Tottenham reality: Harry Kane has surpassed Gareth Bale

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 18: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the fans at the end of the Premier League match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur at The King Power Stadium on May 18, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 18: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the fans at the end of the Premier League match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur at The King Power Stadium on May 18, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images)

Harry Kane means more to Tottenham than Gareth Bale ever did

Gareth Bale’s ability to glide across the pitch and his magical left foot made plenty of fans fall in love with Tottenham. Only Harry Kane has shown those same fans how to properly love the club. The English centre forward has now surpassed the Welsh winger in every way.

This piece isn’t meant to be a criticism of Bale. His time at Tottenham was special. He took a decidedly mediocre squad and made it relevant by himself. I’ll never forget the magic of his free kicks or his brilliant marauding runs which perplexed Premier League defenders.

I also won’t forget the cold, businesslike way he left Spurs. No one should blame him for seeking the riches of Real Madrid, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. His recent silence about the last match at White Hart Lane only confirmed my biggest fear. Gareth Bale doesn’t love Tottenham anymore.

Perhaps he never did, but it’s not important anymore. There’s a new player for Spurs fans to love. That man, of course, is star striker Harry Kane. He may never have the sex appeal that exuded from Bale’s game, but he’s the right stat for Spurs fans to love.

I suspect many of you realized this months ago. In sharp contrast, I only figured it out today. As I watched Kane bury Leicester with four goals in the club’s 6-1 win it finally hit me. Harry Kane might love playing for Tottenham as much as I would.

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Perhaps that’s a product of the long and winding path he took to find stardom. His ascent wasn’t as straightforward as Bale’s. Kane’s gone on more loans than a Chelsea youth player. You have to imagine all the nights he laid down and dreamt of finding his way to the first team with Tottenham.

The expressions on his face when he plays for Spurs tell the whole story. When he blasts the ball into the back of the net you can literally watch the joy erupt over his entire countenance. Conversely, when the club experience a crushing loss, you can see the death of a little piece of himself hidden behind his eyes.

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That makes him the most romantic player possible to wear a Tottenham shirt. He genuinely lives and dies with the way the club play just as fans do. It’s that commonality that allows him to resonate so much with all of us. After all, he’s one of our own…..