London Football News

Kane insists he does not need a rest

© Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Harry Kane admits it has been difficult to play so much football since the summer – but the England captain insists his game has not suffered as a result.

The 25-year-old won the Golden Boot at the World Cup after scoring six times as the Three Lions reached the semi-finals in Russia.

The Tottenham striker, however, has not found the back of the net for his country since the last-16 victory over Colombia on July 3.

His scoreless international run now stands at six games after he failed to end his drought in Friday’s 0-0 Nations League draw at Croatia.

If he does not score in Monday’s game against Spain in the same competition it will be the longest barren run of his senior England career.

Not including the Carabao Cup win over Watford, Kane has missed just three minutes of football for Spurs this season, despite his exertions in Russia.

There has been widespread suggestion that he is in need of a rest as the burden of firing both club and country to glory has taken its toll, but, while Kane admits it has been a slog, he believes he remains at the peak of his powers.

“I don’t think my game has dipped,” he said.

“It’s been tough after the World Cup not getting much rest, but I think I dealt with it well. I’ve stayed fit and stayed healthy.

“That was my main priority at the start of the season. Now it’s building on that and pushing forward over the winter.

“I set a standard for myself and I want to reach that standard every game I play. Sometimes you fall below it for one reason or another. It’s about learning and improving and that is what I will do for the rest of my career.

“I just stay focused on my job and what I need to do. In the Premier League I’m second top goalscorer. I’d like to have scored more for England recently.”

Kane hit the woodwork with a header in the stalemate in Croatia, so too Spurs team-mate Eric Dier, while Marcus Rashford spurned two great chances to win the game for the visitors.

A clean sheet after reverting to a back four was a positive for manager Gareth Southgate, with Kane now calling on the forwards to be more effective in front of goal.

“Yes, always,” he replied when asked if being clinical was key to beating the biggest teams.

“I have said before against the top nations it is fine margins and they are the ones we have got to start turning in our favour.

“We created good chances, we have just got to get better at that. It was a good clean sheet, solid at the back, change of formation I thought helped us out of possession especially – now we just have to build on it.”




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