Harry Kane confident he’s peaking at just the right time as England vs Germany looms

Striker said performance in the last group game against Czech Republic ‘felt a lot better’ than the opening two

With so much discussion of his form now compared to Russia 2018, Harry Kane is frustrated, but it is not for the reason many would believe.

He didn’t think that the World Cup saw the best of him, despite winning the golden boot. It is why he is not concerned about his lack of goals now. Kane feels he can save the best for the last-16, and beyond.

“Going into Tuesday night, physically, I'm in the best shape of the tournament so far, and that's what I kind of wanted going into this,” he said at England’s base camp. “I felt maybe in Russia I started on fire, scored loads of goals, then maybe didn't have my best performances in the most important games: the quarters and the semi-finals. So, coming into this, physically, I wanted to make sure I was peaking at the right time and obviously we won't know until Tuesday night if that's the case, but that's the way I feel it's going.”

‘Feeling’ is no vague or abstract element for Kane. It is fundamental to performance. There are very few players in the modern game so obsessed with putting yourself in the right mindset, of showing that necessary single-mindedness.

It’s all the more important to this tournament, because there has been so much for Kane to shut out. There have been the lack of goals, the questions over his form, the questions over the team’s performance, the questions about his future, and the questions about Tottenham Hotspur’s manager.

It could prove very distracting for a different type of mindset. Kane just doesn’t view things in that way. He also views his performance in the last group game, against Czech Republic, as a significant improvement on the opening two.

“Yeah, I mean, the first two games I'd probably say, obviously weren’t my best games. I thought the third game was a tough game, but I felt a lot better, I felt I had a lot more involvement in the game, not just with the ball but without the ball and holding it up, helping the team in that aspect. People are quick to change their mind.

“It wasn't too long ago when I won the golden boot and I was the best thing in the world, people were raving about you, and that's why I've always said, as a footballer, you can't get too high or too low. You just have to have that neutral mode. Self belief is a huge thing. I've always believed in myself. I could go 10, 15 games without scoring but give me a chance and I'd back myself to score it. Like I said, I'm in a good place.”

There has been some debate that Kane hasn’t been at his best since coming back from injury for the League Cup final. He has only scored twice since then. He disputes some of this.

“I felt like I finished the season strong with the club, and obviously sometimes when you have a break and then come back. It might take you a couple of games to get that feeling back, but, again, the games have been difficult. People sometimes expect you to just wipe the floor with some of these teams in European competition but it's not the case. Everyone's playing for a European Championship, on the biggest stage.

“I felt like we've been in control in the games. Of course I'd have liked to have scored a few goals by now, but it doesn't always go your way like that. The most important thing from my point of view is I'm calm, the team are calm, and I feel like we're in a controlled place going into the big match on Tuesday.”

Some would say it’s too much control, and not enough creativity. England are the lowest scoring group winners in the history of the Euros, which has resulted in Kane only having one shot on target.

“I think we can definitely create more chances as a team,” Kane concedes. “That is me as well creating for other players. I think we need to get into maybe better positions on the pitch. That is something we will obviously try to improve on on Tuesday, try to find more space higher up the pitch and maybe playing through lines a little bit quicker, moving the ball a little bit quicker.”

The week’s break between games does feel glacial, though. While that is grating for some players, and Kane says it is “strange”, it can prove beneficial.

“It’s been nice to recover the last couple of days. We’ve refreshed, recharged and then got a few days good training and look forward to a big game in the knockout stage now.”

Harry Kane leaves the pitch after being substituted during the goalless draw with Scotland (PA Wire)

It is even possible we may see a revitalised Kane. Many might understand if he wanted to prove a few points, but he doesn’t think that way. He doesn’t really think about the criticism at all, or pay attention to it.

Again, it’s about that singular mindset.

“I know, especially the first two games, I could have probably played better. For me it is about trying to peak at the right time and the right time in tournament football is the knockout stages. I feel good, I feel sharp. I felt good, definitely in the third game. This training week is going to be great and hopefully I can come into my best form into the knockout stage and that will help the team.”

Whether it helps him get that move is another question. Some sources believe this form, at this age, is precisely why Manchester City won’t ultimately go to the huge price required to get Spurs to sell. They only want to go as far as £100m.

It would unsettle many players. Kane just shuts it off.

“I feel like when I come away with England I'm just fully focused on England. My brother is my agent, but the only time I've spoken to my brother really over the last few weeks is 'good luck, let's get a win, and let's take England all the way.'

“So, yeah, it doesn't really bother me about the outside noise. When I'm here I'm with the boys, I try to help the boys, be a leader in the team, I need to get to know the boys, see what makes certain players tick, and the younger lads, helping them, so I feel like I've got enough on my plate to worry about anything outside of England. That's where I'm at, and of course I feel like it's one of them where if you're not scoring as a striker, people look for every little angle why you're not scoring and that's probably the case in this tournament so far, but like I said, as long as I'm focused, I've got the self-belief I have, I'm not worried about anyone else.”

Of course I’d have liked to have scored a few goals by now, but it doesn’t always go your way like that

Harry Kane

He takes the same approach to Spurs’s search for a manager.

There is some laughter here, but not at the process.

“If I’m totally honest I don’t really read anything, no media, and that’s all your jobs! But I honestly don’t. The only thing I normally go on is Instagram and I don’t really see anything on there. That’s just more pictures and things like that. I just keep myself to myself, I watch my series, I’m with the boys playing pool or table tennis. I just try to stay away from it all.”

All of this, and especially his mindset, may be crucial to one of the potential – perhaps expected – climaxes to Tuesday: penalties. Kane points to Cristiano Ronaldo’s visualisation approach, and how that also works for him.

“That’s a big part of my penalties. I like to take what I’ve been doing in training into the game. I’ve got a process that’s all through the club season and then I take that into here also. Just having the same routine and on the day we see what happens in the game. I like to have that. Once I put the ball on the spot I’m in the same practice mode that I’ve gone through hundreds if not thousands of times. It’s just about going through the process, making sure that when you are in those high pressure situations, for me it is just another penalty that I’ve taken a lot and I feel like that’s the best way to consistently perform well under pressure and in those situations.”

There are few situations like a tournament game between Germany and England.

“For us it’s a big game, but another game to go out there and express ourselves. I feel like this team just want to play football, they want to get on the ball, show the world what they can do and that is what we are going to try to do on Tuesday night.”