What’s wrong with Tottenham talisman Harry Kane this season? Well, the usually stellar centre forward didn’t say specifically for sure, but he did reveal that England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy still haunts him to this day.
While many, if not most, observers blame his fallen form on his failed attempt to leave Tottenham for Manchester City, Kane says otherwise. Kane met the media today ahead of England’s last two World Cup qualifiers against Albania and San Marino.
“It was tough in terms of that loss. Losing a European final for your country at Wembley, that will stay with me for the rest of my career,” Harry Kane said at a press conference.
“You never really get over those things. Hopefully we go and win some major tournaments. That always stings but I’m pretty used to it now, I’m pretty used to going back into things.”
England lost the final match on a penalty shootout. Kane then discussed the move to City that he desperately wanted, but did not happen. It was indeed one of the most tedious transfer sagas in recent memory.
“There was a lot of talk, a lot of speculation over the summer,” the face of England football continued.
“The first real time that probably happened to me in my career — but that’s part and parcel of learning, part and parcel of being a big player, having to deal with those situations and I think I dealt with it well.
“Now it is about focusing. There is still a long way to go at club level and now for me it is about finishing these two games strong with England and finishing off what has been a great calendar year.”
England has already qualified for the World Cup, so these next two matches really don’t mean all too much. Tottenham return to action on November 21 against Leeds United. Maybe Harry Kane will start to find himself again under the recently hired manager Antonio Conte.
He played pretty dreadfully under the short tenure of Nuno Espirito Santo. It can only go up from here, right?
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.