means he will score more goals but he will feel better.
"It difficult to say (when he was last fit), it's important he continues to play. If he doesn't train very well it's important he keeps going to play. The match is like a training session for him.
"Jamie will start to make training sessions with us, he's getting better. It's important, it'll be yes or no as to how I manage him.
"It wiill depend on the match and if I see he's a little tired. I prefer to manage him during the training session. The important players must play every time and get some rest during the week."
England face Russia, Wales and Slovakia in France with Vardy having forced his way into Roy Hodgson's squad last year.
He is expected to face Aston Villa when the Foxes visit the basement club on Saturday, with Jeff Schlupp still out with a hamstring injury.
Leicester are second, behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference following Robert Huth's winner at White Hart Lane, and Ranieri knows he must protect all of his squad from fatigue.
He added: "In this moment it's much better to recover than the training sessions. It will be the problem of the teams who stay in the Champions League. In June it will be the national teams' problems."
