Friday 9 November 2018 23:42, UK
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes Harry Kane could be an even better player if he was less obsessed with scoring.
Kane has emerged as one of the most prolific strikers in world football in recent seasons, winning two Premier League Golden Boots in addition to the World Cup Golden Boot earlier this summer.
The 25-year-old netted his 150th goal for Spurs in the 2-1 win over PSV in midweek but Pochettino believes Kane's desperation to score can occasionally work against him.
"He is a killer, an assassin, a killer," said Pochettino. "He always in practice in everything he wants to kill the goalkeeper, everything.
"He wants to score, he is so determined to score goals.
"That is why sometimes when he doesn't score he is so obsessed with scoring, that sometimes it is against him because sometimes you need more freedom, not to be obsessed.
"But he is going to learn because I think he is now starting to be really mature because he is still young.
"I am not surprised because he is so determined and in training you need to stop him training because he always wants to train, to improve and it is amazing."
Kane's form came under scrutiny earlier this season after a run of five games without a goal, with the striker forced to deny suggestions of post-World Cup fatigue.
However, he silenced talk of an early-season drought by scoring eight goals in his next 11 games and Pochettino is baffled why a player who has proven himself at the highest level is so quick to attract criticism.
"In England you have some very good things here but there are things you need to improve with your own players," he said.
"Kane is English and sometimes you push him to the sky and paradise and then you put him on the outside. Now after six years here I understand a little bit. It is true.
"If Harry Kane is Italian and playing for the Italian side he will be a bit more protected because the Italian people are more protective of their players.
"It is difficult to push but when they are there they try to keep up there. It's similar in Spain. Here it is more up and down.
"You score you are the best. If you didn't score no ... you are criticised. That is the problem."
