The Spurs forward praised his Liverpool rival, looked ahead to the World Cup and explained why golf helps him relax
Harry Kane says he has relished his battle with Mohamed Salah at the top of the goalscoring chart – and he is already aiming to break the Liverpool man’s record next season.
Kane, who was hoping to win the Golden Boot for the third successive campaign, scored more top-flight goals than ever before, with his brace against Leicester City on the last day taking his final tally to 30 – one more than the previous term.
However, that was still not enough to overcome Liverpool forward Salah, who scored 32 Premier League goals – a new record for a single season.
“It’s good to have competition, and it’s great for the Premier League to have two players at the 30-goal mark,” said Tottenham Hotspur forward Kane.
“Mo has done great this year and he deserves it. He deserves the Golden Boot. I’m looking forward to the competition again next year.
“I haven’t really seen him [in person] but it’s what you want at the highest level. You want to be fighting for things and I think we pushed each other. He broke the record for a 38-game season and that’s the aim that I will try and do next season.
“For me, it’s about doing it year after year. This is my fourth year now and the first time I have got to 30 goals in the Premier League. Now it’s about getting to 30 goals for the next two or three years – that’s the aim.
“Any player wants to do it on a consistent basis and that’s what defines a good player from a great player. Mo has done amazingly this year and he looks like a great player, and we’ll see if we can both continue it next season.”
Kane is now looking ahead to England’s World Cup campaign in Russia, and he said: “This is my second tournament, I’m looking forward to getting back there.
“This is the biggest tournament in the world. There’s always going to be pressure, that’s expected when we’re one of the top teams. It’s the World Cup, we’ve got to deal with it. I can’t wait for the challenge and to get out there. It’s an exciting time.
“We get a week from now before we meet up with the boys, so I might go away, play a bit of golf, chill and relax the mind. I’m going away to the Bahamas.
“A week is the perfect time. It’s not enough time to lose a lot of fitness, but it’s a good time to refresh mentally.
“We can spend a bit of time on the beach with the family, chill, and physically I will do a bit in the gym - not too much. When we meet up we have plenty of time until the World Cup to get into top shape.
“The mental side’s definitely important. We go through a lot in the season, with your clubs and countries. You’ve got to switch off, maybe for me stay away from everything, leave the phone indoors and just chill and spend time with loved ones.”
Kane, an excellent golfer with a handicap of four, finds the sport helps him to relax.
“I’m quite an active person so it’s nice to have that competitive streak with my mates – to just enjoy it and be free on the golf course, concentrate on golf and nothing else,” he said. “It’s good for the brain.
“The Mrs doesn’t like it too much but I tell her it’s part and parcel of the game.
I’m going to enjoy a bit of sun and just chill.”
Follow me on Twitter @BenPearceSpurs and visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BenPearceSpurs/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here