“HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I’LL BE A LEGEND FOR MY CLUB AND COUNTRY”
In two years, Harry Kane has risen from Spurs reserve to one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. Now he is ready to take Euro 2016 by storm...
What are your first memories of watching England growing up as a child? I remember Michael Owen’s goal against Argentina. It was amazing – I watched it, dreaming of doing that kind of thing one day. That’s one of the earliest memories that sticks out. I was very young at the time, but I’ve been watching England with my brother and my family for as long as I can remember, cheering when we scored. I’ve always been a big fan.
Two years ago, when you were still trying to break into the Spurs team, did you expect to be going to this tournament? It’s always been a goal of mine to get into the England senior team and play at major tournaments. It seemed quite a long way away back then, but that’s why you work hard. That’s what football’s about: you have to put in the work to get the rewards. I’ve seen that over the past 18 months or so. It’s really exciting now – I’m looking forward to it. To be part of it will be special, and I’m looking to do the best I can.
Is it incredible to think about how far you’ve come since 2013, when you and Jamie Vardy were unused substitutes for Leicester in a 2-0 Championship defeat at Barnsley? Yes, time has gone so quickly for me since then. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that I was sitting on that bench – and Jamie was
there as well. I haven’t really spoken to him about that so far, but we’ll probably have a sit down in the summer and have a little talk about it, and how much things have changed. He’s done fantastically well this season – it shows you how quickly football can change. It’s about keeping on believing in yourself. Myself and Jamie have proven that hard work can pay off; that we can play at the top.
How much will the experience of playing at the European Under-21 Championship in the Czech Republic last summer help you? That was a great experience for me, despite the result – just to go there, witness the environment and get into that tournament mentality of being away in a hotel, with matches every three or four days. I think that’s important. I wanted to get that experience so that if I was picked for Euro 2016, I could use it to my advantage. You got little insights into what it’s going to be like – the officials, the hotel life. It’s all part of the tournament experience. I wanted to get that and I did – hopefully I can use that in this tournament.
Last season you were considered by many to be a surprise package, for both club and country. How have things changed for you this season, now that there’s a lot of expectation on your shoulders? It’s been different. You’re going from one end of the scale to the other – being a surprise last year, with not many people knowing about me, to this season when everyone knows me. I’m probably getting marked tighter than usual – double marked – and I have to deal with that. But the top players always find a way to carry on scoring and creating goals.
Expectation is always massive for England at tournaments. Do you feel you’re well-placed to handle that now? Definitely. That’s part of being a professional footballer: you have to deal with high-pressure situations. The whole country is rooting for us to do well and we understand that. There will always be pressures playing for your country, especially a big country like England. It’s about coping with that as part of representing your country.
You haven’t played much with Wayne Rooney so far, but do you feel you could form an effective partnership? Obviously those decisions are down to the boss, but if called upon I’m sure we’ll work well together. Wayne’s a fantastic player: he’s our captain, our leader. Whenever I’ve trained with him or played with him, he has been outstanding.
How much will it help to go into the tournament knowing you’ll have quite a few Spurs team-mates with you in the squad? It could help. We spend every day with each other, so we know each other’s habits when we go away with England. If you’re in a hotel with them, you’re used to being around them. We have great togetherness with England. Everyone gets on very well. Who’s the king of the games room? I’m not sure – I don’t really spend a lot of time in the games room! If I do go down there I’ll maybe play a bit of darts, but often I like to watch box sets or films on my laptop.
Do you have anything set aside to watch while you’re in France this summer? Not yet! I’ve watched quite a few lately – I’ve been racing through them. I’ve been watching House of Cards. I’ll have to have a good look and save one for the Euros!
Can England win Euro 2016? We’re a great young side and we’ve got a lot of talent – we’ve just got to see where it takes us. We’ve got a mixture in this squad of youth and experience, which always helps. We have a lot of young, energetic players who play in free roles and can express themselves, and the experienced players who have been there and done it, have the tournament experience, know what it’s going to be like and are there to help. We are in a tough group but we’re looking forward to it and are full of confidence.
You have a good record in derby games at club level. Do you hope you’ll have the same success for England against Wales? Yes, hopefully I can take that into the game. It’s a game that’s going to be hyped up and talked about a lot until the day we play it. We’re all really looking forward to it.
In the past there have been a number of Tottenham players who have made an impact at tournaments for England: Gary Lineker, Teddy Sheringham and Paul Gascoigne, to name a few. Do you dream of having the same impact? Definitely. They’re great players – legends for club and country. That is something I want to try to achieve. If I keep working hard, hopefully one day I’ll be on that list as another player who has done great things for my country.
Harry Kane wears the new England home kit, built for speed with revolutionary Nike Aeroswift innovation. Visit nike.com for more information