Leicester boss Claude Puel is a relatively quiet man now but behind that reserved exterior he still fancies himself as the midfield enforcer he was during his playing days, as Jamie Vardy can attest.

Puel’s side face Peterborough in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, with Vardy hoping to come up against a graduate from his own V9 Academy in the shape of Posh defender Alex Penny.

However, a robust tackle from his manager in training this week might have put his involvement in doubt.

“The gaffer had joined in, as he likes to do, and the ball was between him and me and he actually launched himself in for a tackle,” recalled Vardy. “I had to move out of the way and I started laughing to myself thinking ‘wow, here we go!'”

As a player Puel was a one-club man, making more than 600 appearances for Monaco and winning two Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups.

He won one of each playing under Arsene Wenger, who last season ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Southampton, where Puel was then in charge, recounted a similar tale about his compatriot.

“Puel was well known in training to be a good tackler,” said the Arsenal boss. “Even on the morning of a cup final he could tackle and even if it was the manager then no problem!”

Vardy was not surprised to hear about Puel’s playing style and joked that his manager still thinks he is capable of playing today.

“He’s competitive even now. He’s a very hands-on manager and he gets very upset if he’s on the losing team in training,” said Vardy.

“He does like launching himself into a few tackles, though. There was no concern from him whatsoever, that’s why I just started laughing. I made sure on the next one when we were shoulder to shoulder that I gave him a little nudge.

“But that’s what we are like, we train as we play. Although I don’t think the gaffer realises he hasn’t got a chance of playing himself. He likes to get involved and he still has his playing days in his head.

“If you came to the training ground, though, you’d see him in the gym and as he still likes to keep himself in shape.”

Defenders Robert Huth and Danny Simpson could both be back in the Leicester squad after injury against Peterborough at the ABAX Stadium. Captain Wes Morgan remains out with a hamstring problem, though.