Kane says World Cup penalty miss will haunt him for rest of his life
LONDON – Harry Kane said his World Cup penalty miss in Qatar that condemned England to a quarter-final exit will stay with him for the rest of his life, but vowed it will not affect him personally or professionally and has made him hungrier than ever for success.
In England’s 2-1 loss to France in December, the captain scored their first goal from the spot but blazed his effort over the bar when presented with a second chance to pull them level six minutes before the final whistle.
“I’ll probably remember it for the rest of my life, but that’s part of the game. It’s not going to affect me as a player or as a person. I’ll keep working hard to improve,” he told the Evening Standard.
“After it happened, I just wanted to play again as quick as possible and get it out of my head. It’s something you have to deal with. It was a tough moment for me. It’s never an easy thing to go through, but it’s part of the highs and lows of our sport.”
Since returning to Tottenham Hotspur, Kane has found the net three times in as many games and scored a brace in Wednesday’s 4-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace.
“I had a bit of time away after, just to reflect, and it’s made me even more hungry to come back and be successful. So nights like (against Palace) are always good for me and the team, and it was much needed,” he added.
Kane and his Spurs teammates will next turn their attention to the FA Cup third round on Saturday, when they host League One side Portsmouth.
Manager Antonio Conte has hinted he will field a second-string side with their following two fixtures – against Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League – in mind.
The Italian said he was reluctant to send his young players out on loan in the January transfer market and that they could reduce the burden on the first team by playing in the FA Cup.
Oliver Skipp, 22, started in place of the suspended Yves Bissouma in the win over Palace, while 21-year-old winger Bryan Gil was given just his second Premier League start.
“They are really reliable players for me and I’m really happy. We exploited the period of the World Cup to work with these young players to improve themselves,” Conte said.
“Now they stay with us in the squad. I don’t want to send these young players on loan because the league is very difficult. We have to play Champions League, we have to play FA Cup. I think these young players can stay here to help us face these three competitions.” - REUTERS
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