The heartbreak that accompanied the Three Lions’ disappointing campaign at the European Championship will be with players and fans for a long time.
Adjudged by many to have been one of the best England squads ever selected for a major tournament, the team fell to football minnows Iceland in the first knockout round and have faced a substantial backlash from all quarters since then.
Joe Hart, Delle Alli, and Raheem Sterling, in particular, were singled out for their below-par performances. While after failing to find the back of the net in all of England’s four games, another victim of the disastrous campaign, Harry Kane, was also heavily criticised and is surely not in the right frame of mind ahead of next season.
He had been tipped by some to win the golden boot in France after ending the season on a high note with Tottenham. However, fans saw a different Harry Kane than the Premier League striker they have been accustomed to watching.
Will that poor outing affect him going into next season, or will he find strength and bounce back? Here are the reasons why it is likely to be a case of the latter.
He Has Done It Before
Last season saw Kane, who had hit 21 league goals in the preceding season, go 747 minutes without a goal in all competitions. In the 748th minute, he netted in his side’s 3 – 1 victory over Manchester City in late September, before going on to bag 24 more by May.
A 4-game barren run isn’t strong enough to break him down; rather it will serve as motivation to the young striker who will hope to hit the ground running once Premier League action is back.
The pressure will be on him to step up his game, but Kane has proven he isn’t just a flash in the pan by hitting the 20-goal mark in 2 consecutive seasons. There’s no doubting his ability to do it again.
There Is Something to Fight For
Kane watched helplessly as Tottenham’s title challenge fell flat in the last few games of last season. Pochettino has expressed the team’s willingness to fight back next season and launch an even stronger challenge.
His first-choice striker shares the same idea. Kane’s 25 league goals weren’t enough to fire Tottenham to the title or even above city rivals Arsenal in the league.
The 23-year-old knows he has to do more if Spurs are to land the title next season.
His Position Is Under Threat
Whether or not Netherlands international and Eredivisie highest goal scorer of last season, Vincent Janssen was signed to compete with Kane or play alongside him remains to be seen. But the 22-year-old will certainly keep the England man on his toes.
Son couldn’t provide enough stiff competition for him last season, and that has led Pochettino to bring in another option. Losing his starting berth isn’t something Harry Kane wants of course, and for that reason, we are likely to see a better him next season.
Tottenham Will Help Him
The brilliant teammates Kane has at Tottenham will be there to push him back on track once again. Lamela, Rose, Walker, Eriksen and a rejuvenated Alli always provide Kane with countless goal-scoring opportunities.
The club’s manager also clearly knows how to inspire his team having overseen a significant improvement at White Hart Lane in the last two seasons.
Such a welcoming atmosphere will lift anybody’s spirit, and that’s exactly what will happen to Kane next season. The forward is hailed around Tottenham for the goals he has provided, and with that kind of support both on and off the pitch, Kane won’t only spring back to his best form; he will aim to add another golden boot to his collection.