Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that Harry Kane’s influence at Tottenham is the same as that of Lionel Messi’s at Barcelona. The comparison may sound absurd but it remains a fact when analysed deeply.
Harry Kane has been absolutely phenomenal for Tottenham ever since he made his breakthrough in the 2013/14 season. Kane scored 31 goals that season, followed by 28 in the 2015/16 campaign, where Tottenham challenged all the way for the title before finishing 3rd behind Arsenal in what was a frustrating final day of the season.
Things appear to have changed now and Tottenham are all set to break the hoodoo and finish above their bitter rivals this time around. Kane has so far scored 24 goals in 29 appearances this season in all competitions, despite an injury-hit campaign.
He has done an extremely commendable job and Spurs have somehow managed without his presence since he injured himself in the FA Cup win over Millwall. Since he limped off against Millwall on March 12, Spurs have won all four matches of theirs and have scored 13 goals — five of which have come from Kane’s replacement Son Heung-Min.
The 23-year old will return to the squad for Saturday’s Premier League match against Watford after a month injured with ankle ligament damage, but Pochettino says he is yet to decide if he will start the game.
When asked if he Kane would have to fight for his place again, Pochettino said:
“The question is crazy. You cannot doubt Harry Kane. Maybe the team is playing well but. … You know, if we play Harry or don’t play him from the beginning [against Watford], there is no doubt that Harry is one of the best. It’s like at Barcelona, if Messi is injured for a month but Barcelona are still winning and he’s available again and them saying, ‘I don’t know, maybe we use different names.’ There’s no doubt Harry is one the best players we have.”
Kane was initially expected to be out for a longer period than this and his return is surely a big boost for Tottenham’s title challenge.
Pochettino added: “He’s not surprised me. The players are always desperate to come back and [we need] to recognise the very job of all the medical staff and sports science to provide Harry the opportunity to be back as soon as possible. His mentality is always pushing for more, more, more. It’s great news for us to have the possibility for Harry to count again. It’s very, very good news.
“Friday was good. After training he was shooting, he was playing. You can see he’s ready — if I believe he is ready! When I ask him and I say, ‘Oh Harry, I don’t know if you’re ready or not,’ he says Harry, ‘No, no, no I want to be involved.’ I say ‘no, you are not involved, your answer is wrong.’ He says ‘gaffer it’s up to you, you’re the manager, you decide.’ Now, OK, yes if his answer is this, he is ready! Really his mentality is great.”
Pochettino also insisted that Tottenham’s form without Harry Kane is encouraging as it proves that Spurs are not reliant on just one man. The English forward has scored 19 goals in the league so far.
The Argentine went on: “You start to realise that football is a collective matter and one man is not important. Yes, we have different types of players with different qualities and maybe my tastes about football is to pick one over another but football is collective. You cannot win without a good squad. The people may not agree, it’s always tough.”
“Our challenge two-and-a-half years ago when we arrived at Tottenham was to close the gap to the top four. And the last two seasons we are in the top four. And we didn’t spend too much time to change that reality. Not only the top four, last season we were the only season to fight to the end for the Premier League. The reality is that the only team fighting Chelsea is Tottenham again. It’s true the treatment from the media [to me] is very good but the team deserves big praise.”
“We came from a massive gap from fifth or sixth to now be involved in the top four and fighting for the league. It was a big step with not too much resources. If you compare us in the last few seasons with another team, maybe below us, you start to realise the job we have done here.”
Harry Kane’s return is extremely timely, though Tottenham have been performing well without him. Credit has to go to Mauricio Pochettino, who seems to have been the key in Spurs’ performances without the talismanic Englishman.
However, it would be wise from Pochettino to not rush the striker’s recovery, as his smooth comeback would be mighty essential for Tottenham in the business end of the season.
