Harry Kane irritated by England withdrawals

Frustrated captain Harry Kane has suggested some England players have forgotten the importance of representing their country following a spate of withdrawals.

The Euro 2024 runners-up round off a mixed year by heading to Greece for Thursday's must-win Nations League match before a Wembley encounter against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.

But interim boss Lee Carsley’s final camp has been hit by an eye-watering eight withdrawals, leading to suggestions that new head coach Thomas Tuchel’s delayed arrival has been taken advantage of.

The situation has irked Kane, who leads the side out at the Olympic Stadium in Athens knowing key players are absent for a match they must win to stand a chance of automatic promotion.

Asked if there was one thing former manager Gareth Southgate put in place that senior players need to ensure is not lost, the striker told ITV: "I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.

"I think every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and, yeah, that’s the most important thing.

"I think England comes before anything. England comes before club.

"England is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer and Gareth was hot on that and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if, you know, that started to drift from certain players."

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Quizzed on whether he felt that might have drifted this week, Kane said: "It’s a shame this week, obviously.

"Yeah, look, I think it’s a tough period of the season and