Harry Kane is desperate to play for England U21s this summer says FA chief

here’s been a lot of talk about whether Harry Kane should play for the England U21s at the U21 European Championship in the Czech Republic this summer.

On the one hand, Kane played a major part in qualification and will, it is argued, gain invaluable experience of competing in an international tournament ahead of the more serious business of Euro 2016 in France next summer.

On the other, Kane is now an full England international and would surely benefit from a summer of rest, particularly with Euro 2016 looming.

But the man himself is in no doubt about what he wants, according to FA chairman Greg Dyke.

“I got a call from Harry Kane’s agent recently just to say how much he enjoyed playing for England and how much he wants to play for the U21s this year in the tournament, in the Euros,” Dyke told Sky Sports.

“And I think that’s important. If you’re a young English boy coming through the system, you should want to play for England.”

England manager Roy Hodgson and U21 boss Gareth Southgate have both said Kane will play in this summer’s tournament and while Mauricio Pochettino says he wants the 21-year-old to have at least a month’s rest, there’s no indication (yet) that Spurs will stop him.

With Spurs set for a post-season tour to Malaysia and Australia in late May, a trip Kane will surely be involved in given his status as poster boy, and the MLS All-Star game in late June, there’s a chance he won’t have a rest at all this summer. The U21 Euros run from 17-30 June.

Kane will, at least, miss England’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland on 7 June and a Euro 2016 qualifier in Slovenia a week later, and it is testament to how highly Hodgson and Dyke regard the U21 tournament that they are prepared to compromise the senior team’s qualification by allowing Kane to miss the match in Slovenia. Evidently the England manager would like Kane to gain experience of playing in an international tournament ahead of next summer’s Euros in France but for Spurs, Kane’s involvement in the Czech Republic isn’t particularly good news.

For me, either Kane is a full international or an U21 international. Asking him to be both risks the forward suffering burnout at some point next season and that’d be bad news for club and country ahead the real deal in France in 2016.

nguon: thetottenhamway