England caretaker manager Lee Carsley says Harry Kane had no problem being left out of the starting line-up for the emphatic 3-0 win in Greece in the Nations League.
Kane was surprisingly benched in favor of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who took his chance with the opening goal of the night.
Three Lions captain Kane came on with 25 minutes remaining England It finally put the game beyond Greece: an unfortunate own goal from goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and a first international goal for an impressive Curtis Jones banishing memories of surprise defeat by 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Wembley.
Kane had spoken in the build-up to the game of his disappointment at the number of players who had withdrawn from the field, insisting that he sees playing for England as a priority over club football.
So it was perhaps no surprise that Carsley revealed Kane’s professional attitude to being left out of the squad in Athens when he spoke to reporters afterwards the game.
“He was absolutely fine. It would be fair to say he wants to play every game, as all the best players do,” the caretaker boss said. “I think he understands that it’s important for other players to have the kind of experience that we had tonight.
“He’s a great example for the rest of the players and I hope he starts on Sunday and plays well.”
“It was great for Ollie to get a goal,” Carsley added of Kane’s replacement Watkins. “It’s important that I think if we’re going to put these players in a position where we’re going to win the World Cup then these players must have as much experience as they can.
“So it wasn’t serious for Harry. He will start the next game and I think there are a lot of positives to take from that performance.”
Carsley, who will step aside to allow Thomas Tuchel to take over on January 1, was asked if he felt any satisfaction with his team selection paying off, particularly his decision to start both Watkins and Jones, the latter. hailed as an “outstanding player”.
“No, none, to be fair,” said the former Republic of Ireland international. “None at all.
“I see the quality the players have. You see it now with the younger guys, who are more than capable with the mentality and the quality they have to play at stages like tonight.
“I thought a lot of the players, especially the younger players, well, all the players, to be fair, played with such quality tonight.”
