Kane can be top scorer says legend Sir Geoff

SIR GEOFF HURST says Harry Kane will be in the running to win the Golden Boot.

But only if the England skipper does not get weighed down by the pressure.

The Tottenham striker was in stunning form last season, scoring

41 goals in 48 games.

Kane will lead the line for the Three Lions at the World Cup and

1966 hero Hurst believes that he will be in the running to be the tournament’s top scorer.

But the England legend urged Kane’s team-mates to share the burden and not pin their hopes on the striker, who flopped at Euro

2016.

Hurst said: “He’s a Golden Boot contender – he has to be.

“He’s coming into the tournament scoring goals at every level and has regularly found the net for England.

“But you cannot rely on just one player to score goals.

“Being successful is a group by ALEX WOOD

thing. The camaraderie and team spirit has to be good in the camp. It looks a good squad, young but with some experience.

“The five Tottenham players are performing at the top level and playing a very aggressive style of attacking football. It’s a good base to have in your team.”

Hurst – who famously bagged a hat-trick for England in the ’66 World Cup Final – sees similarities between Kane’s club boss Mauricio Pochettino and his ex-manager Ron Greenwood.

He added: “Pochettino has been very instrumental.

“I go back to my time, I was very lucky at club level to have Greenwood. West Ham had three players playing for England in 1966 and Pochettino has five.”

England were dumped out of the Euros two years ago after being humiliated by Iceland in the last-16. And they didn’t even make it out of the group at the World Cup in Brazil four years ago.

Hurst claims expectations need to be modest in Russia and said: “It’s unrealistic for us to win it. If you target the quarter-finals, we should be quite capable of that.

“Having had those bitter disappointments in Brazil and against Iceland two years ago, then, the first step will be to just get out of the group. That is perfectly feasible.

“We could beat Belgium – even though they have some slightly better players than us overall.

“If you win the group obviously it gives you a much better chance of progressing.

“It’s not negative, it’s about little steps. Let’s just get out of the group and go from there.”

Geoff Hurst was a guest on Paddy Power’s Boat Party, which broadcasts live on Facebook throughout the World Cup. Watch the next episode on June 17 at 6pm.