Reception and Atmosphere for Upcoming Game:-
I think we had a brilliant reception from a lot of kids that were waiting outside with the with the football shirts on and the lads were straight over as I got off the coach to go and go and greet them so you know you can tell that there’s there’s a good atmosphere in terms of the the anticipation for the game tomorrow so yeah really looking forward to it you know perhaps better than anybody what an
intimidating atmosphere it can be like in that Stadium um but for you personally with your Ambitions with this job in mind how important are you get off to a winning start you think we spoke quite a bit this week about performing .
Managing Pressure and Control:-
I think if you focus too much on on a on a result especially when you’re building up to it uh you can sometimes get a bit carried away so performing outperforming your your the the player that you’re playing against will be a big thing for us and we spoke a lot this week about control um so you know we’ve we’ve had three days training with with the players uh they’ve been so receptive to it’s not only myself but the rest of the coaches .
Adapting to New Management:-
We’ve done a lot of work on and off the pitch in terms of the clips as well so yeah I think we’re in a we’re in a good space I’m really really impressed with the players um I knew they were a high level and a high standard beforehand but to to to to work with them for the last three days up close you know you can see that they’re not only top players but they’re good people as well they want to do really well which which really helps Harry good to see you and you look for all but one of your nine years as an England player you had G Southgate as as your manager.
So this is a new er it’s it’s a big change how different is it in what ways would you describe it’s different and how does it feel from your perspective yeah I mean uh yeah it’s a little bit strange when we first come into camp but you know the boss has tried to uh you know have his ideas and his identity I think um you know we’ve done a lot of good things uh with GFF and you know we’ done uh you know well again in the summer.
Handling Hostile Atmosphere:-
But ultimately you know a new coach has some new ideas and some fresh ideas and wants to try and Implement that on the team um especially on the pitch so uh yeah it’s been good you know a lot of new faces a lot of young players in the team as well who are really excited to be here and uh excited to express themselves so um from my point of view it’s a you know another exciting chapter in in my England career James hi both Lee um Rob obviously mentioned your your Irish background but there’s going to be a focus on Jack Gish and Deon rice in Ireland given they switched allegiances do you have any concerns about playing them tomorrow in what might be quite a hostile atmosphere no not at all I think um you know we spoke not not only to about about um Jack and Declan to the whole Squad um we spoke about the atmosphere we expected to be um exciting um passionate uh loud um but it’s it’ll be no different to what the players are used to in Premier League games um or or high level games so um you know I think I think they’re they’ll be ready for whatever whatever comes out and what reception do you expect so personally.
Reflection on Past Tournaments:-
I’m not sure to be honest um probably the same um yeah but if if the if the reception that we had off the the kids outside was anything to go away it’ll be very positive um Harry you you’ve had a bit of time to reflect on on the Euros now what what’s your assessment of the tournament now you look back a it yeah I think we’ done extremely well to get to the final I think it wasn’t an easy tournament um I don’t think we reach the levels in a lot of the games that we know we can but I think the positive thing from that is the fact that we got to the final.
Team Unity and New Energy:-
I mean whenever it ends like that in in the feat you know everyone quickly goes away and it’s back into your own life and you try and get a break but before you know it you know you’re back uh for the new season so uh I mean you don’t fully get over it but I think you move on and and you look at areas you can improve from a personal point of view you look at areas uh you can improve and then try and Implement that on the new season but I think as a team you know we can take a lot of positives from the summer .
Reflecting on Progress and Motivation After Losses:-
lot positives from you know the last four years uh especially But ultimately it’s about improving and there’s areas that we can improve especially uh in the games when we look look back at the summer so uh that’s now our task as as players is to try and uh get better and and you know these uh these games in the next few camps are a great opportunity to do that is it hard to get over a second final or easier because you’ve experienced it before uh no it’s not easier I think every defeat is different in their own way I think it’s tough you know whenever you get so close to reaching you know one of the Pinnacles of your International career and and it gets taken away like that is uh it’s really difficult but ultimately you know life moves on you have to move on you have to get up and go again and like.
