Harry Kane leads crisis meeting with England players ahead of Slovenia Euro 2024 clash

Harry Kane England Slovenia

Harry Kane led a crisis meeting with England players ahead of their upcoming Euro 2024 clash with Slovenia

PA
Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 23/06/2024

- 10:28

The Three Lions skipper wants standards to improve as they look to go all the way in Germany this summer

Harry Kane led a crisis meeting with England players ahead of their upcoming Euro 2024 clash with Slovenia, according to reports.

The Three Lions are among the favourites to win the European Championships this summer after eight years of gradual improvement under Gareth Southgate.


But England have failed to click at the tournament so far, with a lacklustre 1-0 victory over Serbia followed up by a drab 1-1 draw with Denmark.

Kane hit out at his team-mates in the wake of Thursday's result at the Frankfurt Arena, saying standards have been 'dropping' at the tournament so far.

Harry Kane England Slovenia

Harry Kane led a crisis meeting with England players ahead of their upcoming Euro 2024 clash with Slovenia

PA

And The Sun said Kane later decided that his team-mates needed a 'rousing call to arms' ahead of Tuesday's clash with Slovenia.

The Bayern Munich striker, who scored in the draw with Denmark before being replaced by Ollie Watkins, 'summoned the rest of the 26-man squad to a private meeting with no coaches present'.

It's claimed Kane, who has more goals than any other player for England, wanted individuals to 'thrash out any differences'.

The former Tottenham star was also keen to bring the squad closer and he apparently reminded them they had the quality to win Euro 2024 this summer and end 58 years of hurt.

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A source said: “Harry is a natural leader and wanted to gee the lads up after Denmark.

“That game left the whole country feeling a bit flat, never mind just the players.

"Harry wanted to remind them how good they are. He urged them to pull together, to bond more, to express themselves.

“They are world-class players. They don’t really need reminding of that but everyone needs a pick- me-up now and then.

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"It was a really rousing speech from Harry.”

England star Kieran Trippier revealed on Saturday that both Kane and Southgate 'had some words' for the squad after the disappointing draw against the Danes.

The Newcastle star has done well at left-back in the absence of Luke Shaw, with the Manchester United star still out injured.

And Trippier said: "(After the game) the dressing room was calm and relaxed.

"Gareth and H (Harry Kane) had a few words.

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Harry Kane England Slovenia

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"We've been in this situation before and it's all about just staying calm, staying positive, because we're going to need everybody.

"There's a lot of noise but internally we stick together, as H said and as Gareth said."

As for Southgate, the England boss said after the draw with Denmark his players lacked the 'physical condition' to press sufficiently amid mounting criticism over his tactics.

“We are not pressing well enough, with enough ­intensity,” Southgate said.

“We have limitations in how we can do that with the physical condition.

England squad

Harry Kane has reminded the England squad they can win Euro 2024 ahead of their showdown with Slovenia

PA

"We can’t press as high up the pitch as we might have done in the ­qualifiers, for example.

"And we are not keeping the ball well enough. We have to keep the ball better and build with more control.”

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