Monday Cannon Fodder: Spursy

We all woke to some amusing news this morning — Harry Kane did not report to Tottenham training today in an effort to force through a move to Manchester City. He feels that he has a gentleman’s agreement with Spurs owner Daniel Levy that he’d be sold. And Spurs have maintained that Harry Kane is not for sale.

It’s great. I’ve already made a tub of popcorn and am munching away.

I never thought I’d say this, but I find myself sympathizing with Harry Kane. Now the fact that he’s under contract with Spurs for several more seasons complicates things a little because a contract is a commitment. There are good reasons that people should (generally) honor their contracts, although in the U.S., you can get damages on a breached contract but you cannot enforce specific performance.

But let’s put that part of it aside. I sympathize with Harry Kane because athletes are people too. Their opinions, feelings, and needs matter. And far too often, as we’ve seen all over the sports world recently, what an athlete needs is overlooked, shoved aside, and discounted in the name our entertainment and some misguided thought that they owe us something.

Playing football is his job. If he’s not happy at his job, he should be able to switch employers. Again, the contract-based nature of professional football and the transfer market complicates that a little bit, but the basic premise still holds.

I’m not sure I would have gone with the nuclear, set fire to the bridges at a club where you are a legend option quite this soon, but that’s his prerogative. He knows his own mind and situation far better than I do, so I have little choice but to accept his decision.

So I guess it’s “go off, Harry Kane, you do you” from me. At least at first blush. I reserve the right to change my take and tune as more information comes out.