Harry Kane crocked for Euros
The story that dominates today’s back pages is the news that Harry Kane’s hamstring injury could keep him out of this summer’s European Championships.
“Euro fears for Kane” is the headline in the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star, with the former one of many tabloids to quote Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho. The Tottenham gaffer saw the England striker sustain the injury against Southampton on New Year’s Day, and while the initial prognosis suggested Kane would be sidelined until April, Mourinho says it could be longer following surgery on the muscle.
“We expect him to be out until mid-April, end of April, May, even next season I don’t know,” he told reporters, ahead of Spurs’ FA Cup replay this evening against Middlesbrough.
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Archer outpaced
England and South Africa are going through their final preparations ahead of the crucial Third Test that starts on Thursday, and Metro says that the biggest selection decision for the tourists will be who to pick between Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.
The pair of pacemen took turns bowling at Joe Denly in a net session and, according to Metro, Wood looked the more menacing, with one delivery catching Denly a nasty blow on his hand.
Injured since July, Wood could make his long-awaited comeback on Thursday. “Mark’s ready to come in and do a job,” England assistant coach Paul Collingwood tells the paper. “You need those type of bowlers, especially on surfaces at Port Elizabeth where you might need a touch of X Factor. A 90mph-plus bowler that can get the batsmen jumping around.”
Don’t bet on it
The Times reports that the “biggest shake-up of gambling laws in Britain for 15 years” could result in restrictions on football clubs’ shirts sporting the names of betting companies. The government is set to review the Gambling Act of 2005 and one aspect of the legislation examined will be shirt sponsorship.
Half of the 20 Premier League clubs have betting firms as shirt sponsors, while 15 of 24 teams in the Championship carry their logos.
Today’s newspaper back pages
