Legend Fowler explains why this summer is 'now or never' for Kane's club career
Is Harry Kane the greatest England striker of all time? Well I can’t say that, can I…C’mon, I have to say it’s me!
Ok, joking aside, (well, kind of joking aside - I’m a single-minded centre forward at heart still, so I have to believe it!) this kind of comparison annoys me no end, as I hate the idea of ranking them.
If we go on the bare numbers, then yep, he’s the greatest. He’s scored more goals than any other England striker, so he must be. Compared to my total of eight (and yeah I’m claiming another one) he’s on a different planet.
But I’m not alone in thinking my own talents were never recognised by England managers. What about Dixie Dean, the forward with by far the best goals-per-game ratio for his country?
He only got 16 caps, despite being the greatest goalscorer English football has ever seen. If he’d played the same number of games for England as Harry, then he’d have got almost 100 goals, not just 18.
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Jimmy Greaves would have got 10 more than his fellow Spurs legend. And what about my old team mate Alan Shearer? He’s by far the Premier League’s ‘best’ goalscorer, so surely he’s England’s finest?
It’s a bit of a daft argument isn’t it? We’re talking different eras for a start, which makes it impossible to judge. Even my era is totally different to Kane’s era, with the evolution of tactics and systems, and strikers not even being true strikers any more.
Let’s just say Harry Kane is up there with all those names I’ve mentioned, which makes him one of the greatest of all time. And he deserves that accolade too.
Harry Kane broke Wayne Rooney's England record this week (PA)He’s evolved as a striker just as the modern game has changed beyond recognition. I mean, my Liverpool Premier League scoring record has just been broken by a player in Mo Salah who doesn’t even call himself a centre forward, but a wide player!!!
You saw in Naples on Thursday night that Kane is still a true goalscorer. That penalty took a certain mentality only the greatest have, and you could tell how much it meant to him.
Yet he did so many jobs in the second half, when a leader needed to stand up and inspire the young players in Gareth Southgate’s team, that he went way beyond a centre forward’s remit.
He was creative, defended superbly, held the ball magnificently, and, well, let’s call it for what it was: showed ‘professionalism’ when England needed to waste time with 10 men towards the end.
That’s a part of his game people don’t give credit for. Yeah, Harry can come across as boring as he’s had all the media training and knows all the sensible sound bites. But even from the outside, you can see he has the respect as a leader. I can tell you, behind the scenes he clearly isn’t boring!
He’s 29 now, 30 in the summer, his legs aren’t going to last forever. But he’s developing as a player and as a captain to the extent that he will still be influential, even as he slows down.
He’s already shown he can drop deeper and become a playmaker - a part of his game that doesn’t get anywhere near enough credit, as his passing is impressive. And he will always score goals, because he has that yard in his head, not his legs.
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His age isn’t a problem for England, but it is for Spurs. For me, this summer is now or never. If he wants to win things - away from England, because I think he has a real chance of honours now with his country - then he has to move, full stop.
Harry Kane has enjoyed an unbelievable personal career but he hasn't won any silverware (Getty Images)He has a year left on his contract, and the risk of injury as you get older means he can’t wait for that to expire. And anyway, even the top clubs are wary these days, of giving big money and long contracts to 31 year olds.
So his choice is simple. Move to Bayern Munich or Manchester United to have a proper shot at honours, or sign a big, long contract with Spurs…and content himself to chasing England glory in the Euros and perhaps the next World Cup.
I honestly don’t think it’s a big stretch any more, to believe Harry Kane will lead England to a major trophy. Watching them in Italy, it was obvious to me they’re a team who know what they’re about. The squad has been together for some time now, they know what they’re doing, they know what it takes.
They've been there in a quarter final, a semi and a final. And now they have the extra bit of experience to take that final small step…without going over the top in terms of ageing legs.
That dream combination is there, youth AND experience. There are very few weak links, and the added bonus of players like John Stones emerging as real leaders.
I thought he was outstanding in Naples. He’s matured into a fine footballer, and an equally strong leader. He controlled everything at the back, passed the ball brilliantly, defended with grit, and when the pressure was on at the end, was always there to relieve it.
Maybe one more quality centre half in the squad could make another difference, and perhaps the emergence of another midfielder with quality on the ball. But you look at this squad, and no doubt they’re one of the best teams in the world now.
They were unlucky against France at the World Cup finals. You can always miss a penalty - I’ve missed a fair few but still consider myself an expert just as Harry Kane undoubtedly is - and had that one gone in, then England would have been favourites to go on and win. So that’s how close they are, and now they have that perfect sweet spot…so there are no excuses any more!!
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