Kane’s nasty injury damages England’s World Cup build-up
Striker hurts ankle for third time in 18 months Blow makes him a doubt to face Holland and Italy
Harry Kane is a major doubt for England’s pre-world Cup matches against Holland and Italy after being forced to leave Bournemouth last night on crutches and in a protective boot following another significant ankle injury.
Having missed 14 games last season with two separate ankle injuries, Kane’s same right leg was twisted at almost a right angle when he collided with Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in the 29th minute of Tottenham’s 4-1 win.
His ankle will be scanned today and while Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said that Kane was “positive”, he could offer no reassurance ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Swansea City and Thursday’s England squad announcement for the Holland and Italy friendlies later this month.
“I am concerned,” said Pochettino. “Of course, I worry about him. We hope it is not a massive issue for him and the team and hope he can recover as soon as possible. We need to wait because we will scan his ankle. He suffered an injury to the same ankle he suffered before. He is positive. Harry has a great character and is always positive. If you are positive you start the recovery from the injury from now.”
Kane had hobbled off the pitch and initially looked like coming back on but then headed down the tunnel in obvious frustration following consultation with the club’s medical team.
“The decision was between him and the doctor, but he felt like when he landed and twisted his ankle that it was impossible to stay on the pitch,” said Pochettino. Tottenham do not now have a Premier League match until April 1, but that is away against Chelsea and potentially of huge significance in the race for a top-four place.
Kane, who has already played 38 matches this season, will also be determined not to lose ground to Mo Salah in the race to finish top Premier League scorer. They currently both have 24 goals. Kane’s two ankle injuries last season, in September 2016 and then March 2017, saw him ruled out respectively for about seven and then four weeks.
With the World Cup now less than three months away, England manager Gareth Southgate will be hoping that Kane, who has been his captain for some recent matches, is back well before the end of the season in order to fully recover both his form and fitness.
There was also concern yesterday for Tottenham and England over Dele Alli who, having equalised after Bournemouth took a seventh-minute lead, later came off with pain in his groin.
“I don’t believe that is a big issue,” said Pochettino. “We need to, in the next week, manage him. I don’t believe he will be a big problem.”
Without Kane, Tottenham still recovered from 1-0 down to win 4-1 and Pochettino was especially pleased with their response following the Champions League defeat against Juventus last Wednesday. “The reaction was important for the team,” he said. “Under the circumstances, we are so happy because it is a massive three points for us.
“We played fantastic football. If you want to be competitive, if you want to arrive at the end of the season with some possibility to win something or to achieve the targets you have, you need to have a big squad and you need 24, 25 players with the same objective to fight for the team.”
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe felt that the final score had flattered Tottenham, especially after Callum Wilson had a goal disallowed for a slight push on Davinson Sanchez when his team were only 2-1 behind. “I think it was a soft call from the referee,” said Howe.
“If there is any contact it is minimal. At 2-1 down that has a huge bearing on the result. The scoreline is definitely is an untrue reflection of how the game went. We were in that right until the end.”
Pochettino sympathised with Howe over the supposed foul on Sanchez. “Sometimes it is for you, sometimes it is against you,” he said. “In football you always need some luck. Sometimes the decision helps you to win, sometimes the decision doesn’t help you.”