Harry Kane

[Metalhead]

Hopefully he will stay and we continue to make the progress that he is looking for and as @BringBack_leGin pointed out, he is partly responsible for. He won't want to not see any trophies throughout his career and we can only hope that his ambitions will be realised at the club. He will need to try and avoid rushing back from injury as he's done in the past as it's going to take an increasing toll on his body as he gets older.

 

[Hoopspur]

Bloody hell, the bloke is coming up to 27 years old. The time players are meant to be at their peak. Everyone is talking like he will be declining! In my opinion he needs a little protection from himself. That is the club's responsibility. I think he will still have all the pace he ever had - which was adequate but not electric. He is such a good player though he can play in a variety of positions - both as the spearhead and deeper/creative/supporting if needed. He will score goals in both positions. By the way Aguero is approaching 32.

As an aside I have always wondered whether his goal 'bonus' is pretty weighty in order for him to stay on his (relatively by world standards) modest wages. This may lead a little to him clearly wanting to play every minute of every match?

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Bloody hell, the bloke is coming up to 27 years old. The time players are meant to be at their peak. Everyone is talking like he will be declining! In my opinion he needs a little protection from himself. That is the club's responsibility. I think he will still have all the pace he ever had - which was adequate but not electric. He is such a good player though he can play in a variety of positions - both as the spearhead and deeper/creative/supporting if needed. He will score goals in both positions. By the way Aguero is approaching 32.

As an aside I have always wondered whether his goal 'bonus' is pretty weighty in order for him to stay on his (relatively by world standards) modest wages. This may lead a little to him clearly wanting to play every minute of every match?

Agree completely with your first paragraph.

Not so sure about the second. Kane is one of those individuals so consumed by being the best he can- look at his almost monk-like lifestyle choices- that it borders on the obsessive/irrational. This type of drive and energy has propelled him into the absolute elite of footballers, far exceeding the expectations of him since his youth. I don’t think it’s money that motivates him to take risks when he seemingly returns too quickly from injury, I think it’s his overriding desire to be on the field being the best that he can and having opportunities to improve once more.

The paradox of this model though reduces his durability, and consequently his ability to continue improving because injuries take their toll, especially as you get older. But of course, time is the fierce enemy of professional footballers. And they need to make the most of what little they have of it. So someone as keenly motivated as Kane, who’ll make short and mid term sacrifices to be the best he can, will struggle to be patient when time is needed for full, functional recovery. That’s the paradox and at its heart is a phenomenal desire to improve, to be the best, and so far it’s worked, he’s exceeded all expectations. But equally that drive leaves him dissatisfied when he’s injured, and so consequently he rushes back, always diminishing by slight degrees his biological frame that he needs so desperately to continue becoming better

 

[spursfan77]

Will be interesting to see him back in action as has had a long well-needed break now.

You’d hope with him and Son back (and Bergwign??) that we should be able to cause problems for opponents and then just a case of being tighter at back.

Defend from the front and all that. It’s a lot easier for other teams when we don’t have them playing because there’s no real goal threat from us.

 

[enfieldyid]

As terrible as the current situation is Kane is one person who will benefit from it. It ha slowed Kane's rush to get back to fitness to what it should have been and he will have been allowed to heal properly. Then no international football this summer where he will be asked to play out of position is another advantage.

 

[Cinemattis]

Hand on heart: can anyone really say in all seriousness that Harry Kane has returned to the levels he showed before the ankle injury in March 2018?

It speaks volumes on his skill, talent and determination that he since then won the golden boot in the World Cup, and remains our top goal scorer. But: he scored more goals in the PL that season alone, than in the following two seasons combined. Yes, of course, our team is not playing on the same level, etc. But isn´t Harry Kane a part of the team? Isn´t he an integral cog in the machinery?

Looking at his age, he should be entering his peak. But the rules don´t apply to absolutely every single player or athlete. Some enter their peak early and some late; some can have a long career on the very top - others have only a short window when they peak. There are so many external and internal factors that play their part (clubs, managers, teammates, injuries, and personal life just some of them). In general, he should be entering his peak, but the world of sports in general and the world of football can provide countless examples of atheletes that were the very best in the world for a single year, or two or three, just to fade away or to drop to more "human" levles.

I´d relish to see Kane back at his best - I think all Spurs fans would like nothing more than to see the Harry Kane of the past - the player that singlehandedly could tear a team apart! But there have been obvious signs - over a long period of time, that Kane is not the player he was. To the naked eye he is slower, more sluggish in his movements; he looks heavier and less mobile; he doesn´t press and lay down the same work in pressing as before; and his sharpness in front of goal seems to have dropped a few percent.

Again: I hope to see him back at his very best! But I fear we never will. But he´s still a bloody good player and I wouldn´t like to see him go anywhere.

 

[spursfan77]

Players like him, Son and Dele have needed this break more than many I can think of throughout the league let alone at the club. Flogged to death and forced to play every minute by their clubs and national team (not in Deles case but probably had he been fit he would of been) for years. Their bodies will be really benefitting from this time off. They will have to be nursed back slowly though like all players.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

You still strange but we actually have a fully fit squad going back into the season it seems, and while there are some areas where the quality is less, there are others where the depth of quality is significant. The rest of the season is going to be a spring, not a marathon, like an international tournament, so while our squad may not have the right balance for 9 months worth of multiple competitions, it looks be quite strong for 9 games across 5/6 weeks.

