KANE VOWS HE WILL BE FRESH FOR WORLD CUP
HARRY KANE is determined to end the season on a high today with another goalscoring spree against Leicester — then go into the World Cup better prepared than he was at the Euros two years ago.
The Tottenham striker starts the day three goals behind Mo Salah in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
Kane scored his 28th League goal of the season to beat Newcastle on Wednesday and could overtake Salah if he replicates the four goals he scored in Tottenham’s 6-1 win away to Leicester last May.
With the win against Newcastle confirming a third successive Champions League campaign next season for Spurs, Kane says they can relax and enjoy their final League game at Wembley.
‘The Golden Boot is still there (to win) so who knows?’ he said. ‘It is good that the pressure is off so hopefully we can go and play freely and score a few goals. We’ll try to do the same as last year. ear.
‘It will be tough but ut it is about getting to that at 30-goal mark for me. I always try to improve every year and it was 29 last year so to reach 30 is important.’
Kane, 24, has scored only four goals in eight appearrances since returning ng ahead of schedule from man ankle injury in early A April il and d says: ‘ As a striker you just go through spells throughout the season. Sometimes everything you touch turns to gold, sometimes you have to wait on one or two chances. Hopefully I can get into a rhythm with England’s friendlies [against Nigeria and Costa Rica] and take that into the World Cup.’
Gareth Southgate names his World Cup squad on Wednesday, while Kane will be starting a family holiday tomorrow.
‘We get a week off before we meet up with England and I’m going to go away with my wife and relax. I’ll tick over, obviously, I’m not just going to have a week without doing anything but it’s more about relaxing mentally, playing a bit of golf and spending some time with my wife — she’ll want that. Then we’ll meet up with England and have four days together, prepare for the friendlies and get ready.’
Kane says he will be fresher and more experienced going into this summer’s World Cup than he was two years ago, when he had a disappointing tournament as England crashed out of Euro 2016 to Iceland in the round of 16. Kane had barely rested in two years, having played every game in t he European Under-21 tournament the previous summer, and he looked tired.
‘ I think this summer I will be fresher,’ he added. ‘That was my first tournament as well, so there were a lot of emotions and expectations, that feeling of getting to know what it would be like. Having that experience will help as well, I definitely feel better this time.
‘Obviously I had a good rest last summer. This year has been a tough year with all the competitions we played in but I’m feeling good. good I’m feeling like anyone any would at this stage st of the season but b there is plenty of time to recover and get ready for the World Cup.’
Kane pays particular u attention to his fitness fi and diet and says say his experience from two years ago will help. ‘Th ‘The main i thing is to make sure I prepare well, recover well, make sure I’m stretching, eating the right stuff and giving myself the best possibility to play well. You get a bit of time before games, maybe three or four days. It’s not like a week between each game.’
As the top-scoring Englishman again this season, with 43 goals in 51 games for club and country, Kane knows expectations will be high.
‘It’s the World Cup and you can’t expect to go without any pressure. Every team faces it and we’re no different. This year we have a younger, more inexperienced team, so maybe the expectation is not so big. But Russia is still important.
‘We have to do our best and see what happens. The Euros is big but the World Cup is the next step. It is probably the biggest competition in sport. I’m just excited to be in it.’