Smith compared the Tottenham Hotspur man to other leading candidates for an international place.
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has been assessing Spurs striker Harry Kane’s England chances, coming to a positive conclusion when comparing him to three other candidates for international duty.
Smith ran the rule over the Tottenham striker in the Daily Telegraph, with the ex-Gunner giving Kane an 8/10 for ‘general play,’ 7/10 for aerial ability, 7/10 for speed and 9/10 for finishing.
In the end, Smith concluded: ‘If he carries on like this, he must be given a chance. Still has a lot of learning to do but looks like he could make the step up.’
The former Arsenal striker then rated Kane’s England chances as 8/10. For context, he also rated Saido Berahino’s England chances the same, with Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Andy Carroll all receiving lower ratings.
| Aerial Duels Won | Aerial Duels Lost | On Target Shooting Accuracy | Appearances | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 13 | 23 | 43% | 10 | 499 |
As Opta stats show, Smith may just be right in suggesting Kane could improve in the air, while the Spurs forward’s ratio of shots on target does suggest the 21-year-old possesses a clinical finish.
The most important statistic of all, however, is that Kane is Tottenham’s top scorer so far this season by a distance. His England place, really, seems a shoo-in, although perhaps the biggest question surrounding Kane’s future is whether he should stick to the Under-21s for now – especially during the European Championships this summer.
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