EPL

Kane: World Cup penalty miss makes me hungrier for trophies

By Sports Desk January 05, 2023

Harry Kane's pivotal penalty miss in England's World Cup defeat against France is fuelling his desire to win trophies.

The Three Lions crashed out at the quarter-final stage in Qatar after Kane hammered an 84th-minute penalty over the crossbar with England 2-1 down against the eventual runners-up.

Kane has scored three Premier League goals in as many games since returning to club side Tottenham, as he looks to put his World Cup disappointment behind him.

The striker netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday, moving him to 264 goals for Spurs and within two of the club's all-time record goalscorer Jimmy Greaves.

Kane says his penalty miss still haunts him, but he hopes those bad memories can spur him on to success in the future.

"It was a tough moment for me," Kane told Standard Sport. "It's never an easy thing to go through, but it's part of football, part of the highs and lows of our sport.

"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 last night [Spurs' victory at Palace] are always good for me and the team, and it was much needed after the last couple of results as well."

Kane's first goal after the missed spot-kick came in his first game back as Spurs battled from 2-0 down to earn a point at Brentford on Boxing Day.

The striker believes getting straight back to playing has helped him, saying: "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. 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 and it was nice to get our first win since coming back [at Palace]."

England's World Cup exit sparked speculation manager Gareth Southgate could walk away from the job after missing out on a third consecutive major tournament semi-final place.

However, Southgate subsequently decided to stay on until at least the 2024 European Championships, and Kane is delighted he has chosen to remain in charge.

"I'm really happy," Kane added. "I feel like there's some unfinished business there and he's a fantastic coach. We've been close now on a few occasions. 

"We looked strong in the tournament and it was small details that ended up not going our way. It will be nice to have another go at the Euros with the same team and staff."

Meanwhile, Kane already has one eye on the North London Derby against league leaders Arsenal on January 15, with no player scoring more often in that fixture than him (14 goals).

Kane is dreaming of surpassing Greaves' club-record tally against Spurs' rivals, explaining: "The derby would be a nice game [to break the record in], for sure.

"It's a really important game. Arsenal are top of the league and playing really well, so we'll be ready for that. We've got to try to pick up some results ourselves and get some good momentum."

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    Postecoglou has been linked with numerous Premier League clubs this season including Leeds, Everton, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Chelsea so he feels no need to address his players on the matter.

    “You are making it sound as if it’s the first time this has happened to me,” he said. “We have done this dance a few times this year. The players are well aware of where my thoughts lie.

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    The former Australia head coach, who is on a 12-month rolling contract, also dismissed questions over whether he had talks planned with the club hierarchy.

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    “Look, I understand that’s your job to ask these questions because that’s the role you are in, but you are not invested in this football club like I am, like the players are, like our supporters are.

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    Postecoglou could emulate Jock Stein, Martin O’Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon in winning the treble and is relishing the experience of Scottish Cup final day, after losing to eventual winners Rangers in last year’s semi-finals.

    “Obviously it was the one trophy that escaped us last year and just the whole day, the occasion, it’s the last game on the calendar and just to be part of it was the first thing we were excited about,” he said.

    “Back home the English FA Cup final followed by the Scottish FA Cup was kind of tradition – that was our Saturday night in May. We would religiously watch that, it was a bit of an event for us to sit around and watch those two games.

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    “I didn’t watch it last year, so that goes to show that we were still hurting from the fact we weren’t there.

    “Now we are there and that’s why we want to make the most of it.”

    Postecoglou is also well aware of the history between the two finalists. Inverness have beaten Celtic in three of their seven Scottish Cup meetings, including the only one at Hampden, in the 2015 semi-finals, and in the first one, when then First Division Caley Thistle caused a huge upset which cost John Barnes his job.

    “It’s a cautionary tale, put it that way,” Postecoglou said. “It has been mentioned to me a few times, I was aware of it anyway of course.

    “But that’s what I am talking about. When people think that I’ve got other things on my mind, that I’d allow anything to enter the sphere where we are not preparing ourselves for that occasion… I don’t want to be that story.

    “I want it to have a different ending this time. I want us to be the winners and us to claim the Scottish FA Cup, so that’s where my head’s at.”

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