And the Spurs and England striker says the people with the “weaker mentality” are those who cross the line in taking the mickey out of him, Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli and Three Lions colleagues like Raheem Sterling in World Cup year .
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said star striker Kane had been “sad” about a message sent by the official FA Cup account which poked fun at against Manchester United’s Chris Smalling in the Londoners’ FA Cup semi-final defeat.
Kane, speaking publicly about the row for the first time, said: “The FA tweet was a silly tweet. We all know that.
“I talked to the gaffer about it and all we said was: ‘Would other countries do that to their players?’ Probably not.
“It’s strange. Maybe it’s a mentality thing. It is easier nowadays maybe to banter England players or take the mickey out of the England players.
“So if we don’t do well in the World Cup, then they can write and say, ‘We told you so.’ But that is maybe a weaker mentality.
“But as a team it is what it is. We are focusing on what we have got to do. We have got to go with the mindset and belief that we can do it. We try to win everything we go into – the World Cup is no different.
SIME SIDE Tottenham and Juventus lead race for Fiorentina star Giovanni Simeone
“On social media you get a few people who don’t see eye-to-eye and it is being a fan and having an opinion.
“Everybody is very passionate about their club and rightly so, but as a nation, when it comes to the World Cup, that is the most important thing and that is what comes first.
“For me personally, I will always engage with my fans. It is just a small number of fans who maybe go over the mark but that is just life. You cannot get too down about that.
“I love my fans all around the world and hopefully that can give me their respect. It [the FA Tweet] is something that has gone. I am over it.
“The gaffer may have said that I am sad, but I am focused. I am a guy that gets over things.”
In recent weeks Kane has had to cope with criticism and ridicule for the first time since he announced himself on the Premier League stage.
Before the misguided FA Tweet, his decision to press the authorities to award him a goal against Stoke instead of Spurs team-mate Christian Eriksen earned him a lot of (mostly good-natured) teasing.
Kane seems to be a bit less upset than Pochettino made out and makes no apology for doing all he can to chase down Liverpool’s Mo Salah for the Golden Boot.
Kane, whose goal in the win over Watford leaves him on 27, four behind Salah, said: “Every striker in every country wants to win the Golden Boot.
“I want to win at everything I do, whether it’s the Golden Boot or every game. Even if it is just playing a game with my mates – I want to win that. I am not afraid to say so.
“People are going to have their opinions. When you are not doing well or the team are not doing well, people are going to look for certain individuals to dig out.
“It is what it is. It is part of the game. I have always said I try not to get too high or get too low because you never know what is around the corner.
“I am trying to stay focused on what I need to do and that is to perform on the pitch.”
Kane is adamant that the right ankle he damaged in March is fully healed – despite Pochettino’s claims to the contrary and the sluggish nature of much of his performance against Watford.
Kane added: “The ankle is fine. The ankle is good. I feel fine. I feel good. I am looking forward to the last three weeks.”
Source: Read Full Article
