STUART PEARCE feels England could have to wait another 20 YEARS to find a striker to rival Harry Kane.
Kane scored a record-breaking 54th goal for the Three Lions on Thursday night to secure a 2-1 win over Italy in their Euros qualifying opener.
Harry Kane is now England’s record goal scorerRex
And former defender Pearce — capped 78 times for England over a 12-year period — believes it will be decades before that feat is matched.
The 60-year-old — nicknamed Psycho during his playing days — is also concerned that the ever-presence of skipper Kane could limit the development of England’s other forwards.
Ahead of Sunday’s qualifying clash with Ukraine at Wembley, Pearce told SunSport: “I don’t see anyone that’s current at the moment who is going to chase him and post figures like he has done.
“It is going to take somebody that no one has heard of, which will come in ten, 20 years’ time as the next centre- forward for England.
“Right now, he has broken the record and he is going to push the ceiling to it up as high as he wants to send it. He is the sort of individual who wants to play every game and set even more records.”
Kane is arguably still at the peak of his powers and does not turn 30 until July.
The striker’s future at Tottenham remains up in the air, despite recently becoming their top scorer.
But he is committed to his country’s cause with at least two major tournaments still on the horizon.
And he will soon be out of sight of the next best in the history books, former record holders Wayne Rooney (53) and Sir Bobby Charlton (49).
Under boss Gareth Southgate, Kane has barely missed a minute in an England shirt. And he is desperate to stretch his lead as far as he possibly can.
But Pearce sees the potential future problems that might bring, with the likes of uncapped Ivan Toney, 27, six-cap Callum Wilson, 31, and 11-cap Tammy Abraham, 25, barely getting a sniff. Southgate has recently lamented the lack of depth to select from.
And Pearce added: “Sometimes I think the person occupying the shirt has to step aside for someone to come in and gain self-esteem.
“I am sure we all looked at Harry coming through and not many people knew that he was going to achieve what he has now.
Stuart Pearce says Harry Kane will have to know when to step aside
Like Gareth Southgate, Pearce is a former England U21 manager
Kane is one of few players to have enjoyed a more illustrious Three Lions career than Pearce
GettySouthgate recently lamented the lack of depth he has in the striking positions[/caption]
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“So it may just take Harry to step aside eventually for someone else to come through and grow wearing an England shirt and deliver these sorts of numbers. It is the nature of football. He is a very rounded individual and he will have to accept it, if and when the manager sits him down and has a chat with him.
“Our time comes for all of us who have had international careers.
“Saying that, this England set-up looks a great place for young players and Gareth has his eyes on all of them and he will know if there are players that need to be given the opportunity.”
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