Gary Lineker has laid into England captain Harry Kane for his role in England’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Denmark at Euro 2024.
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker got off the mark at the tournament in the match, putting Gareth Southgate’s side into the lead in the opening stages with a calm finish after the ball broke kindly. However, the Three Lions ultimately slumped to a 1-1 draw with limited control of the match.
That last factor has left England supporters and pundits alike heavily frustrated for the second time in a few days, with the captain’s latest display subject to a complete analysis from a man who previously occupied the same position in the team, Lineker.
“In all honesty? I think Harry Kane needs to do a lot better. I think his movement was minimal, he didn’t look to go behind, and he doesn’t often, but even when he comes short, he’s just drifting short, very kind of lethargically, he’s plodding short, and that’s not going to help,” he said at full-time on BBC Match of the Day ‘s live coverage.
He added: “When you’re a striker, your two jobs are: obviously score goals, which he’s brilliant at, he has been all his career and he’s wonderful at that sort of thing, but I think he needs his manager to say: ‘Right, I need a little bit more from you Harry.’ I would have expected that if I’d have had that kind of performance.
“As a striker, let me tell you, he’s up against three at the back [vs Denmark], so he has got to stretch that team, even when he comes short, you’ve got to go that way [leans right] first to keep them up there, and then you come short. So when you get the ball coming short, you don’t have to go 20 yards to get it short, like he ambles in, ambles in, and they just let him go so he doesn’t get it.
READ MORE: What will happen to England if Serbia pull out of Euro 2024 amid chant row
READ MORE: Cesc Fabregas’ stark warning to Gareth Southgate over leaving Cole Palmer on England’s bench
“So he’s not creating the space for himself for a start. Vice versa, he’s never really been a player that spins that much behind but it’s the same thing. If someone’s in midfield and got the ball and you want it behind, you go that way [leans left] first and then you go behind. And then you stretch the team. If you’ve got someone going behind, you can stretch the team and that creates more space for the midfield players behind you.”
The 63-year-old ended: “But in his defence, even when that happened on occasions, there wasn’t enough of the midfield pushing up from behind. So it’s a whole team thing.”
Kane’s latest examination comes after he managed only two touches in the entire first half against Serbia, leading former Three Lions defender Wes Brown to explain how the 30-year-old was looking for the ball in the wrong areas of the pitch.
Former England international Alan Shearer concurred with his fellow pundit, adding: “As I got older I needed pace in and around me. I could still score goals, head the ball, get into positions in the box, but one thing I could not do is run in behind. Harry Kane is the same now, he needs players that have the legs to run beyond and make the space.”
England’s result does keep them top of Group C as Slovenia and Serbia also shared the spoils in their meeting earlier in the day. However, failure to wrap up qualification for the Round of 16 a game ahead of schedule means Southgate and Co will have to fight to secure first place against the Slovenians on Tuesday.