HARRY KANE hopes there are some divided loyalties in Letterfrack, Co Galway tonight – but there were never any in his mind.
The England captain will lead the Three Lions out at the Aviva Stadium against Ireland this evening knowing that his extended family in Galway will quietly cheer him on.
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He said: “My grandparents – my dad’s mum and dad – were born in Ireland and then they moved.
“So I’ve got some extended family in Ireland and I’m sure they’ll be watching in the pubs probably wanting Ireland to win but maybe wanting me to score!”
But while Kane was always aware of his ancestry, playing for the Boys in Green was never something he even considered.
The Bayern Munich ace said: “Me being born in England I always thought England was and is my country.
“But I am extremely respectful to Ireland and my grandparents who are no longer with us but I still have family over there so I am extremely respectful of them.
“I don’t think it (playing for Ireland) was ever on the radar. I would have to ask my dad for sure, he hasn’t told me about it if there was.
“But there might have been a few conversations when I was in the youth team that I didn’t know about but like I said I was focused on England.
“And because I was in the England teams from a young age there was no need to think about anything else.
“As always I am extremely respectful of Ireland because I have family over there as well.”
Kane is not the only Irish player in the England team with Irish ancestry, with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish both representing the Boys in Green before switching.
But Kane said that he will not have any special advice for the pair as they likely face the Aviva Stadium boo boys.
He said: “I haven’t spoken to Dec and Jack.
“I think everyone has their path to their career and theirs was a small part with Ireland and the rest of it with England so they are mature enough to deal with that and it’s going to be a tough game.
“The atmosphere will be tough, we are going into a place where we expect it to be a little bit hostile but that is no different to a lot of away games we face.”
