Harry Kane: I'm not in need of a rest despite England goal drought



Harry Kane admits it has been difficult to play so much football since the summer - but the England captain insists his game has not suffered as a result.

The 25-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker won the Golden Boot at the World Cup after scoring six times as England reached the semi-finals in Russia.

Kane, however, has not found the back of the net for his country since the last-16 victory over Colombia on July 3.

His scoreless international run now stands at six games after he failed to end his drought in Friday's 0-0 Nations League draw at Croatia.

If he does not score in Monday's game against Spain in the same competition it will be the longest barren run of his senior England career.

Not including the League Cup win over Watford, Kane has missed just three minutes of football for Spurs this season, despite his exertions in Russia.

There has been widespread suggestion that he is in need of a rest as the burden of leading the line for both club and country has taken its toll, but, while Kane admits it has been a slog, he believes he remains at the peak of his powers.

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Read more:

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In pictures: Empty stands a 'sad' sight for Croatia's Zlatko Dalic in England stalemate

'Brazil versus Argentina is never a friendly': Tite looking for improvement after lethargic win over Saudi Arabia

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"I don't think my game has dipped," he said. "It's been tough after the World Cup not getting much rest, but I think I dealt with it well. I've stayed fit and stayed healthy.

"That was my main priority at the start of the season. Now it's building on that and pushing forward over the winter.

"I set a standard for myself and I want to reach that standard every game I play. Sometimes you fall below it for one reason or another. It's about learning and improving and that is what I will do for the rest of my career.

"I just stay focused on my job and what I need to do. In the Premier League I'm second top goalscorer. I'd like to have scored more for England recently."

Kane hit the woodwork with a header in the stalemate in Croatia, so too Spurs teammate Eric Dier, while Marcus Rashford spurned two great chances to win the game for the visitors.

A clean sheet after reverting to a back four was a positive for manager Gareth Southgate, with Kane now calling on the forwards to be more effective in front of goal.

"Yes, always," he replied when asked if being clinical was key to beating the biggest teams.

"I have said before against the top nations it is fine margins and they are the ones we have got to start turning in our favour.

"We created good chances, we have just got to get better at that. It was a good clean sheet, solid at the back, change of formation I thought helped us out of possession especially - now we just have to build on it."

Spain are the next acid test for Southgate's side, with Kane unlikely to be rested - something that sits well with the player.

"I will be ready to go on Monday, for sure," he added with a smile.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Growdash
Started: July 2022
Founders: Sean Trevaskis and Enver Sorkun
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Restaurant technology
Funding so far: $750,000
Investors: Flat6Labs, Plus VC, Judah VC, TPN Investments and angel investors, including former Talabat chief executive Abdulhamid Alomar, and entrepreneur Zeid Husban

Essentials
The flights

Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing. 

Kill

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal

Rating: 4.5/5

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

FIGHT CARD

Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)

Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)

Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)

Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)

Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

if you go

The flights

Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes

The package

Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January

The info

Visit www.gokorea.co.uk


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