England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted he will try to manage Harry Kane’s minutes, stressing the fact that he does not need to play every game at the World Cup.
Manager Thomas Tuchel knows he must sack Harry Kane to lead England to glory (Image: Getty Images)
Manager Thomas Tuchel insists Harry Kane is ready to take on the world after the England captain’s record-breaking season.
Bayern Munich superstar Kane has scored an astonishing 61 goals in all competitions this season and is in great form heading into the World Cup.
England start their season with a friendly against New Zealand on Saturday, but Tuchel intends to give each player half, meaning Kane will be given 45 minutes. However, England manager Tuchel said Captain Marvel is in great form and is keen to play in this summer’s tournament.
“He looks in great shape, lean and sharp, training at the highest level. We did some defensive training today and he was leading in intensity,” Tuchel said.
“He’s in great form. He’s ready. Even if it’s a hot June, we don’t have to worry about him at all. He showed all week that he’s ready. He’s our key player. He’s used to Bayern Munich’s high press and intense games in the opposition half. He’s leading by example. I think he’s in top form.”
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Tuchel said he would spare Kane but hoped he could do a good job against New Zealand, while saying he had received guarantees about the pitch.
Tuchel, who insists he has not yet decided which XI will start the game, said: “We can continue this week because everyone is 45 years old. Some players need a load, some players need to recover. We are giving everyone 45 years.”
“We’ll try to keep Harry healthy and play him as much as possible, but hopefully we’ll get a chance where we don’t have to play him every game for 90 or 120 minutes. “It would be nice if the players had a chance to substitute, but that’s not all. We have greenkeepers to take care of the pitch and we hope it’s OK. It’s an American football pitch and I can see it. We’re told we’re going to be OK.”
Harry Kane is sensational for Bayern Munich (Image: (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images))
Tuchel joked that although Florida’s weather this week has felt like home, with storms and regular rain, all plans for the scorching heat have not yet been implemented.
Arsenal’s players will join up on Friday night but will not take part in the match, so any mob-inciting speeches will be reserved for when they get together.
Coach Tuchel added: “It wasn’t sunny and it wasn’t hot. It was the first day I saw the sun and blue skies. It’s like England! We’ve been joking around for the last few days. Of course it’s warm and humid. But the advantage is that it’s easier to train and with no exposure, you can take a break and do more detail in your training.
“There was an emotional meeting at the beginning and then a lot of meetings about football and details. We don’t empty everything from the start, so we have to leave something in place by the time the tournament starts.”
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