Before Tottenham kicked off against Bournemouth around lunchtime on the 15th of April, there was an added buzz around White Hart Lane. That day saw the return of star striker Harry Kane to the Spurs match day squad. Tottenham were welcoming him back after his second lengthy layout of the season. Since that game, the Tottenham number 10 has gotten right back to business. He’s been banging in the goals once again, en route to his golden boot.
Harry Kane Finishes the 2016-17 Season in Style
A game of catch up
After winning the golden boot at the end of last season, Kane was expected to defend his crown this campaign. However, Kane’s been sidelined for a total of eight games this season due to ankle ligament injury. It seemed unlikely that he would be able to match the tally of the likes of the other Premier League strikers.
When Kane returned to injury that sunny day against Bournemouth in, he was at 19 goals for the season. Meanwhile, the in-form Lukaku has jumped ahead to 23. Kane certainly faced an uphill battle to retain the crown, but he has done so in style. After scoring against Bournemouth, Arsenal, Manchester United, Leicester and Hull City, including two hat-tricks in his final two games, he only deserved to scoop up the golden boot. The 23-year old showed his world-class talent to turn on the afterburners and speed past Lukaku to finish comfortably ahead of him.
100 Club?
By winning the Golden Boot a second consecutive season in a row, Harry Kane joined an elusive club of those who have achieved the same feat. The likes of Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie have all won the prize at least two seasons in a row. Shearer and Henry won it three campaigns in a row; something Kane will have his eye on for next season.
All the aforementioned footballers also scored more than a hundred goals in the Premier League. Following the 7-1 drubbing of Hull City, Kane stands on 78 Premier League goals. At this rate, it seems a case of when and not if Kane will reach 100 league goals in. Being only 22 goals away from that mark, he will be hoping to join the elusive club next season.
Shearer’s Record
The already mentioned Shearer’s name lies in the history books more than once. The England legend scored 260 Premier League goals in his career, playing for Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United. At the age of 23, Shearer had scored 23 goals in the First Division and 16 in the Premier League. Kane has 78. If Harry Kane can keep up with Alan Shearer’s prime years, in which he scored 30+ goals, three seasons in a row, then there is no reason Kane cannot beat his record.
Although Kane has already surely gone down in Tottenham folklore, breaking Shearer’s record would affirm his elite talent. If Kane is not already a cult hero, smashing the record books again would make him one of the greatest Tottenham players of all time. He is, after all, one of their own.
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