Kane to captain England
Usmanov ‘not holding’ talks over selling stake in Arsenal
ENGLAND striker Harry Kane is confident he will not be weighed down by the added responsibility of being named captain for today’s World Cup qualifier against Slovenia at Wembley.
Kane, who scored 13 goals for club and country last month, said England had plenty of leaders in the side irrespective of who wore the armband.
“For me personally nothing really changes,” the 24-year-old told a news conference on Wednesday, after manager Gareth Southgate named him skipper for the Slovenia game.
“I will go out there and try and do my job for the team, try and score goals and try and win the match. I don’t think having an armband on your arm makes any difference to how you play or if you score goals or not.”
Southgate has yet to name a permanent captain of the team and Kane, who has filled in on a couple of occasions, said it did not matter as long as everyone kept working together.
“Whoever wears the armband, there’s plenty of us who will speak up and try and help each other... and when things get tough we will be there for each other,” he said.
Southgate praised Kane’s leadership but said he was happy to keep sharing the armband among different players.
“The important thing was when we looked at the group of players... we saw potential leaders, but lads that haven’t necessarily had experience of leading,” the manager said. “Sharing the responsibility... I think that’s key.”
England need one win from their two remaining matches to seal top spot in Group F and automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in Russia. Southgate’s men travel to Lithuania for their final qualifier on Sunday. — SuperSport THE second biggest investor in Arsenal, Alisherse Usmanov, says he is “not holding any talks” with majority shareholder Stan Kroenke about sellingg his stake in the club.
It has been reported that Kroenke, who owns 67% of the shares, has made a bid to buy out Usmanov’snov’s 30% stake.
However, Usmanov, 64, said his interest in Arsenal Arseprois “long term”.
“I see my 30% stake as an important aspect in protecting the best interests of the fans in the club,”,” he said.
Despite being a shareholder, Usmanov is not part of the board or the decision-making at Arsenal, and has previously criticised Kroenke for Arsenal’s failconwas failings on the pitch.
The Uzbek made a £1bn bid in May to take control of the club, but it was rejected by Kroenke.
“My interest in Arsenal from the beginning was long term and my intention has always been to buy additional shares should they become available,”able,” Usmanov said.
“I would like to assure supporters that I am open to various future scenarios - a constructive partnershiptnerhase with the majority shareholder, the purchase of his stake either alone or in a consortium, orr if a party appears who shares my and undoubtedlyy the majorityajo ty ofo fans’a s visionvso foro the te consider the question of selling my stake.”
The metal magnate bought his first shares at Arsenal in August 2007, while Kroenke took majority control of the club in 2008. — BBC Sport club,c ub, I couldcou d