Harry Kane, Former Arsenal Fan: Who Actually Cares?

Kane is about as likeable as footballers get. He works his socks off, looks as humble as they come and has one bright future ahead of him. But here's the biggest thing. It's just so refreshing (and rare, nowadays) to see a player who has progressed through his club's youth ranks to excel at the very top.

"He's one of our own, he's one of our own! Harry Kane! He's one of our own!"

If you visit or watch any Tottenham fixture this season, that's what you'll hear. And week-by-week, the song is ramping up in volume.

It's with good reason too, especially since the 21-year-old is the in form striker in the Premier League at the moment. His double against Arsenal last weekend threw even more weight behind the claims that Kane is the real deal, while it rubber-stamped his chances of getting his first England senior call up from Roy Hodgson.

Kane is about as likeable as footballers get. He works his socks off, looks as humble as they come and has one bright future ahead of him. But here's the biggest thing. It's just so refreshing (and rare, nowadays) to see a player who has progressed through his club's youth ranks to excel at the very top.

Yet even with this fairytale story, there's always going to be one thing annoyingly tugging away on Kane's sleeve. And it's not Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker. Kane may have come through Spurs' youth academy, but it surfaced over the last few months that Kane isn't technically "one of their own".

You might have heard by now, but Kane started out in Arsenal's youth teams.

To boot, a picture even emerged of a young Kane and his friend donning Arsenal shirts and celebrating their 2004 Premier League title triumph, at a parade through North London. And this came all before Harry signed for Tottenham. He may have looked up to Teddy Sheringham, Jurgen Klinsmann and the rest, but Kane will always have that levelled at him.

But let me ask you this. What does it matter and who actually cares?

Kane's outcry of celebration after he netted his winner against the Gunners at White Hart Lane, well let's just say it was one huge contrast to that picture taken more than 10 years earlier.

Heck, after seeing that, most Spurs fans wouldn't bat an eyelid if they were told now that Kane's pre-teen bedroom was donned with posters of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, countless Gunners 'Corinthian' figurines and stacks of Arsenal season review tapes on VHS.

What matters is the here and now. Kane has just penned a new five-year contract with Tottenham, he'll establish himself on the international stage ahead of Euro 2016 and things are going to keep getting better. What he doesn't need (although he likely won't be bothered by it anyway) is detractors.

Interestingly enough, there's a host of other Premier League players from the past who've gone on to be club legends even after switching allegiance.

Who remembers Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard donning an Everton kit as a kid next to a collection of trophies? He may not be a one-club-man after he sets off for LA at the end of the season, but if you'd have taken this into account before he cemented his Anfield greatness he never would have been anyway.

Even Jamie Carragher's been ridiculed on live television for his childhood links with the Toffees - albeit by Gary Neville. But does this mean Liverpool's second longest serving player ever (with 737 appearances) loved the red half of Merseyside any less? Certainly not.

It's the same thing with Harry Kane. As long as this lad is going to show half the passion representing Tottenham that the aforementioned Kop pair did - and there's mounds of evidence already to show that he will - the past doesn't matter.

Kane is ready and willing to become Tottenham's main man, with Christian Eriksen his partner in crime. After a blistering first half (and a little more) of the season, Harry has a mammoth 20 league goal barrier in sight - and what an achievement that would be for one so young.

There's been talk of Real Madrid. But even in spite of his former 'allegiances' to Arsenal, you get the feeling with Harry Kane that he himself has got that 'one-club-man' character in him. Granted, he's just re-signed with Tottenham and he won't be leaving for a long while to come, but what about when that five years is up?

Gareth Bale was the last man to reach the highest levels at Tottenham and while Kane has a way to go to reach the Welshman's standards, he's well on his way. Tottenham fans can continue singing their song for a long time to come.

For more fan views or to join the conversation, visit www.90min.com

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