England Supporters Club

Hodgson: 'Kane has the qualities you want from a centre-forward'

Posted by Team England at 12:08 on Friday 13 February 2015

Roy Hodgson says he’s “delighted” by the form of Harry Kane and believes the Tottenham Hotspur frontman has all the right attributes to be a senior international striker.

The 21-year-old just can’t stop scoring right now, and while Hodgson has been impressed by his knack of finding the net, he puts much of it down to pure hard work.

Kane has bagged 23 goals in 35 games for Spurs this season and has added five more to his England Under-21s haul this term.

And Three Lions boss Hodgson reckons Kane's performances are deserving of a call-up to his Three Lions squad.

“Harry's flying at the moment,” said Hodgson when he chatted to press on Thursday as he looks ahead to England’s next game against Lithuania at Wembley on 27 March.

“I’m delighted for us and I’m delighted for the lad as well because he looks like the kind of player who’s had to work hard for his successes - it’s not something that has come overnight.

“If you can be a star of a top team like Tottenham at 21, then you’re doing pretty well.”

The England boss continued: “He’s got the qualities you are looking for in a centre-forward, he goes both ways.

“He’s quite prepared to take part in the build-up play, run the channels, receive the longer balls, fight with the centre-halves. He’s also prepared to make those runs into the box. He’s good at attacking crosses, he’s good at making the little short runs to get played in.

“Really, he combines everything you are looking for in a centre-forward.

“Is he worth a place in the squad? Yes, of course he is. We’ve brought a lot of young players in, so he certainly deserves a place.

“But if you say ‘is he worth a place vis-à-vis Wayne Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge’, that’s something he’ll have to prove. Unless I give him a chance in the squad he’ll never get a chance to prove it.”