Harry Kane was always destined to be a superstar, according to the Tottenham staff who worked closely with him during his formative years in the club’s academy.
Kane, the forward, has developed from a less than prolific teenager who spent his early career on numerous loan spells into perhaps the best striker in world football.
Kane capped a remarkable 2017/18 season by winning the World Cup Golden Boot
He’s scored 160 goals for the north Londoners since debuting in a 2011 Europa League clash, and has also netted 20 times for England despite winning just 35 caps.
Kane enjoyed his greatest season to date last term, as he hit the back of the net 41 times for Spurs before captaining England to the World Cup semi-finals – winning the Golden Boot in the process.
Still just 25, Kane was awarded an MBE in the 2019 Queen’s New Year Honours list – and it does not look like his career will be slowing down any time soon.
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This rapid rise to stardom is remarkable given Kane showed little during his early years to suggest he would become an elite, world class footballer.
He had a good goalscoring rate in youth football, but never really caught the eye during loan spells with Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich – whom he never scored for – and Leicester.
Kane pictured during his time on loan at Millwall
However, the Spurs staff who saw Kane in close quarters always had high expectations of the striker, according to Brad Friedel, the former Tottenham goalkeeper who began his coaching career while on the north Londoners’ books.
Speaking to your-promotional-code.co.uk, Friedel said: “We absolutely knew how good Kane was going to be, and it was noted many times in our staff meeting and our meetings when I was starting my coaching at Tottenham.
“As a player, each and every one of us knew that he was a truly special talent.
“He has proved that hard work does pay off, and he still works harder than everyone else out there, that’s why he is so good. On top of that, he obviously has the talent.
Friedel ended his lengthy career with a four-year spell at Tottenham
“He scored past me in training once or twice maybe, but they didn’t count as I was over 40!”
Kane has been out of action through injury over the past few weeks, and he will miss out on Wednesday evening as Spurs resume their Champions League campaign against Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16.
