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Spurs can keep Kane without Champions League football, says interim boss London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason said Friday that Harry Kane’s future at the club does not hinge on whether they qualify for next season’s Champions League. The England captain’s career has been the subject of intense speculation after he said “we’ll see where we go” following the upcoming European Championship and comments this week about his desire to win trophies. Missing out on the top four, which currently looks likely, will be another blow for Spurs in keeping their star man happy but Mason does not think it will be a decisive factor. “I don’t think so,” he said ahead of Sunday’s clash with already relegated Sheffield United. “Harry Kane loves this football club. That’s been proven over the last seven or eight years. He’s one of the best strikers in the world. “Everyone knows that, we know that and I’d like to think Harry knows that as well. “The most important thing right now, and our attention right now, is this weekend. We can’t disrespect any opponent and we can’t be investing our energy into anything else.” Mason and Kane, 27, are close friends off the pitch but the former Spurs midfielder said he had not spoken with the striker about his future. “He’s one of the most professional guys I’ve ever met in my life so Harry Kane has been training excellently this week,” said Mason. “He’ll be training excellently tomorrow, I know that, and he’ll be ready for the weekend.” Tottenham last won a major trophy when they lifted the 2008 League Cup but the north London club insist Kane is not for sale. And, with three years left on his contract, it would take an eye-watering figure for them to change their mind — something that does not look likely in the cash-strapped coronavirus era. Finishing in the top four would help appease Kane, but that is going to be tough as Spurs are five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with five games to play. Meanwhile, Spurs have been dealt another blow in their search for a new manager after Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag committed his future to the Dutch club. The 51-year-old was understood to have been on the shortlist to replace Jose Mourinho, who was sacked last week, but he will be staying in Amsterdam after signing a contract extension until 2023. Another leading candidate, Julian Nagelsmann, opted to join Bayern Munich this week, while Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has also distanced himself from the role.


London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason said Friday that Harry Kane’s future at the club does not hinge on whether they qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The England captain’s career has been the subject of intense speculation after he said “we’ll see where we go” following the upcoming European Championship and comments this week about his desire to win trophies.

Missing out on the top four, which currently looks likely, will be another blow for Spurs in keeping their star man happy but Mason does not think it will be a decisive factor.

“I don’t think so,” he said ahead of Sunday’s clash with already relegated Sheffield United.

“Harry Kane loves this football club. That’s been proven over the last seven or eight years. He’s one of the best strikers in the world.

“Everyone knows that, we know that and I’d like to think Harry knows that as well.

“The most important thing right now, and our attention right now, is this weekend. We can’t disrespect any opponent and we can’t be investing our energy into anything else.”

Mason and Kane, 27, are close friends off the pitch but the former Spurs midfielder said he had not spoken with the striker about his future.

“He’s one of the most professional guys I’ve ever met in my life so Harry Kane has been training excellently this week,” said Mason. “He’ll be training excellently tomorrow, I know that, and he’ll be ready for the weekend.”

Tottenham last won a major trophy when they lifted the 2008 League Cup but the north London club insist Kane is not for sale.

And, with three years left on his contract, it would take an eye-watering figure for them to change their mind — something that does not look likely in the cash-strapped coronavirus era.

Finishing in the top four would help appease Kane, but that is going to be tough as Spurs are five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with five games to play.

Meanwhile, Spurs have been dealt another blow in their search for a new manager after Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag committed his future to the Dutch club.

The 51-year-old was understood to have been on the shortlist to replace Jose Mourinho, who was sacked last week, but he will be staying in Amsterdam after signing a contract extension until 2023.

Another leading candidate, Julian Nagelsmann, opted to join Bayern Munich this week, while Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has also distanced himself from the role.



from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/332frP9
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Rangers brush aside title rivals Hearts Glasgow (AFP) – Alfredo Morelos and Joe Aribo fired Rangers to a 2-0 win at Hearts on Sunday as the Scottish Premiership leaders extended their strong start under new boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Van Bronckhorst has won four successive league games since replacing Steven Gerrard after his predecessor’s move to Aston Villa. Morelos and Aribo scored in the early stages at Tynecastle, giving Rangers six consecutive league victories encompassing the end of Gerrard’s reign. Hearts had Josh Ginnelly sent off late on as they squandered a chance to close the gap on the champions. Rangers are 12 points clear of third placed Hearts and seven ahead of second placed Celtic, who host Motherwell later on Sunday. Van Bronckhorst made six changes to the Rangers side that began Thursday’s 1-1 draw at Lyon in the Europa League. Liam Boyce had a great chance to open the scoring for Hearts in the third minute when he ran on to John Souttar’s clipped ball over the top, but the Northern Ireland striker saw his lob tipped over by Allan McGregor. It was Rangers who scored with their first chance of the match after nine minutes when Ryan Kent’s cross reached Fashion Sakala and the Zambian cut the ball back to Morelos, who fired home from six yards out. Sakala shot just wide from close range moments later before Morelos headed wide from James Tavernier’s corner. Rangers’ second goal came in the 13th minute when Aribo ran on to a brilliant long diagonal from Connor Goldson and fired an angled low shot beyond the exposed Craig Gordon. Gary Mackay-Steven saw his angled shot pushed behind by McGregor early in the second half. Rangers had a let-off in the 53rd minute when Calvin Bassey knocked a Ginnelly cross off the underside of his own crossbar. Rangers remained a threat, however, and Scott Arfield and Sakala were both denied by saves from Gordon. Boyce fired over from close range after being set up by Mackay-Steven before Stephen Kingsley cracked a free kick off the bar from 30 yards out. In the 80th minute, Ginnelly was sent off after being shown a second yellow card for squaring up to Borna Barisic.

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