HONG KONG: Harry Kane sat out most of Tottenham’s training session in Hong Kong on Thursday after a bout of flu, but declared he would be raring to go for England next month.
The Premier League golden boot winner was one of five Tottenham Hotspur players named Thursday in Gareth Southgate’s 25-man squad to face Scotland in a World Cup qualifier and France in a friendly.
Kane has not played for England yet under Southgate because of injury but is in red-hot form having finished on Sunday with 29 Premier League goals, including eight in his last three matches and two consecutive hat-tricks.
“Of course, I missed the last couple (of England games) with injuries so it will be great to be back out there,” Kane said.
Kane did some light stretching and then spent the rest of the 90-minute training session at the Hong Kong Football stadium chatting to manager Mauricio Pochettino and teammates.
But he played down any fears he might be unfit again for England. The 23-year-old has not played since Sam Allardyce’s only game in charge against Slovakia in September.
“I’ve been ill the last couple of days, had a bit of a flu bug. Just trying to get it out of my system and I’m feeling a lot better today,” Kane told AFP.
Tottenham will play newly-crowned Hong Kong champions Kitchee SC on Friday as part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the southern city being handed back to China after British colonial rule.
And Kane had some good news for his legion of Spurs fans in Asia. “Hopefully I should be able to get some minutes in tomorrow,” he said.
“I don’t know how much. I’ll leave it to the doctor and the manager to talk and decide from there.”
Alongside Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Kyle Walker were also named in the England squad while Spurs wing-back Kieran Trippier received a first call-up.
I’m buzzing for him,” Kane said of Tripper’s selection.
“He really deserves it. He’s been fantastic for us this season. The boys are congratulating him in the dressing room and he’s obviously delighted.
“You’ve seen in the last couple of games great assists from him. His delivery is unbelievable.”
Kane is relishing the twin challenges of facing Scotland in their Hampden Park cauldron in Glasgow on June 10, followed three days later by trying to score past his own club captain, the France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
“We’ve got Scotland away first which is always a tough one, and then a tough friendly against France,” said Kane. “It will be fun to come up against Hugo, obviously we know each other quite well.
“He’s one of the best ‘keepers in the world in my opinion so he’ll be good to play against.”
dh/tm