Roy Hodgson hails "fantastic" Harry Kane

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 24 March 2015

England boss Roy Hodgson heaps praise on uncapped striker Harry Kane ahead of Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley.

England manager Roy Hodgson has heaped praise on striker Harry Kane ahead of the upcoming Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania.

Kane has enjoyed a breakthrough season for club side Tottenham Hotspur, working his way into Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI and going on to score 29 goals in all competitions, including his first Premier League hat-trick last time out.

The 21-year-old has been rewarded with a maiden call-up to the England senior squad and is widely expected to make his debut in Friday's Group E qualifier at Wembley.

Hodgson was effusive in his praise for the in-form youngster, but also warned fans not to "build him up" too high so early in his career.

"It's fantastic what he has done. It's very tough for a young player to come into a top team like Tottenham with demands and expectations, and to shoulder aside people like [Emmanuel] Adebayor and [Roberto] Soldado and make the place your own, and then not just to play well and keep your place but score a lot of goals - that is some achievement," Hodgson told reporters.

"But I do really hope people in general will have a more reasonable approach and say, 'Let's give this guy a chance. He is going to have some good and bad games and hopefully he will have 10 or 12 years in the Premier League and England matches in front of him, let's not build him up to the best thing we have ever had or a flop on the basis of a month or two or a couple of games or so'.

"But I am delighted for him. If he gets his chance to play in these games, I am sure he won't let anyone down."

Hodgson also warned that it would be "dangerous" to assume that Kane was guaranteed to start against Lithuania, despite the England boss being pictured in training holding a team sheet that had the Spurs man up front alongside skipper Wayne Rooney.