Antonio Conte has hinted that Harry Kane will start against Leeds United this afternoon and backed the striker to be fully fit and raring to go for England’s first World Cup game against Iran on November 21.
Kane has started every single game for Tottenham across all competitions and the striker looked shattered in the club’s 2-0 loss in the Carabao Cup third round against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
Conte decided to take the 29-year-old off just before the hour mark and admitted after the game that Kane was extremely tired the day before the clash and even had to stop training early as a result (talkSPORT).
Given that England’s World Cup goalscoring burden, to a large extent, rests on Kane’s shoulders, there is understandably some concern about his fitness.
However, Conte remarked that the England captain wants to play every single game for Spurs and insisted that he has enough time to sufficiently recover before the Three Lions get their World Cup campaign underway.
The Tottenham head coach told Football.London: “When I watch Harry Kane, I see a player that wants to play every game! Every game!
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“This is good. This is important for me because it means he feels well. He feels a lot of energy in his body. For sure, in this moment he wants to finish well with us, with Tottenham.
“Tottenham is now at the top of his thoughts. Until Saturday. Then for sure, for sure, he is the captain of England, the most representative player. We are talking about a really top striker in the world.
“This is a big competition, the biggest competition in the world, and for sure, he has great desire to do something special for his national team, but they have to do this after the game tomorrow.
“Before he has to give us everything. I am sure this will happen, but when you are a player like Harry that gives you everything in every game, it’s very difficult to make decision, to put on the bench, to give him rest. The desire and his eyes are full of energy.
“I decided to make a substitution (against Forest), because on the morning of the game, when I spoke with him, he wanted to take the best decision, you understand.
“I debated a lot his availability. I also thought during the game it was honest and fair to give him a bit of rest, don’t take a risk.
“Also in three days, we had to play another game. Also because you know there is the World Cup. The fans must not be worried for him.
“After this game, there is one week, eight days to prepare for the World Cup. It is very difficult. He is working very well and we are talking about a player with great experience to manage his body.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It seems like Kane’s fatigue simply had to do with a lack of sufficient recovery rather than it being a case of acute accumulated fatigue, which can put players at increased risk of muscle injuries. The week’s rest ahead of the World Cup should help him fully recover.
I expect the 29-year-old to light up Qatar as this is the first time that he will not be completely shattered physically going into a major tournament after playing nearly every game through the whole season for Spurs. I would not be surprised if he won the Golden Boot again.
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