Martin O'Neill reveals how close Harry Kane was to playing for Ireland
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 ROBERT REDMOND
Harry Kane had at one point a 'keen interest' in lining out for the Boys in Green, according Ireland boss Martin O'Neill.The Tottenham Hotspur striker has had a stunning season, scoring 26 goals already and is on the verge of receiving his first call-up to the England squad.
However, he could've been playing for Ireland against Poland on March 29, if his form wasn't so good for Spurs.
O'Neill revealed that Kane's agent contacted him, before he made his breakthrough at Spurs, to inform the Ireland manager that the striker would be prepared to represent the national team.
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‘The order of events, though I don’t think it’s really important any more, is that initially the agent got in touch and said that he would have a keen interest, and we wanted to go and chase it up,' O'Neill said.
‘But then I noticed in the newspaper where he said he wanted to play for England. And that has remained the same. Someone was even speaking to him recently and that was exactly the same conversation. Fine, if that’s the case.’
It appears Kane's prolific form for Spurs scuppered any chance of him declaring for Ireland, and O'Neill admitted he would've gladly welcomed the player into the squad.
‘It would have been really nice, absolutely,' O'Neill said.
'There’s a fairly decent chance he might have had a few caps for us before he actually makes his debut for England, considering the way he’s playing.
Kane's father is from Galway, but the player himself has always stated publicly that his heart is set on representing England, something O'Neill recognised.
'I was talking to somebody about this last night and we were just saying that Harry himself always wanted to play for England. Really, it was as simple as that’.
It seems Kane's agent was merely hedging the player's bets.
Hat-tip The Daily Mail. |
