England manager Roy Hodgson will ask Tottenham Hotspur to not include Harry Kane in their post-season trip to Australia.
Hodgson’s comments come after Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino said he didn’t want Kane to represent the England under-21 side for the European Championships in June.
The national team boss feels it would be hypocritical of the Lilywhites to request he doesn’t represent his country in a major tournament only to then take him on a long journey to Australia to play a friendly against Sydney FC.
“This is a marketing game as far as I can understand,” Hodgson said. “Personally speaking, playing for England at U21 level at a tournament is more important than a friendly in Australia.
“I would be very hypocritical if I didn’t give that answer.”If he needs a rest, there’s a great opportunity when the season ends before our U21s get together to give him a rest.
“You can’t expect me in good faith to say: ‘oh no, I understand he shouldn’t be resting for the Australia trip, he should be doing that and then resting when the U21 spitch up.’ I can’t go along with that.”
Kane was included in Hodgson’s senior squad for the first time in his career and will be in line to play his first game for England against Lithuania and Italy.
The 21-year-old has become hot property this season after scoring 26 goals in all competitions.
However, Kane could play more than 50 games for Spurs alone this season and fears of burnout, if he plays for the full national side and represents the under 21sin the Czech Republic, are justified.
“I will see Mauricio. I don’t think it’s a problem there. Don’t forget these decisions are sometimes commercial and taken out of a coach’s hands,” Hodgson concluded.