Kane hoping for Champions League after breakthrough year

LONDON (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane believes the inconsistency of leading Premier League teams this season gives his club a “big opportunity” of bringing Champions League football back to White Hart Lane next season after a gap of five years.

That would be an appropriate accompaniment to the last campaign there before the ground is redeveloped, forcing Spurs to move away for at least one year.

Kane scored his 11th goal of the season as Tottenham had a comfortable 2-0 win at Southampton on Saturday, which put them in the top four for the first time this season, ahead of misfiring Manchester United.

“There’s a long way to go and a lot of tough games. But we are full of confidence,” the England striker told reporters.

“It’s a very big opportunity. A lot of teams are getting unexpected results. We have to keep our heads down and keep working hard.”

2015 will go down as Kane’s breakthrough year for Spurs and England and he still has two games next weekend, against Norwich City and Watford, to add to a total of 30 goals in 12 months.

“It’s a nice round number but it doesn’t stop here,” he said. “Hopefully 2016 is even better and brings more joy. I’m 22, I’m looking to get better and better as I get older and more experienced.

“The team is looking very good at the moment. Hopefully we can keep pushing on.

“It’s going to be a big year for us and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Spurs have only played one previous season in the Champions League. In 2010-11 they won their group and knocked out AC Milan before falling to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

(Reporting by Steve Tongue; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)