The 2014/15 season has been a special one for Tottenham’s Harry Kane. Once a serial loanee with the likes of Millwall and Leyton Orient has transformed himself into one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League.
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Not only has the 21-year-old managed to nail down a regular starting place in the Tottenham line-up, he heads the Premier League race for the golden boot with Chelsea’s Diego Costa, has bagged an outstanding 29 goals in all competitions, and if to top it all off, scored on his England senior debut.
It’s a fair assumption that Kane will be one of the names mentioned when contenders for the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year is discussed, and why should he not be?
Alumni of the award include a glittering host of the Premier League’s finest such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kenny Dalglish, George Best, Gary Lineker, Eric Cantona and Bobby Moore.
With such a distinguished list before him, it could be argued that Kane does not have the experience behind him to be spoken in the same sentence as previous winners. When all said and done, he only managed a Premier League start for Tottenham in November, let alone a goal.
At the age of 21, he still has a lot of developing to do, and could yet turn out to be another of England’s glorious flops. Think Francis Jeffers, David Nugent or David Bentley.
That said, despite only having one season behind him, Kane has shown in his performances that he is every bit the accomplished striker as any Premier League old boys. The fact the Tottenham man has scored a host of different types of goals is one of the most exciting reasons fans and pundits alike are waxing lyrical about him as much as they are.
Kane has height, allowing him to suitable fight in the air and give wingers a target to aim at – not only that, he is just as at home putting his foot on the ball. Along with this, his debut England goal showed just how devastating his judgement, which belies his relative inexperience and young age, can be.
There have been claims that the award would be more deserved by some of the more established names in the league, who, in fairness, have consistently performed season on season – something the Spurs prodigy is yet to do. David de Gea has made 10 clean sheets, constantly keeping Manchester United fighting in games, Eden Hazard has invigorated Chelsea with his pace and dazzling wing play and Diego Costa has shown he can do it in the Premier League just as well as he can in La Liga.
It must be appreciated, though, that the Football Writers’ Award is one for the season in question and not based on any previous achievements and taking this season in isolation, it would be hard to argue that Kane should not be spoken in such exalted company – he has earned it.
It would be equally hard to argue against the chances of the London-boy-come-good as well, with his strongest challenger probably coming in the shape of Manchester United’s Spanish stopper David de Gea. With both players the stats don’t lie, they have both frankly had brilliant seasons. It does seem more difficult for a goalkeeper to come away with the prize, though. The last ‘keeper to win it being Everton’s Neville Southall 30 years ago.
There are eight more games to go in the Premier League rollercoaster, and by the time the ceremony rolls around on 21st May, he could have dropped off the radar. That’s unlikely, though, for anyone to score 29 goals by this stage of season, at his age, with his attributes, is a brilliant achievement and it doesn’t happen purely by luck, Kane would be a worthy winner of the award.