Tottenham star Harry Kane says he was keen to learn how Alan Shearer dealt with his critics.
Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane says he and the rest of the England squad have been discussing pundit criticism with former striker Alan Shearer.
Shearer was a guest of the England squad this week ahead of their World Cup qualifiers.
Kane said he and his teammates were interested in exploring Shearer’s mindset, and that of his fellow pundits, having made the transition from the football pitch to the television studio.
He told The Telegraph: “We wanted to understand what that takes, how the mindset changes
“I’m sure as a player he was probably like most players when he was criticised, not too happy. And now he’s the one criticising.
“All that matters, though, is what goes on in your head and being focused on your own job. If someone does criticise you, you want to prove them wrong.”
Every player in the England squad will have heard criticism at some stage in their careers, and as many Three Lions players have experienced in the past, the more you are built up, the heavier the criticism will be if results are not right.
Kane is England and Tottenham’s golden boy at present, but he was pilloried after Euro 2016 after a series of drab performances and woeful set pieces, failing to score a goal at the tournament.
Criticism is harder to ignore for players now in the age of social media, multiple round the clock television channels and sports radio, compared to in Shearer’s era.
Kane may one day be the man criticising or analysing tomorrow’s stars, but like Shearer, he will have earned the right to have his say.
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