London: It was shortly after Harry Kane had finished telling the story about the wrong running spikes, and having to chuck in javelin-throwing, that members of the indie band The Charlatans strolled through the door. Kane’s season continues to be a tale of the unexpected.
It was shortly before midnight on Sunday at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London and Kane had just received his award as Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year. Away from the selfie crowd, the Tottenham Hotspur and England forward found a quiet corner, a suite used by bands performing at the dinner, to reflect on his remarkable season.
The 21-year-old spoke of his delight at being considered a flag-bearer for those young English players craving a chance in the foreigner-filled Premier League, of how he has worked assiduously on his finishing and also on improving his fitness and particularly his speed.
Four years ago, and not as athletic as now, Kane was playing in a practice game at Spurs’ training ground when Harry Redknapp’s great friend, Frank Lampard senior, happened to be looking on. He suggested to Kane that he could do with some sprint work.
“He said Frank Lampard [junior] had done a similar thing, which made him a better player,” Kane recalled. “I ordered some spikes online. They wouldn’t fit. I realised they were javelin shoes. So my mum sent them back.”
So what was his javelin-throwing like? “Not the best. I got the proper spikes, did some training in them and that helped me.
“I’ve always had a football brain but the physical side wasn’t always there. When I was younger I never really had the pace or strength I have now. A lot of people said that this season they’ve seen a big difference in that. That’s a lot of hard work, in training, in the gym.
“It was me trying to work out how I could get better and [Spurs coach Mauricio] Pochettino was big on that fitness aspect. He’s got the whole team fit. He’s definitely helped me. When you’re feeling fit and strong, you’re full of confidence.”
The moral of Kane’s nascent career to date, and why his narrative appeals to so many people, is that determination will be rewarded.
He has striven ceaselessly to get his chance, getting playing time on loan at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City. After Tim Sherwood gave him a chance last season, Kane’s target for this term was “just to get into the Spurs team, trying to do as well as I could” and convince Pochettino that he was worth starting ahead of Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor.
“I knew I’d have to be patient, that it would be tough with two other very good strikers.”
Pochettino used him in the lesser competitions, the Europa League and League Cup, until Kane’s prolific form demanded his involvement in the Premier League.
“I got on a little goalscoring run, grew in confidence, and just seemed to ride the wave, which got bigger and bigger. I was doing well in the other competitions, scoring goals, came off the bench against Aston Villa and got that lucky break.”
On November 2 at Villa Park, Kane replaced Adebayor after 58 minutes and then swept in the winning free-kick right at the death. “I never looked back,” he recalled.
“That’s sometimes what you need — a chance. People have respected the way I’ve done it. I’ve not been just thrown in. I’ve had to work hard, be patient. It hasn’t come easy.”
Kane now has 30 club goals for the season, so it was appropriate that it should be a famous Spurs goalscorer of yesteryear, Clive Allen, presenting him with his PFA award.
As he sat in The Charlatans’ green room, the Young Player of the Year touched the trophy standing gleaming on the table in front of him.
“This is a dream. If I’d thought this would happen at the start of the season, I’d have been lying to you. I don’t think a lot of this season has sunk in. I will probably be on holiday on a beach one day and it will all hit me.
“I moved in with my girlfriend a week before Christmas. It [his trophy collection] is in the living room at the moment. I managed to get quite a few things this year. It’s getting quite busy.
“There will be a special room or cabinet where I’ll keep all my trophies in. To receive an award like this is amazing. Hopefully there are many more to come. This is the beginning.
“Eden Hazard — congratulations to him [on being named Player of the Year with Kane second]. I’d like to win that one day. Why not? I’ve done well to get where I am now. But it doesn’t stop.
“I keep trying to improve. You can always get better at everything. I work a lot on my finishing. You’ve seen I don’t just score one type of goal. I score all different types. That’s down to training. After sessions: left foot, right, headers, free-kicks, penalties, all different.”
He willingly accepted “the responsibility” of being a role model for those toiling in the shadows, sweating on a chance. “It makes me feel proud. I’ve always wanted to become a top footballer in English football. I’m getting there. People say: ‘Is it extra responsibility?’ It isn’t. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully that sets a good example for the younger generation coming through.
“There are a lot of — especially — English players out there that have just needed a chance. You know what it’s like nowadays with a lot of other players coming in to the game. I found it tough. Tim gave me a chance and I managed to score a few goals, then Pochettino did the same.
“If Tim hadn’t given me the chance then I might not be where I am now. It is about a manager having faith in you, giving me that trust on that big stage. I know it’s tough nowadays because there’s so much scrutiny on managers and so much pressure. If I can be an example to other players, and it gives other managers the chance to play their younger players, that would be great. Hopefully I can inspire as many people as possible.”
He himself has taken inspiration and guidance from England captains past and present. “David Beckham was a big inspiration for me,” he said.
“He’s from the same sort of area as me [Essex]. The way he conducted himself on and off the pitch, he’s a great role model, still is. He was my hero growing up. I got to meet him a couple of times, once when he came to the Tottenham training ground to train. That was like a dream come true.”
Kane attended the same school as Beckham, Chingford Foundation School, and even played for Beckham’s old team, Ridgeway Rovers, where he enjoyed his most prolific season.
“I was 10, maybe younger, and scored around 80 for Ridgeway Rovers. Hopefully I can redo that one day. To beat that would be some achievement. Eighty-one!”
He has 31 this season, including one on his England debut, where he took inspiration and advice from Wayne Rooney. “It was great to be able to chat with him,” Kane said. “Again, he was somebody I looked up to when I was younger.
“He was in a similar situation when he was younger. He just said to ‘keep your mind focused, keep working hard, keep trying to improve, keep your friends and family close, and that’s all that matters’.”
Kane’s family and girlfriend attended the PFA awards night. “It’s great on nights like this to have them with me. I had a great upbringing. My mum, dad and brother are big football fans. They did the hard work, taking me to training when I was younger, playing out in the park with me. I owe all this to them. Without their hard work I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
His hard work, too. “There are always going to be ups and downs in football, days when you’re not as good as others. It’s how you react to that. I’ve done that quite well. I’ve gone a couple of games without scoring and managed to score in the next.
“As a striker you want to be scoring goals as much as possible, but if there is a little drought, it’s what else I can bring to the team. Are you working hard? Are you bringing others into play? I’ve done that pretty well this year with my work rate.”
The Charlatans needed their room back. Kane headed home, clutching his trophy, knowing that his work rate led to nights like this.
— The Daily Telegraph
