Spurs phenomenon Harry Kane on track to become Premier League's greatest striker


Richard Jolly
  • English
  • Arabic

Sometimes a footballer reaches a stage in his career where every game feels a milestone. For Harry Kane, two came in four days.

His 200th Tottenham goal, making him only the third man to register a double century for Spurs, came against Ludogorets last Thursday. His 150th Premier League strike followed at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

He was only to 10th man to get there and the first born after the division’s inception. Kane is indeed a product of the Premier League era, the only one of those prolific marksmen to enter the world at a point when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were champions.

It only took him 218 games to reach 150, putting him fractionally behind Alan Shearer (212) and Sergio Aguero (217), though the Argentinian has the best goals-per-minute ratio of any. But it is notable how much faster Kane proved than feared goalscorers: Michael Owen (323), Wayne Rooney (330) and Robbie Fowler (333) each took more than 100 games more.

In one respect, Kane has the most in common with the man who, understandably, was the slowest to 150. Frank Lampard is the lone midfielder in the company of strikers. He is also, like Kane, a self-made player who used footballing intelligence and relentless drive to transform himself into a phenomenon. Few tipped either for greatness at a young age; it was attained by a capacity to improve themselves.

Examine Kane’s record and it is notable that he took eight years, two months and 14 days from making his Premier League debut to reach 150.

Except that, while his bow came in August 2012, his first goal arrived in April 2014, after an unsuccessful loan spell at Norwich. It reframes his feat: in under six-and-a-half campaigns, he has averaged over 20 goals a season.

Carry on at his current rate of progress and it suggests that he could overhaul Shearer’s record of 260 towards the end of 2025, when he will be 32.

Shearer has often said he believes Kane could supplant him and, with Aguero possibly leaving Manchester City at the end of the season, there is no other threat to his status in the next few years.

A secret of Kane’s success is actually incredibly obvious. He plays the percentages. He has had the most shots in the division this season, just as he did in both 2015-16 and 2017-18.

He has racked up 817 efforts in a relatively brief Premier League career and, while such statistics were not compiled in Shearer’s prime, he seems likely to displace Rooney and end up top of that particular chart.

It can feel a surprise that Kane has had so many attempts this season; the image of him is dropping deeper to release Heung-Min Son with a defence-splitting pass, acting as the playmaker.

He could yet record a double that eluded even Thierry Henry by recording the most Premier League goals and assists in the same season.

It is part of the evolution of Kane. "Since Jose [Mourinho] has come in, he's made it clear that if I do drop deep the wingers are running in behind," he told The Sunday Times. Certainly Kane's ratio of top-flight goals to assists – currently 5.35:1 – will come down as he serves as the creator more.

“This guy does much more than scoring goals,” Mourinho marvelled on Sunday. “The last five minutes, he was playing as a No 6 and winning balls in front of our defensive line. He is special.”

It is the sort of selflessness Mourinho loves, but a manager who prizes efficiency recognises the merit of finishers, and Kane could finish up as statistically the Premier League’s greatest ever.

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The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

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Maratha Arabians 138-2

C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15

Team Abu Dhabi 114-3

L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17

Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs

Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk

“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”

“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”

“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”

“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Quarter-finals

Saturday (all times UAE)

England v Australia, 11.15am 
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm

Sunday

Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm

Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

Five personal finance podcasts from The National

 

To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes 

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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth 

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What is a portfolio stress test? 

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What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested? 

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How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies 

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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?  

Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Crops that could be introduced to the UAE

1: Quinoa 

2. Bathua 

3. Amaranth 

4. Pearl and finger millet 

5. Sorghum

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Generational responses to the pandemic

Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:

Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

'Champions'

Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
 

TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

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Pari

Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment

Director: Prosit Roy

Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani

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