90min

Jose Mourinho 'Strongly Against' Harry Kane Starting for England Against Denmark

By Jamie Spencer

Jose Mourinho has told England his concerns over Harry Kane
Jose Mourinho has told England his concerns over Harry Kane / Pool/Getty Images
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Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has been described as ‘strongly against’ star striker Harry Kane starting for England in the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday night.

Kane has started all four of his club side’s Premier League games so far this season, as well as two of their Europa League qualifiers. He has also been in blistering early form, managing eight goals and seven assists in those six starts alone.

Kane hasn't started either England game this month
Kane hasn't started either England game this month / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

But there were doubts over the England captain’s fitness heading into this month’s international break. He was given time off before linking up with the squad and subsequently was sent for a scan as a precaution when he felt uncomfortable training last Wednesday.

Kane was never intended to feature in the friendly against Wales, while he was only used off the bench in the follow up Nations League clash with world number one ranked Belgium. But now Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate intends to use him from the start against Denmark.

Explaining the situation ahead of the game at Wembley, Southgate said that ‘conversations’ have taken place with Spurs medical staff but appears confident Kane is not carrying an injury. Rather, England staff believe the cause of his minor issue last week to be muscle fatigue.

“He started to train on the Wednesday, was a little unhappy with how he felt, so then worked with our medical team the next couple of days. We scanned just to be certain but it’s a muscular fatigue issue rather than an injury so it just needed a bit more confidence,” Southgate told the media.

Gareth Southgate wants Kane to start against Denmark
Gareth Southgate wants Kane to start against Denmark / Michael Regan/Getty Images

It was a lack of training ahead of the Belgium game that meant he was left out of the starting XI, giving new call-up Dominic Calvert-Lewin the chance to lead the line for the second game in a row.

“All being well, we hope he’ll be good to start on Wednesday,” Southgate concluded on Kane.

Yet that isn’t music to the ears of those at Tottenham, with The Guardian reporting that Mourinho is ‘strongly against’ Kane starting against Denmark. The Spurs boss is even said to have made his feelings known to those in the England set-up, although his concern may fall on deaf ears.

Mourinho has concerns of Kane being overworked
Mourinho has concerns of Kane being overworked / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Kane’s early season workload at club level had seen Mourinho ask that his star striker be handled with care on international duty in what is now developing into a classic club vs country row.

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