With England set for a home match against Finland in the second round of the UEFA B League at 2:45am BST tomorrow morning, England captain Harry Kane expressed his anticipation for the match and his personal career outlook at the pre-match press conference.
Kane is approaching his 100th game for England and he couldn't be prouder. "It's really special," Kane said, "It's hard to remember records like this when I was still playing, but it's a record I'm very proud of and it's testament to the excellent consistency we've maintained over a long period of time." He mentioned that it was a thrill for him to get this achievement alongside other all-time great English players. Kane also revealed that his family will be there to watch the game and he hopes that it will be a special night with both goals and victories.
Speaking about his career goals, Kane said he feels in good shape and physically and mentally ready. "Seeing Crowe still competing at 39 shows that it's possible for me to keep going." He said. Kane loves soccer and enjoys representing England and wants that opportunity to continue. He is eager to keep improving and remain consistent and hopes to get more appearances and goals in the future.
Kane had high praise for new manager Gareth Southgate's first week in charge. "It's been really good," he said, "after a disappointing end to the summer, the manager has brought a new energy. It's great to work with him, he has his own ideas and the way he wants to play." Kane believes that the squad has a good mix of experienced players and youngsters to build on. They played well in their last game against Ireland and are looking forward to continuing that performance in future games.
Reflecting on his development, Kane said he was helped by a lot of great coaches and teammates. "I had some great coaches and playing with some of the best players in the country allowed me to see where I was at." He said, "In the beginning, I wasn't touted as the next big star, so I had to work really hard." Kane believes that the path he is now on has helped the adult team as the players are under more pressure and the standard has improved. He believes the future is bright for England and is looking forward to more exciting young players coming through.
Finally, Kane also spoke of his memories of the late England coach Sven Eriksson. "He was one of our most famous and popular coaches," Kane said, "and it's going to be a sad night for a lot of former England players. I didn't meet him in person, but from what I know he was a wonderful man who was very sincere with his players."
