England boss Gareth Southgate gives his verdict on Harry Kane’s performances at Euro 2024 and drops hint ahead of semi-finals
- Listen to It’s all about to begin! EUROS DAILY: Harry Kane must be removed from the England squad – it’s holding them back and it’s time for Ivan Toney or Ollie Watkins
- Gareth Southgate has given his opinion on Harry Kane’s performances
- The England captain has endured some tough moments so far at Euro 2024
England manager Gareth Southgate has given his verdict on Harry Kane’s performances so far at Euro 2024.
Despite scoring twice in five appearances, Kane has generally struggled.
The England captain has been without the ball for a long time and there have been suggestions that Southgate may consider dropping Kane for the semi-final against the Netherlands.
Ivan Toney, who has played as a substitute in the last two games, and Ollie Watkins are alternative options up front.
Kane was taken off in extra time against Switzerland but is fit for England’s semi-final.
England manager Gareth Southgate has given his verdict on Harry Kane’s performance at Euro 2024
Southgate admitted Kane may not be at his best so far, but praised the 30-year-old for his overall contribution to the team.
As reported by The mirrorSouthgate said: ‘I mean, all the games were a little bit different. I thought Harry did an excellent job for the team, both defensively and in terms of positioning and understanding where he needed to be.
“He may not flow as fast when he gets into the deeper regions as he sometimes seems with his passages and things like that, but he still plays a huge role for the group.”
There have been calls in some quarters for Kane to be dropped against the Netherlands
However, Southgate still has faith in Kane and seems unlikely to drop him.
Southgate’s comments seem to indicate that Kane is unlikely to be in the starting line-up against the Netherlands.
Just before Kane was substituted against Switzerland, he was sent flying towards the England dugout and collided with Southgate after battling for the ball with Manuel Akanji.
Despite criticism from outside the team, Kane boasts a record of 65 goals in 96 games for England and appears certain to retain Southgate’s confidence.
Kane scored in the group stage against England and Denmark and scored the winning goal against Slovakia in the round of 16.