England will get their EURO 2024 campaign underway this evening as one of the tournament favourites. If they are to go all the way, one would expect that Harry Kane will play a crucial role.
The 30-year-old is England's highest goalscorer of all-time and coming off the back of a terrific maiden season with Bayern Munich which saw him finish as the Golden Boot winner.
The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner will surely harbour ambitions of repeating that feat in Germany, with the weight of expectation on the England captain's shoulders.
However, ex-Ireland striker Kevin Doyle has explained why he has doubts about Kane's ability to get England over the line in the decisive moments of this tournament.
Doyle appeared on RTÉ's EURO 2024 coverage on Saturday night and explained the question marks he felt hung over the Englishman's disappointing performances in big games in past tournaments.
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Kevin Doyle explains doubts about Harry Kane in England tournament charge
Doyle was asked by host Peter Collins whether he felt England were in pole position to finally win their first major trophy since 1966.
The Wexford man was adamant that this would be another summer of pain for English fans - and singled out Harry Kane in particular as somebody that he would doubt coming into the EUROs.
"In 14 semi-finals and finals he hasn't scored from open play."
Kevin Doyle feels an over-reliance on Harry Kane could be detrimental to England ahead of their #Euro2024 opener against Serbia on Sunday night.
📺 Watch every game on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer pic.twitter.com/LuHDAkwFX0— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 15, 2024
Doyle questioned Kane's record in big games for England and specifically referenced the EURO 2020 final, in which he failed to muster a single shot on target.
Harry Kane, to me, is a vital part of England and them playing well, and he's older. He's had a tough season.
I remember in the last EUROs against Italy thinking how poor he was in the final, he barely touched the ball, he looked tired, he looked jaded, didn't have the legs to run against an ageing Chiellini - who was man of the match in that game. He never turned him, never ran him.
I just thought then, this squad was not going to win it.
I bet you he'll be very good tomorrow, he'll probably score a few goals and be good during the tournament. But when it gets to the latter stages and it's tougher against the big teams, I just don't think he has the legs...to threaten the top defences.
He'll still score goals, he's a fabulous finisher, but when it gets to the really tough games, semi-finals and finals...
Apart from a couple of penalties, he's been in 14 semi-finals and finals and he hasn't scored from open play. It's an interesting stat.
It is a surprising statistic, though it is hard to argue that Kane has been disappointing in the biggest games for England in recent tournaments.
England's 2022 World Cup campaign came to a crushing end after Kane's penalty miss against France in the quarter-finals, while his no-show in the EURO 2020 final was part of a larger failure to create any kind of attacking momentum.
If England are to win EURO 2024, they will likely have to beat both France and another major contender in the latter stages. Another underwhelming performance from Harry Kane could be the difference in a tournament of fine margins.
