HARRY ON REGARDLESS Striker calm despite drought
WHEN you set the bar high there is always a price to be paid.
And England star Harry Kane admits he has been a victim of his own incredible success after hitting a brick wall in the international goalscoring stakes.
Kane’s on a barren Three Lions run and has now failed to score in games for his country.
His drought continued in Friday night’s behind-closed-doors goalless draw with Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.
His last goal was a penalty in the the thrilling World Cup Round of 16 win over Colombia in Moscow.
It is uncharted territory for the Tottenham Hotspur scoring machine, 25, who plundered an incredible 52 goals
‘It’s just a case of focusing on the team’
in 59 games for club and country last season.
That took his tally to 154 goals in the last four seasons – figures which have left him no room to hide as the spotlight ruthlessly turns on his current England drought.
That is the type of attention Kane could do without.
But the likeable Spurs star has learned to take it all in his stride after revealing his eye-watering stats make him a target when the goals are suddenly hard to come by.
“When you set the standards that I’ve set over the last few years and you feel a little bit below it, people are going to talk,” said Kane.
“That’s just the game we are in. I’m experienced enough now to know that and not get too high or too low. I just stay focused on my job and what I need to do.
“In the Premier League I’m second top goalscorer and I’d like to have scored more for England recently.
“But as a striker you go through spells where maybe it goes off the bar and other times it comes off your heel and goes in the back of the net like in the World Cup against Panama.
“I set a standard for myself and I want to reach that standard in every game I play.
“Sometimes you fall below it for one reason or another.
“It is about learning and improving and that is what I will do for the rest of my career.
“It was a tough game in Croatia. When you are up front, you just have to battle, hold it up, bring others into play, and I thought I did that well. For me it’s just a case of focusing on my job for the team.”
Kane believes the performance against Croatia in Rijeka and the narrow defeat by Spain at Wembley last month is clear evidence that this Three Lions side is making progress.
But he admits England need to adjust to a new landscape after coming so close to a World Cup Final.
He said: “We had an amazing summer, a big high but ending on a low. It’s difficult because every game we play for England now is not going to be as big as the semifinal and quarter-final.
“It’s about adapting to that but yes there are definite signs of improvement.
“Against Spain we were unlucky – we had a disallowed Danny Welbeck goal and in Croatia on another day we could have won.
“So we are nearly there. We have just got to get over the line against these top sides to take that next step.
“There’s still a lot of work to do but hopefully we can progress and go one better tomorrow in Spain.
“Against the top nations it is fine margins and they are the ones we have got to start turning in our favour.”
Kane is backing boss Gareth Southgate’s strategy of bringing in fresh young blood like Jadon Sancho, Ben Chilwell, James Maddison and Mason Mount to help move England forward.
“It’s great to see new young players in the squad.
“As a nation we want to see young players coming through and getting experience at this level whether it is in training or playing.
“The gaffer is not afraid to play players if he feels they deserve it. They have been great in training – good, humble and they just want to work hard and that is what we want.
“The older lads in the team just have to set an example to help them and drive them and so far so good.” F A Pts
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GAMES TO PLAY Tomorrow: Spain v England (7.45pm) November 15: Croatia v Spain (7.45pm) November 18: England v Croatia (2pm)