On Thursday, it was announced that Harry Kane was both a contender for PFA Young Player of the Season but also a nominee for PFA Player of the Year. The reception of such an announcement speaks volumes of Kane’s emphatic rise to stardom. The news was widely expected and almost a given considering the brilliance of his performances during his breakthrough year in the Premier League.
It all began under Tim Sherwood at the end of last season. Kane was handed token starts against teams such as Sunderland, West Brom and Fulham, all of whom he scored against. Although credit must go to Sherwood for his introduction, the now-Aston Villa coach failed to coax out of Kane anywhere near the liveliness that he has exhibited this year, and by the stage of the season Sherwood started playing Kane, there was little that Spurs were contending for, thus hardly making it brave management.
Although such performances gave Spurs fans hope that they may have unearthed a handy homegrown striker who would be able to do a job off the substiutes bench now and then, there was no predicting what would happen next.
This season started slowly for Harry. He was overlooked from Premier League games as Spurs started the campaign arguably no more convincingly than they finished the last. However, Kane revelled in the chances he got and took the opportunities he got in Europe and in the League Cup to prove that he was a natural goal scorer - he scored 10 goals in 15 cup games.
His performances in these games endeared himself to the White Hart Lane fans. They empathised with him. Here was a Spurs fan in a Spurs shirt, running around the pitch with a persistent gormless grin on his face having the time of his life.
Thus, by the time any form Spurs had shown in the early stages of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign had petered out, there was a huge calling for Kane to be called upon in the Premier League. This came to a head before the Aston Villa match at Villa Park. Kane was left on the bench, but with Spurs 1-0 down to the hosts Tottenham needed someone to turn it around. Kane was brought on, and within a minute had won the visitors a corner, from which Nacer Chadli scored. Kane’s energy was infectious and Spurs’ tempo had been trebled since he came on. In stoppage time, Spurs won a free-kick. Kane and Argentinian winger Erik Lamela stood over it, and Kane looked the more determined. He stepped up, struck it, and via a very fortunate deflection off Nathan Baker’s head, sent Spurs on the road to victory. He wheeled away to celebrate in front of the delirious travelling fans and a new hero was born.
This started the hurricane of events which have ensued this season. Kane was given the role as the first-choice striker by late November and throve with it, as Spurs built up form which culminated in the 5-3 dismantling of league leaders Chelsea who had seemed invincible for much of the season. Kane, of course, was Man of the Match, and now not just Spurs fans believed in this man. The media embraced him as a success story and as a future legend of the game, while opposition fans sat there as envious observers to Spurs’ number 18.
Although, there have been significant improvements implemented throughout the team by Pochettino, Kane has encapsulated every thing that Tottenham do right when they play well. Kane is unrelenting in his energy, pressing opponents at every opportunity, and manipulating the defensive lines of opposition constantly as he goes in search of the ball. His positivity is also infectious, always looking forward and looking to take opportunities before the opponents acknowledge their existence - perfectly exemplified by his goal against Burnley at White Hart Lane, where he rounded off a move he started with a quick free-kick, with a first time finish.
However, overall the best thing he brings to the side is belief. Harry Kane believes he can run past players, thus he attempts to and most of the time succeeds. Kane believes that Spurs can win matches even when they are behind, and hence he will not stop giving his all until the final whistle blows, regardless of the circumstances.
A perfect example of this, is when they played against north London rivals Arsenal back in February. The home supporters will remember the game for a long time, because of Kane's involvement in the match. There was a collective belief amongst Pochettino's men that they could prevail, even though they conceded early on courtesy of Mesut Özil's 11th minute strike. Kane scored a second-half brace, thanks to the attacing genius of the man born in Chingford.
And long may it continue. Kane has lifted not only Tottenham Hotspur this season but also a whole generation of English football fans. Greg Dyke cited him as an example as to why English football can have a rosy future.
Whether Kane wins either of the PFA awards is regardless. He does not need these awards to prove that he has been the standout footballer in England this year. The repeated grabbing of the headlines by his exploits on the field have proven that already, and should he continue then only the intangibles will prevent him from becoming both a Tottenham Hotspur and an England legend.