Thursday 19 March 2015 12:25, UK
Paul Merson says England coach Roy Hodgson must be careful in his management of Harry Kane to get the best out of the Tottenham striker.
The 21-year-old is the highest scoring Englishman this season, with only Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero boasting a better Premier League goal record - form which sees Kane earn his first England call-up for upcoming matches against Lithuania and Italy.
England take on Lithuania in a European qualifier at Wembley on March 27, and then travel to Italy for a friendly four days later, and Merson insisted that if Kane is used, he must not be wasted by Hodgson.
“It depends how Roy manages Harry Kane,” Merson told Sky Sports News HQ.
“Does he bring him in to the squad, leave him on the bench against Lithuania and then play him against Italy away? That is a hard debut.
“He has to be patient. We need to win the Lithuania game but don’t ruin Harry Kane.
“If you play him up front against Italy on his own, isolated, before you know it he has been set back three months.”
Merson was full of praise for the young striker who averages a league goal every 111 minutes, and firmly believes that he could be pivotal to club and country for years to come.
“He reminds me of Teddy Sheringham,” Merson added. "He drops off, comes looking for the ball.
We need to win the Lithuania game but don’t ruin Harry Kane.
"He has an unbelievable future in the game. I think he will be in the team for the next seven years.
“But that is up to him."
Watch Roy Hodgson's news conference on Sky Sports News HQ at 12.30pm and tune in to The Morning View now for lively debate on who should be included.
