Since arriving at Bayern Munich a year and a half ago, Harry Kane has set German football alight, managing to rack up 77 goals in 83 competitive games so far for the Bavarian giants, and leading the side to the top of the Bundesliga this season in the process. bundesliga.com caught up with the England captain to talk about his achievements so far, his future goals and settling down in Germany.

bundesliga.com: You talked about reaching a different level at Bayern - how did you do that?

Harry Kane: “Well, when you're just playing in the biggest games every season, year after year, I think that puts you on that stage. I had moments at Spurs where we had that. We had some really great years where we were challenging for titles and we were in the final of the Champions League. 

I had those moments at Spurs, but not on a consistent basis. It wasn’t year after year, and this is my second year at Bayern and we have the chance to reach our second semi-final in the Champions League, another title race. All those factors that come into it. Bayern are seen as one of the biggest clubs in the world and it's exciting to play for them. So I feel like my game’s just changed a little bit under those circumstances and maybe been looked at a little bit different, but ultimately I’m the same person I was at Tottenham."

bundesliga.com: What is the current status in the Bundesliga title race?

Kane: “We're in a good position. I think if you'd have given us this position 20-odd games ago, I think we would have taken it. We've had a lot of good moments in the season. Obviously, the last few weeks have been difficult in different ways and it was nice to get the win at home on the weekend [3-2 over St. Pauli].

We're in a good spot. But still, I know a lot of people assume we're just going to romp home and take it without any ups or downs. But with my experiences, I know that it's tough to finish all the way and every game from now to the end is pretty much a cup final for us."

About the players

9

Harry Edward

Kane

FC Bayern München

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bundesliga.com: If you take a step back. How would you analyse your career so far?

Kane: “Pretty good, to be honest. I've done a lot of things I've wanted to do in my career so far. Of course, I know the team trophy is the one that everyone will refer back to, but ultimately, you have to do your best in every situation, and I feel like I've done that. From when I set out, it was always about how consistent could I be? I looked at the greats of the game and what made them great, and it wasn't just doing it in spells, it was doing it year after year, and that was a big drive of mine to be able to consistently be one of the best players in the world.

And that drive will be with me until the end of my career, whether I finish with one trophy or 20 trophies, ultimately it won't change my mindset and what I want to achieve and how I try and achieve it. Like I said, we have another opportunity this year to win some trophies and that would be incredible and maybe that would stop that noise around me a little bit. But I think in football in general, you're always going to have people who doubt you, people who criticise you. The most important thing is that you know what you're trying to achieve, your teammates respect you for how you work and the club respect you and the fans respect you. That's ultimately, who I care about.”

bundesliga.com: If we could jump into the future. What would you like people to say about you?

Kane: “I'm not sure to be honest. I feel like there's been a lot of great moments. I've given people a lot of joy over the years and I hope even more joy to come. But ultimately, if I keep doing what I'm doing, I know I'll be seen as a top player, but also a top person as well. I think being a good role model off the pitch is just as important as what you do on the pitch and I try and do that to the best of my ability, especially for the younger generations, the young boys and girls watching.”

bundesliga.com: You moved to Germany a year and a half ago. What has been the biggest challenge so far?

Kane: “Obviously the first kind of four or five months I was here without a family and that was really tough, not to have my wife and kids here, just to kind of focus on football and they were still in England and I had a newborn baby. So all that stuff was tough to deal with. But since they've been over in last January, things have settled down pretty well. My life doesn't change too much in terms of my schedule.

We train, we go home, spend time with the kids, we play a bit of golf, we go to games. So in terms of that, there's not too much difference to England. Of course, you miss a few friends that you have back home and family members, but you make new ones here, the kids are kind of settled in school and you start to meet parents and you just start to live life. So yeah, I think that was probably the biggest challenge, the start.”

Harry Kane has plenty of individual accolades, but remains determined to add a team trophy to his cabinet. - IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON

bundesliga.com: What is the most difficult thing about the German language?

Kane: “Learning German? Just everything. To be honest, everything about it. I think as an Englishman, I'm quite spoilt. Obviously a lot of people talk English around the world and it kind of opens your eyes to learning a new language and how difficult it is for other people learning English etc. So yeah, I hope I get to a stage where I can at least hold a half-decent conversation with someone German, but I've still got a way to go yet.”

bundesliga.com: Would Thomas Müller be the person to help?

Kane: “It could be. I've heard his German [accent] is quite strong and quite hard to understand. Even for Germans. So maybe I'll go someone a little easier to begin with, but who knows."

bundesliga.com: Is there a part of you that says, one day I would like to go back home?

Kane: “I'm not sure. I've said throughout my whole career I'm not someone who likes to think too far ahead. I'm extremely happy here. I think we have a fantastic team, fantastic coaching staff. I just feel like, whilst I feel like I'm in the best condition, I want to play at the highest level possible and this is as high as it gets.

So I know a lot can change in football in a short space of time and things can happen. But ultimately, my focus is here. I'm not thinking about any other league or any other team. And with football, I'd like to just go with the flow and at the moment, the flow is here at Bayern Munich.”

bundesliga.com: Vincent Kompany is someone you've played against. What is it like to work under him?

Kane: “I've been really enjoying my time with him. I think he's a great coach on the pitch. The way he wants us to play, the way we should be trained, the improvements he wants from everyone. And also, he has a great personality off the pitch.

I think he sets the standards. He's not afraid to tell it how it is. No matter who you are, whether you've played, 500 games or one game, he'll treat you the same. And I think he's earned the respect of the players in that sense. So, again, learning with him, different ways, tactical ways, and it's helped me improve in certain aspects."

bundesliga.com: He also often gets involved in training himself...

Kane: “He's still got a bit, to be honest. I think he reads the game really well, which is a big part of him as a defender, his football brain. Maybe physically he's just lost a little bit, but to be honest, there's been a few tackles and he gets involved in the shooting and the standards are still pretty high.”

bundesliga.com: You said there are some points where you have improved under him. What are they?

Kane: “I feel like my game's changed a little bit this season. We've played against a lot of low blocks and a lot of teams in those situations and they're not always easy as a striker to get on the ball and get your chances but I think we've done some work about dropping into half-and-half positions in between the centre-backs and the midfielders.

Also, probably playing more one-touch than what I have done in my career. I feel like at Spurs I was a bit more get on the ball a few touches, try and play the free balls etc. Whereas here, the way we play it has to be more quick and more one-touch and when you're back to goal it's about just little movements."

About the clubs

FC Bayern München

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