FROM GOLDEN BOY TO RUSTY AND WEARY...
HARRY KANE is a worldclass striker – playing with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
His effort, body language and general application against Scotland suggested that all is not well.
And if all is not well with the country’s leading forward, Gareth Southgate has a major problem – because it’s dragging England down.
It was a performance borne out of frustration. And it’s easy to understand Kane’s.
In 74 minutes against the Scots he touched the ball just 19 times. More importantly, not one was of any major impact.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.
In Russia, three years ago, centre-back Harry Maguire (above) enjoyed more touches in the opponent’s penalty area than the Tottenham striker.
And it is conveniently overlooked that of his six goals at the World Cup, three were penalties.
They were enough to win him the Golden Boot, but the award may not have been all that it seems.
Whether blinded by that or not, Southgate does appear to have lost sight of his primary function as England manager – to create chances for a man whose talents command a £150million price tag.
At least there was a recognition afterwards by Southgate that he has an issue. During 180 minutes against Croatia and Scotland, the Three Lions mustered just three attempts on target.
For all the accepted menace in England’s ranks, that solitary piece of data damns the army of highly paid coaches, statisticians, data analysts and nutritionists who sit behind the head coach.
It’s now being noticed that Kane is wandering around like a lost sheep. The reality is, he has been for a while.
He’s losing heart in the ability of those around him to fashion the chances necessary for him to hit the net.
He looked bereft of energy, enthusiasm and zip.
It was Roy Keane who described the England skipper’s ongoing stand-off with Spurs as potentially ‘an energy-zapper’.
Kane should be looking at this European Championship as an opportunity to showcase his talents.
Instead, it’s making everyone question what all the fuss is about.
It’s now up to Southgate to find a solution.
Every other coach in the tournament would be harnessing their resources around their major goalscoring threat – finding ways to play to Kane’s strengths.
This England team do not appear to have much of a
clue what those are.