HARRY KANE has launched a bullish defence of his own form and fitness.
The England skipper and all-time record scorer has been widely criticised for sub-standard performances against Serbia and Denmark in his side’s opening two group matches.
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But Kane insists he is ‘as fit as I’ve been all season’ – and pointed out that he has scored one more goal than at this stage in England’s previous two tournaments.
Kane was substituted midway through the second half of Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Denmark, despite having opened the scoring.
But in response to criticism of his overall contributions, after a back injury at the end of the domestic season, Kane insists he feels as good as he did while scoring 44 goals in his maiden campaign with Bayern Munich.
He said: “In the games at this tournament I’ve felt as fit as I have all season.
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“I know I came off in the second game but that was down to the manager wanting to see something different and freshening up the front players.
“From my point of view I am fit, I am getting better and better in each game.
“In previous tournaments I’ve spoken about trying to make sure you come into your peak for the knockouts. Time will tell but it’s important to go into this knockout stage feeling 100 per cent and I feel I am there.
“Have I played the best that I know I can? No. But I didn’t score in the group stage at the World Cup, I didn’t score in the group stage at the last Euros.
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Pundits and legends lay into England
ENGLAND’s lifeless display in the 1-1 draw with Denmark left pundits and legends queuing up to take a dig at Gareth Southgate’s team.
Here’s the best of what was said…
ALAN SHEARER
“Awful performance, particularly after going up in the game.
“I don’t think one England player can look at themselves and say, ‘I’ve done my job tonight’.
“England were all over the place, far too sloppy in possession, gave the ball away too much and got caught too many times.
“There was no energy, no pace, no guile — Southgate is simply not getting the best out of England’s best players.
“It’s concerning and Gareth will get some serious questions.
“You saw England players lying on their backs — they look absolutely shattered but there’s no excuse for that.”
GARY LINEKER
The BBC host called the performance “lifeless and tepid”.
On Harry Kane he said: “He needs his manager to ask more of him. I would have expected that if I’d put in that kind of performance.”
RIO FERDINAND
“The players don’t look the same as they do for their clubs. It is a big concern.”
ROY KEANE
“Courage and bravery, we’re not really seeing it.
“There’s something amiss with the balance. Bellingham is waving his arms.
“This is a big test for Gareth. It looks like he’s overthinking things.”
JAMIE CARRAGHER
“My big worry watching this and for the rest of the tournament?
“England look absolutely knackered. They can’t get close to the ball.
“The surest sign of fatigue is dropping deep.
“Declan Rice is having to cover so much ground. No-one can convince me this is a strategy.”
JACK WILSHERE
“It’s strange that we have taken the lead in both games so far, yet instead of it settling us down and giving us the confidence to play, we have failed to take control.
“But what was most worrying was that Denmark had a clear way of playing — while we didn’t.”
“So from that point of view, it’s a bonus to be one goal ahead.”
Ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Slovenia, Kane claims England have been feeling their way into the tournament.
He said: “It is not a time to panic but a time to improve. In these tournaments at this early stage it is almost like a boxer in the first couple of rounds seeing how everything is at and how they feel.
“Or a golfer in a major tournament in the first round – ‘don’t play yourself out of the tournament. Be calm’.”
England must defeat Slovenia to ensure they finish top of Group C and avoid a likely last-16 clash with hosts Germany.
And Kane, 30, said: “We definitely want to win the group. I don’t think it’s just to avoid anyone.
It is not a time to panic but a time to improve. In these tournaments at this early stage it is almost like a boxer in the first couple of rounds seeing how everything is at and how they feel.
Harry Kane
“Of course Germany have had a fantastic start to the tournament, but I think it’s more the momentum that a win will give us going into the knockout stages.
“People expected us to finish top and we expect to finish top, in the position we’re in now especially.
“We want to go out there on Tuesday and put a marker down for the rest of the tournament.”
Talk of dropping Harry Kane is absurd, says Jurgen Klinsmann
NO manager in the world will really care about how many touches their centre-forward has, writes Jurgen Klinsmann.
It’s being widely flagged up that Harry Kane has not seen much of the ball in England’s first two matches but this is not, in itself, going to be a concern for Gareth Southgate.
It’s a nice thing for the stats fanatics to go on about — and there are obviously more and more of them in and around football.
But not all statistics are helpful and this one doesn’t mean a great deal.
Harry has scored one goal, and so nearly two, in two games. It’s not as if he hasn’t been involved at all.
Everybody in England needs to calm down a little about the captain.
Some are even suggesting that he should be dropped or rested for tomorrow’s final group game against Slovenia — but that is totally absurd.
Please stop worrying. He will come good. He always does.
Read Jurgen Klinsmann thoughts on Harry Kane’s struggles in full.
Or check out all of Jurgen’s Euro 2024 columns.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
