Harry Kane has conceded the frustration endured while absent in rehabilitation from an ankle injury will be tempered by the long-term benefits of a timely rest after a relentless schedule since he broke into the first team at Tottenham Hotspur.
The striker was absent for seven weeks, the first prolonged period in the treatment room of his career, after damaging ligaments in the joint in the win against Sunderland in mid-September.
He returned to Spurs’ starting line-up for Sunday’s north London derby at Arsenal and scored the second-half penalty which drew the visitors level, with the 73 minutes spent on the pitch followed by a recall to the England squad.
Meanwhile, the England manager, Gareth Southgate, will check on Kane’s fitness before considering him for a start against Scotland on Friday.
He told a press conference yesterday morning: “I think the first thing we have to do with Harry is check how he is after yesterday. I think Spurs, maybe with Dele missing as well, took a decision for what was a very big game for them. Of course, we have a big game ourselves and will have to see what level he’s at when he reports. But it was great to see him back and scoring and with a smile on his face at the end of the game.”
Kane has featured at major tournaments with the national under-21s and senior sides over the last two summers, as well as playing a part in Tottenham’s post-season tour in 2015, and had shown signs of fatigue over a sluggish start to the current campaign.
“I never want to be injured or missing games but, when you get injured, you have to look at the positives to help you,” said the forward, who missed 10 club games as well as England’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia.
“It gave me six or seven weeks off to rest the other muscles that haven’t been rested in a while. So it’s been good. I got fit, I made sure I stayed healthy.
“I had a break early on when I first got injured, and I went away. But, after that, there were double sessions in the gym and outside to maintain my health and fitness so that, when I was called upon like at Arsenal, I was ready for it. I felt fine out there. I have been working hard to be ready and I wouldn’t have been out there if I wasn’t feeling good enough. I’m happy with it. I still need to get some match fitness, but I was delighted to be out there and to score.”
There was understandable rustiness to the 23-year-old’s performance in the derby, with a first-half header steered wide and Nacho Monreal suffocating an attempt at the far post after the break, but the converted penalty means Kane has now scored in three successive Premier League appearances.
“Watching has been difficult, especially with the team going through a bit of a spell where we haven’t been winning games,” said the striker. Spurs, who remain unbeaten in the Premier League, have now gone seven matches without a win in all competitions. “It’s hard. It’s like watching my family: I just want to be out there helping them.
“But it’s part of it. I was there training with the team, I was around them. It has been a difficult spell for us but we came out against Arsenal and played very well. We could have even nicked it.
“Whenever I’m on the pitch I feel confident. I had a header in the first half which went just wide, an effort at the back post which I didn’t get the best contact on and I obviously scored a penalty. It was great to be back in those situations and to be back among the goals.”