Conversation with Gareth Southgate:-
I said I think from my point of view it just makes me even more motivated it puts the fire in the belly to uh you know to try and get back there again or in a major tourament try and get back there in the world cup and uh have a different outcome next time and just finally from me have you spoken to Gareth at all since since he we spoke after it was announced and uh we just had a a brief chat and he just wanted to we both just wanted to thank each other.
I’m sure we’d have a proper catch up when we have some time to to see each other in person but uh no of course Gareth was a big part of you know my International career and a lot of the lads but uh all we can say is thank you to him and um yeah now we look forward to to a new chapter in in our careers thank you nice thank you Nest MCA from BBC News Lee congrats I’m a newbie like you it’s my first England away game I wanted to know you mentioned that I’ve only been with the squad for three days so tomorrow night you mentioned the word performance is that long enough to implement your ideas and what what we going to see different because talking to a lot of fans in the city center.
It was the performance that they wanted to see Win Lose or Draw we want to enjoy the football so have you had long enough to do that I think we have yeah I think we’ve um we’ve we’ve tried to get three or four different ways of playing um ultimately we have to play to the player strengths you know I don’t see it as my style or my way of playing.
I think um you know the key to to coaching is making sure you utilize the players ability in their in their profiles that they’ve got so um hopefully we we see that tomorrow and a question for Harry I saw a few clips of Angel Gomez and um Morgan Gibbs white literally kids in a candy store couldn’t believe it best friend since they were Yi what’s it like having that new energy um in the camp as well yeah it’s great and it’s uh you know it’s great for the experienced players as well .
New Energy in the Camp:-
I think some you know I’ve been playing for nine years or so now for England and I still remember what my you know first Camp was like and the excitement and the nerves and everything that comes with it so uh it’s great to see that on their faces it’s great to see them train with that uh that freedom and uh them just trying to express themselves so uh that’s what you want as an international uh player you want competition you want people pushing you you want to see um you know the best players playing their best football so no it’s been great to see and you know from my point of view as one of the experienced players in the team is just to try and help them settle in as quickly as possible but I think we have that environment here with with England anyway.
Preparing for the Future:-
I hope they they feel that so um yeah now it’s just I think everyone’s excited to to get on there uh on the pitch and and play game just the final question for Lee it’s the 89 minute winner Harry scores a penalty do you run around the touch line celebrating or do you just calmly enjoy it I calmly enjoy it ja Brook having the fast side hi Lee um you conscious of this being like a a fresh start and a clean slate for everyone or how do you balance that against building on the gareth’s work over the last eight years yeah definitely don’t see this as a fresh start I think um you know the the I spoke about it before in terms of taking over a team .
Caretaker Manager Confidence:-
As a caretaker manager that are low on confidence you know A Low Down The League um and are struggling this is the total opposite to that this is a team coming off the back of a um a tournament um you know it’s difference of opinion whether it was successful or not I think it was I think getting to a first of all qualifying for a mjor tournament is a is an achievement and then to get as far as they did and so close um and and falling short yeah I don’t see this is a fresh start this is a this is a chance to build on on what they’ve what they’ve done in the past um I really believe that we’re in a really strong position.
Belief in England Squad:-
I think when Gareth took over the team um a while back they were in they were in a a low position in terms of the amount of quality that was around but now it’s totally different in that respect these these players now are used to competing uh the standards are so high and it’s important we spoke a little about about the you know how how do you want to be remembered of playing for England in terms of a legacy um and they you know they’re so close and and hopefully um they go that one step further I’ve got a lot of belief in them spoke about this already in the in some of the meetings that we’ve had.
Harry Kane on Progress and Improvement:-
Ultimately the heartest thing is you know that last push but you know we we all we all believe they can do it and Harry do you agree that this is this week has felt like building on the past rather than a fresh start yeah I think so I think um you know like I touched on a bit earlier to get to two finals in in four years means you’re doing a lot of things right but ultimately um yeah you need to you know have a few fresh ideas and a few different ways that you want to try and improve.
I think that’s what the boss is comeing to to try and do you know um there’s always room for improvement we know that like I touched on in the summer it was uh it was great to get to the final but we know there’s areas we we could have been better and and now it’s about trying to implement that up until the the World Cup in in a couple years so um yeah I’m excited for that opportunity and I think everyone’s just ready to to go out there and give that a go starting tomorrow okay any further questions.
