Kane responded.
Russell explains.
In an alternate reality, Harry Kane might have donned the gloves as a goalkeeper rather than ascending to the status of England’s leading goalscorer. During his debut at Ridgeway Rovers, the young Kane eagerly raised his hand when the coach, Dave Bricknell, sought a volunteer for the goalkeeping position. Kane’s skills between the posts were notable.
“I thought I’d found a goalkeeper,” Bricknell recalls. “At that age, you don’t get many kids that don’t mind standing in front of a ball.”
However, it soon became evident to the parents that Kane’s true talent lay in his goal-scoring abilities. This was not the only moment that nearly led him down the path of a goalkeeper.
Kane showcased his natural scoring talent by netting over 40 goals in his inaugural season, attracting the attention of Arsenal scout Steve Leonard. They also recognized his potential in goal; alongside his outfield training, he spent evenings working with goalkeeper coach Alex Welsh.
How did this budding goalkeeper transform into a contender for England’s greatest forward? Coaches and mentors from his early days remember Kane’s unwavering determination and belief in himself, even when others doubted him. Some speculate that his experience as a potential goalkeeper enhanced his instincts as a forward.
“The best thing I could ever say about Harry is his resilience,” Bricknell states. “He didn’t really care if he missed because he knew another chance would come along, which has held him in great stead.”
While many young athletes struggle with rejection, Kane returned to Ridgeway Rovers undeterred after being released by Arsenal. His perseverance paid off when he was scouted by Mark O’Toole of Tottenham Hotspur. Although he faced another setback and was let go again, he managed to impress Spurs while on loan at Watford.
“Having two caring parents, guiding him the right way, he’s had a stable relationship most of his life, that keeps you grounded,” Bricknell notes. This stability proved vital during Kane’s years of loan spells at Spurs, a time filled with uncertainty about his chances of breaking into the first team. During this period, he was called up to represent England’s under-20s by Peter Taylor for the World Cup in Turkey, only to face further disappointment.
Taylor recognized Kane’s strengths, particularly his finishing ability, as he needed few opportunities to score. However, like many others, he could not have anticipated the trajectory that lay ahead for Kane.
“If you’d asked me if he was going to go back from that tournament and all of a sudden get into Spurs’s first team and have the career he’s had, I would’ve said: ‘I hope he does, because you couldn’t meet a nicer boy, but probably not.’ He’s put his heart and soul into his career.”
The 19-year-old Kane also had a playful side. Taylor, who was managing the team on a short contract, organized a golf putting competition to foster camaraderie among the players. While most participated in standard training gear, Kane arrived fully decked out in golf attire, complete with hat and gloves. “He’s come down as if he’s going to play the Open,” Taylor recalls. “Harry’s great company. He was quietly confident he was going to have a good career. You could just tell there’s something about him – he was confident. It wasn’t a case of ‘football owes me a living’; it was: ‘I’m gonna work me socks off to have one.’”
Despite a strong squad that included talents like John Stones and Ross Barkley, England’s under-20 team struggled, finishing last in a group containing Iraq, Chile, and Egypt, with Kane netting once in the tournament.
On the ferry returning from Turkey, Taylor spent time talking with Kane. “I believe Harry Kane is the best player in the world in terms of mental strength, willpower and endeavour,”
The following season, 2013-14, he received an opportunity in the Spurs first team under Tim Sherwood, finishing with four goals. The subsequent year marked a breakout for Kane: he scored 31 goals in 51 appearances, including 21 in the Premier League, earning his first of three Golden Boot awards.
Initially, Kane struggled to adapt to Pochettino’s system. The manager encountered a frustrated striker who was wary of another coach potentially favoring new signings over academy graduates. Pochettino was not entirely convinced by Kane’s style.
Kane favored a traditional approach, often playing with his back to goal, holding up the ball, and waiting for opportunities. In contrast, Pochettino preferred forwards who were constantly active, pressing from the front and recovering the ball quickly—a style that would eventually define Kane.
Pochettino pushed Kane to enhance his fitness and work ethic. Kane responded positively, purchasing a second home near the training facility to ensure he could be the first to arrive and the last to leave each day.
“He is completely focused on his football.” Pochettino wrote in his 2017 book, Brave New World. “Harry had a quiet, powerful, strong aura about him,”
Five years after his experience at the Under-20 World Cup, Kane found himself as a World Cup semi-finalist.
Kane also developed a strong rapport with Gareth Southgate, who built England teams around the striker, achieving unprecedented success. Southgate brought in Allan Russell, a former Scottish player, as a striker coach in 2017.
“Over the years, it turned into a self-assurance that he just cannot be nudged off track, whatever happens.” Russell observes. “Is he a nice guy? No. He’s a good guy. Nice guys get taken advantage of, seem to be a little bit softer. He’s mastered that fine line. Other players will act selfish, and their behaviours will come across as maybe arrogant. Those traits come out in Harry in his ability to score goals.”
Improving a Premier League Golden Boot winner presents its own challenges. Russell distinguishes between players who need coaching and those who thrive on challenges; Kane clearly belonged to the latter category. Those who have met him often remark on his genuine nature. However, this personality contrasts with the selfishness that some believe is essential for success at elite levels.
“He’s like: ‘I’m playing,’” Russell states. “‘Every game – I want to score goals, I want to break records.’ That’s his mentality. “Now he is older and wiser. He manages his energy levels better in games. He manages triggers on when to press. He manages when he comes deep. You’re probably seeing him at his prime. “The tournaments I had with him, you could see him starting to dip towards the end. That could be mental fatigue, because he carries the team a lot as captain. Now he’s matured into a true leader, maybe the anxiety and stress of being captain is no longer a big drain on his energy levels; maybe it’s allowed him to go and flourish more.”
After Kane scored twice against the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help England secure a victory, Russell sent him a message.
“I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“Thanks Al, I know you’ll enjoy that second finish.”
One remarkable aspect of Kane’s performance at this World Cup is that he appears to be in peak form. Approaching his 33rd birthday just nine days after the final, he has already matched his six goals from the 2018 tournament. As England’s all-time leading goalscorer, he surpassed the records of Gary Lineker and Pelé during this campaign.
Russell recalls a moment in Lithuania when he suggested to Kane that he could skip a friendly match to rest. Kane’s response was resolute: “I’m playing,” he insisted. “‘Every game – I want to score goals, I want to break records.’ That’s his mentality.”
“Now he is older and wiser. He manages his energy levels better in games. He manages triggers on when to press. He manages when he comes deep. You’re probably seeing him at his prime,”
“The tournaments I had with him, you could see him starting to dip towards the end. That could be mental fatigue, because he carries the team a lot as captain. Now he’s matured into a true leader, maybe the anxiety and stress of being captain is no longer a big drain on his energy levels; maybe it’s allowed him to go and flourish more.”
Will we see Kane at another World Cup? “I wouldn’t put it past him.”
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