GK: Lloris Gazzaniga Vorm
DF: Aurier Tanganga Alderweireld Dier Foyth Sanchez Vertonghen Davies Sessegnon
MF: Lo Celso Winks Ndombele Sissoko Gedson Skipp
FW: Lucas Lamela Dele Son Bergwijn Kane

We all know where the imbalances and dips lie, but after several months rest, with all players fit, I’m actually hopefully of a strong showing. I’m not thinking about final position so much, just about hopefully winning more of our 9 matches, and maybe even all of them.

 

[WiganSpur]

You still strange but we actually have a fully fit squad going back into the season it seems, and while there are some areas where the quality is less, there are others where the depth of quality is significant. The rest of the season is going to be a spring, not a marathon, like an international tournament, so while our squad may not have the right balance for 9 months worth of multiple competitions, it looks be quite strong for 9 games across 5/6 weeks.

GK: Lloris Gazzaniga Vorm
DF: Aurier Tanganga Alderweireld Dier Foyth Sanchez Vertonghen Davies Sessegnon
MF: Lo Celso Winks Ndombele Sissoko Gedson Skipp
FW: Lucas Lamela Dele Son Bergwijn Kane

We all know where the imbalances and dips lie, but after several months rest, with all players fit, I’m actually hopefully of a strong showing. I’m not thinking about final position so much, just about hopefully winning more of our 9 matches, and maybe even all of them.

We will do fairly well i've no doubt with all the players back, but unfortunately from a selfish Spurs perspective the lockdown came a little bit too late for us to get ourselves into the top 4.

 

[Davo99]

I wonder how Mourinho has been able to use this time. He won’t have been able to use it with the players working on systems, we could still be a work in progress yet.

 

[JR1994]

I wonder how Mourinho has been able to use this time. He won’t have been able to use it with the players working on systems, we could still be a work in progress yet.

Working on systems will be the one thing he can do. Everyone will be spread

 

[yankspurs]

Players like him, Son and Dele have needed this break more than many I can think of throughout the league let alone at the club. Flogged to death and forced to play every minute by their clubs and national team (not in Deles case but probably had he been fit he would of been) for years. Their bodies will be really benefitting from this time off. They will have to be nursed back slowly though like all players.

Except Sonny and Kane were hurt for half of it and Sonny went off for military duty right off injury snd came back to England right when training restarted.

 

[LSUY]

Agree completely with your first paragraph.

Not so sure about the second. Kane is one of those individuals so consumed by being the best he can- look at his almost monk-like lifestyle choices- that it borders on the obsessive/irrational. This type of drive and energy has propelled him into the absolute elite of footballers, far exceeding the expectations of him since his youth. I don’t think it’s money that motivates him to take risks when he seemingly returns too quickly from injury, I think it’s his overriding desire to be on the field being the best that he can and having opportunities to improve once more.

The paradox of this model though reduces his durability, and consequently his ability to continue improving because injuries take their toll, especially as you get older. But of course, time is the fierce enemy of professional footballers. And they need to make the most of what little they have of it. So someone as keenly motivated as Kane, who’ll make short and mid term sacrifices to be the best he can, will struggle to be patient when time is needed for full, functional recovery. That’s the paradox and at its heart is a phenomenal desire to improve, to be the best, and so far it’s worked, he’s exceeded all expectations. But equally that drive leaves him dissatisfied when he’s injured, and so consequently he rushes back, always diminishing by slight degrees his biological frame that he needs so desperately to continue becoming better

Sounds a lot like Tom Brady.

 

[yankspurs]

We will do fairly well i've no doubt with all the players back, but unfortunately from a selfish Spurs perspective the lockdown came a little bit too late for us to get ourselves into the top 4.

Unless we beat United first game back and we’ll be a point off 5th with 8 games to go. Things were very bleak before the break as we were in awful form again and everyone was hurt as usual. But now we’ve got a fully fit squad.

 

[Partizan]

Sounds a lot like Tom Brady.

Yep, greatly inspired by him

 

[markiespurs]

Really looking forward to seeing Kane back at full fitness and linking up with a rested and more settled Lo Celso, who was starting to show more and more the quality he has before the season was suspended.

 

[Metalhead]

I wonder how Mourinho has been able to use this time. He won’t have been able to use it with the players working on systems, we could still be a work in progress yet.

There was some reference to this on the Mourinho thread.

 

[dondo]

This is it, I would be more worried about the other side in Manchester.

With Kane, there is not many clubs that can afford him. City and real are the only teams who are going to do it, I'd be surprised if he went.

I disagree. City don’t spend the top end transfers ie 100m plus. Levy would demand top dollar and I don’t think city would pay it even if they were interested

 

[hellava_tough]

We will do fairly well i've no doubt with all the players back, but unfortunately from a selfish Spurs perspective the lockdown came a little bit too late for us to get ourselves into the top 4.

Top 5 could be enough for CL football next season.

Plus we still have to play Arsenal, Utd and Sheffield United.

Plus Utd look like they're going to lose Ighalo for the run in.

All to play for tbh.

 

[spursfan77]

I wonder how Mourinho has been able to use this time. He won’t have been able to use it with the players working on systems, we could still be a work in progress yet.

True. I think the mental side of the games is going to be equally as important as tactics. In the bundesliga games I’ve seen teams started games so slowly and lots of players looked switched off which set the tone of the matches. Unless he can prevent our players doing this (like they’ve done in numerous games with full season stadiums over the last two years) then tactics aren’t going to matter at all.