GIVE ’EM EL
Southgate determined to prove the summer World Cup heroics were not a one-off and his England are a force on football’s biggest stages
GARETH SOUTHGATE’S England are determined to prove their World Cup heroics were no summer fling when they take on Spain tonight.
The Three Lions boss wants to show success in Russia was not a fluke and called on his men to be “brave and aggressive”. He said: “We have to convince ourselves it wasn’t a one-off. That’s the most important thing.”
Skipper Harry Kane will receive the Golden Boot when the team that won back the hearts of the nation by reaching the semi-finals are welcomed home at a sold-out Wembley.
And Southgate is now demanding England demonstrate they can beat the best by winning the inaugural Nations
League. He said:
HARRY KANE will receive his Golden Boot today yet to be convinced he belongs in football’s most illustrious company.
Gareth Southgate yesterday described Kane as the best No.9 in the world and yet the Tottenham striker insists he has a long way to go before he is on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I think it’s hard to compare with those two – they have set the standard in football over the last 10 years,” said Kane.
“I don’t think I’m up there with them yet. But I aim to improve.”
Underlining Kane’s selfdeprecating attitude was the inscription he wanted on the Nike golden boots he will wear against Spain at Wembley tonight.
The Tottenham star wanted ‘loan’ written four times to signify the early days of his career spent farmed out at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich and Leicester. But they could not squeeze it all in so he went instead for “Lane Lion Leader” in homage to Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium, the famous Three Lions of the national team, and his role as national captain.
Kane is not particularly interested in the pomp and ceremony surrounding the Golden Boot; only in getting on with the game. “All I’ll be thinking about is trying to score,” said the goal-crazy striker.
“I listened to Michael Owen talking about it, the Ballon d’Or being presented to him before a game while all he wanted to do was get on the pitch and score. That’s how a lot of professional footballers work. That hunger is all that’s important.”
It is that hunger which drives Kane forward.
The 25-year-old bristled when the accusation was levelled at him that he looks exspecially-made hausted after only a short break following the World Cup.
But he did admit he feels he should have done better in Russia despite the six goals which earned him the topscorer gong at the tournament.
“To win the Golden Boot at the World Cup and feel like I could have done better is exciting,” said Kane. “There’s a lot of improvement to come.
“But team trophies are the main thing for me. We haven’t won one since 1966 so for any England player that’s the aim, to bring a major trophy home. I want to play for England for the next 10 years and have many more big tournaments.
“Obviously I’d love to sit here and say we’re definitely going to win it (Euro 2020) but we know there’s a lot of hard work before then. And the new Nations League is a chance to win a trophy.”
Kane outlined how important victory tonight at Wembley would be for the Three Lions.
“It would give us huge confidence to beat a top nation.” he said. “That’s the one thing in the summer we didn’t do. To be up there consistently in these tournaments you’re going to have to beat these nations.
“But the identity is there for us now. When we met up we had a smile on our faces, looking forward to seeing each other again. You need that togetherness to be a top team.”