Pride in Returning to Ireland:-
Lee uh Nathan Murphy off the ball how do you think you’ll feel when you walk out to a a place where you’ve had so many good memories in an Ireland Jersey as as the manager of England um proud um it’s it’s not something that I thought that much about until recently I think when when I se the the draw obviously was fully focused on the under 21s and I thought that that would be it’s going to be a good game you know and I didn’t realize that obviously until two weeks ago that I was actually going to be here so yeah I’m excited by it.
Emotional Balance:-
I spoke about it a few a few days ago it’s not something that I’m overr by um I’m excited with the challenge I think it’s you know I’ve got a lot of confidence in the players I think if um you know I think I think they’ll they’ll enjoy the atmosphere I think it’ll be it’s a good game for them to to to come back to off off the back of a you know a big disappointment so hopefully they can um we can perform when you’re talk about maybe a cly celebrating a a last minute winner would that be different tomorrow compared to any other game because it is Ireland or would that just be your natural reaction yeah I’m try not to get too emotional in in games to be honest um you know I’ve always been the same you know that’s just that’s just the way .
Respect for Ireland:-
I try to keep quite calm you know I’ve been I’ve been on the end of a lot of last minute winners for the opposition so soort of I understand the the respect bit so and you know I’m I’m definitely respectful and and and weary that of of my my history as well so yeah like I say it’s um I’m looking forward to the game have you heard much from many of your former Irish teammates in the build up yeah we heard a lot from from a lot of who and what have they’ been saying no won’t be fair to say but they they’re really supportive I mean they’re they’re really proud of the the fact of the position that I’ve you know I’ve got to um you know and it’s it’s something that.
I’ve got a few I can remember a few low lights um um highlights debut probably um playing against Romania at lands down um with Andy Townsen Ray hton Tony cascarino n Quinn um you know good memories you know playing on a what is what was then a rugby pitch um that was water logged the wind was blowing um you know playing against a fantastic um Romanian team and I just you know it was the pitch was horrendous but I just remember had it was almost like he had flip-flops on he was he was so smooth and the way that he played and his left foot so yeah that was that was probably a highlight was a good that was a good memory so Ser Harry I read somewhere before that you’ve donated jerseys and boots to a local Club in letter Frack where your family originated from is that true yeah I would have done yeah I mean my dad still keeps in touch with the family there uh if I’m honest not not me so much but um yeah I think we got great support in in Ireland you know there’s a lot of uh kids and uh kids here like you saw today that support uh English players they support the Premier League and and Bundesliga now for me so um yeah I think it’s important to you know remember you know everyone in in your family to a sense uh like I said I don’t get out here too much or I don’t see them too much but um yeah I like to kind of give back where I can and um I’m sure yeah my dad would have sorted out uh that sort of scenario and uh I’m always happy to you know try and get back to uh kids especially to to try and uh hopefully one one day achieve their dreams sry finally do you remember your first ever Tottenham goal at shamro Rovers yeah I do yeah um yeah don’t forget that one um no it was a great great night with Harry.
Role as Captain: –
I look back on um but now ultimately my coaching career took took a path where you know I really enjoy uh helping players and seeing players progress um that’s that’s took me to different jobs in different places so um good thing about the job where I’m at at the minute I’m highly supported um re really feel really feel that from from my my bosses um and the opportunity and the trust that they’ve got in me you know ultimately want to repay that and finally there was a lot of speculation on this side of the Irish SE when there was a vacancy in the Irish manager position and your name was linked.
I think you have touched upon that before just to if you wouldn’t mind just clarifying the timeline there seemed to be a chat last November with the fbii a coup of coffee type thing didn’t go any further than that is that your that was the end of a then was it yeah I can’t remember the exact timeline but um yeah I I after the after the Euros um I I sat down with the um with the fa’s approval to speak to two three people um from different different opportunities um just out of respect more more than anything and and Republic call him one um it was very informal it went no further and um like I say I’m very L lucky and privileged of the job that I’ve got so I knew that going into talking to anyone on am on da via the talk sport app and on your smart speaker talk sport.