For England’s sake Harry needs some real competition
HARRY KANE is the undoubted goal king for club and country.
But a former international striker believes both Tottenham Hotspur and England would reap the rewards if he was pushed harder for his place.
Kane will step out this afternoon at his new temporary home of Wembley, as Spurs take on Burnley, still looking for his first goal of the season.
But former Premier League forward Dean Ashton, who was capped by Fabio Capello, believes that extra competition could push Kane to even greater heights.
The Spurs striker has finished each of the last two seasons as the Golden Boot winner and was appointed England captain by Gareth Southgate for theWorld Cup qualifier against Scotland.
Currently on 78 Premier League goals, Kane has already talked about bringing up his century as quickly as possible, and driving Tottenham to go one better than last year’s runners-up spot in the league.
Ashton is a big fan of the 24-year-old’s progress over the last couple of years, and even mentions him in the same bracket as the Premier League’s all- time leading scorer, Alan Shearer.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, he is England’s best striker,” says the ex-Norwich and West Ham man.
“But what would improveve him is to have players pushing him.m
“When we were at our best in modern times with Alan an Shearer, we also had Teddy y Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler, and then Michael Owen. All these players were fighting for a spot.
“Harry could get evenn better if he had that type of competition for both Englandand and Tottenham.
“It means you can’t takee your foot off the gas. You need to be good in training and good in matches.
“He missed a couple of months during both of the last two campaigns, yet he still managed to score 25 goals in each. That is very, very impressive.
“He is coming to his peak and is getting better every year. He can score any type of goal, which not many strikers can.
“I also like the way he has gone about things. He didn’t burst on to the scene, he has built his way up and fought to get to this position.
“Harry has improved himself and every aspect of what he is good at. He is great with both feet.
“It’s refreshing to hear a player striving to hit targets, because that is not easy. That is the sign of how good he is and how
much he believes in himself.
“But if you’re being tal talked about in the sam same breath as Alan Shea Shearer, then you are some pl player. “I don’t kn know Harry personally, but he leads by example on the pitch. When you look for a talisman, you look at a player like Harry Kane.”
England will be strongly expected to reach next summer’s World Cup Finals in Russia, so it’s a big season in prospect for those who would want to make South gate’ s squad, although Wayne Rooney will not be one of those after announcing his retirement from England duty last week.
But Ashton is well placed to assess the merits of the other strikers who have to put pressure on Kane for that starting berth.
However, having had to retire early from the game at 26, in December 2009, due to a long-term ankle injury, he can relate to the continuing fitness concerns of Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge.
“I always fancy Jermain Defoe to get double figures and Bournemouth’s attacking style should help him,” he reasons.
“Jamie Vardy had that amazing season when Leicester won the league but had a bit of a lull at the start of last year.
“However, he finished the season really well and he has looked sharp in preseason and the early games.
“I feel for Daniel Sturridge because I know what it’s like when you’re not on the pitch. Football is a ruthless sport and if you’re not fit, you’re no use to anyone.
“It’s irrelevant how good you are, if you are not playing and able to show it. You are soon forgotten.
“It gets to you as you want to help and sometimes you feel you could do a better job than the players out on the pitch.
“But managers want to hang their hat on players and be able to rely on them. If Sturridge can’t be fit, how can Jurgen Klopp put his faith in him?
“That is the main issue and it’s why Roberto Firmino tends to get that starting role for Liverpool.”