Harry Kane hoping to take red-hot Tottenham form into England duty
The Spurs frontman is now hoping to build on his 29-goal Premier League season in an England shirt, having so far managed only five in 17 appearances
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Harry Kane may be the Premier League's hottest striker but the in-form Tottenham star knows he needs to up his game on the international stage.
Having been farmed out on loan and seen off some high-profile competition at White Hart Lane, the 23-year-old has gone on to establish himself as both a fans' favourite and one of Europe's most dangerous forwards.
An explosive end to the campaign saw Kane collect the Golden Boot for the second successive season after finishing with 29 goals in the Premier League.
Those are the sort of performances the Spurs frontman is now hoping to build on in an England shirt, having so far managed only five goals in 17 appearances.
"Club football, you are in a rhythm all the time," said the Spurs striker, who netted 79 seconds into his March 2015 debut against Lithuania. "You are playing week in, week out but for your country, it is not like that. You meet up every now and then.
"But it is something I have got to get used to. I want to get back playing, hopefully get back scoring. If I score maybe a hat-trick at the weekend and a couple in the next game, the ratio might not look so bad.
"As a striker, you can always change that. Five in 17 isn't a terrible record but it is something I want to improve. Hopefully that can start at the weekend."
Saturday's trip to Hampden Park would certainly be a welcome time for Kane to add to his England haul.
Kane's confidence has never been higher and he is desperate to play for his country after injury denied him the chance to turn out for Gareth Southgate before now.
The striker impressed under the Three Lions boss at Under-21 level and he is looking to another star of the Euro 96 team for striking inspiration at senior level.
"I don't really look at records but I definitely look at ex-players and how they played and what I can use to help my game," Kane said. "Obviously Alan Shearer was a fantastic player for club and country and someone I aspire to be.
"I am still young and still learning but watching players like that can only help me. That's what I will try and do - transform my club form into an England shirt."
The trip to Scotland is followed by a glamour friendly in France at the end of an international break that got off to an unorthodox start.
The England players and backroom team were whisked away to train with the Royal Marines - an experience Kane called "one of the best weekends of my life".
"It was about going into different situations," he said. "In a football match, different stuff happens - people get sent off, you go 1-0 down and it is about seeing how we can adapt to different situations.
"Being in the woods camping or doing different obstacle courses, it was about adapting to whatever was thrown in front of us. It was a bit of a surprise. We thought we were meeting up here but all of a sudden we were going down there and doing that.
"I was definitely in situations I have never been in before, camping being one of them. Putting up my own tent and sleeping in a sleeping bag in the middle of the forest is not something I am particularly used to but again it is stuff I am always interested in doing.
"Some of it was physically tough but most of it was about mental strength and that's the thing I really took a lot from and the lads did too."
And given a testing trip to Glasgow looms large, it may prove as well timed as it is inspired.
"Scotland is going to be a tough place to go so it could be perfect timing," Kane added. "I had a fantastic weekend and I know most of the other lads did as well. It is just something I will never forget.
"I am grateful to the Marines and to Gareth for taking us."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments