Stevens: Kane can make difference

Stevens: Kane can make difference

Even with inspirational striker Harry Kane poised to return from injury, Tottenham Hotspur will be underdogs in the all-English Uefa Champions League (UCL) final on June 1.

But Asia-based club hero Gary Stevens is counting on the England captain to provide the X factor against five-time European kings Liverpool.

Stevens was a key member of the last Spurs' side to win a continental trophy when he played all 120 minutes and converted a spot kick as the Londoners beat Anderlecht on penalties after extra-time in the 1984 Uefa Cup final.

"It's a big ask for any player to hit the ground running when coming back from injury. But Harry Kane is not your average player, and is very strong mentally, too," Stevens said.

"With it being the UCL final, the occasion will over-ride and mask any remaining discomfort, pain or doubt that his ankle injury might be problematic. Harry makes an impact more often than not. I expect him to do so, if he starts or comes on during the game."

Kane hasn't played since April 9 when he suffered ligament damage to his left ankle against Manchester City in the UCL quarter-finals.

In his absence, Lucas Moura, Song Heung-Min and Fernando Llorente have led the line, with mixed results.

The Bangkok-based Stevens looks back fondly on his European glory 35 years ago when Spurs squeaked past Belgian giants Anderlecht over two legs.

After a 1-1 draw away, Graham Roberts sent the second leg into extra-time with his 84th minute equaliser for a 2-2 aggregate score.

After 30 minutes of extra-time, Tottenham won the penalty shoot-out 4-3, with Stevens slotting home the third spot kick.

Tony Parks was the Spurs goalkeeper who saved two of the Anderlecht attempts, with England international Ray Clemence on the bench, alongside Argentine midfielder Ossie Ardiles.

Given the white-knuckle ride of the 2019 semi-finals, Stevens agrees that it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the final will go down to another test of will from 12 yards.

"Since our 1984 final, the laws have been amended for penalties. The keeper has to stay on his line, until the penalty is struck, although most don't. However, he can legally move along his goal-line prior," 57-year-old Stevens said.

"In 1984, the keeper was not allowed to move left or right until the ball was struck. The job of the keeper back then was more difficult because of the additional restrictions on him.

"But, in my opinion, missing a penalty is invariably down to poor execution by the player taking it, as opposed to the skill of the keeper."

Comparing the two eras of football is "like chalk and cheese", according to Stevens. But he agrees that both the 1984 and 2019 Spurs' sides adopted an attractive style.

And his team narrowly averted an all-English final, with Anderlecht having beaten Nottingham Forest in the 1984 Uefa Cup semi-finals.

Three-and-half-decades ago, Spurs had limited knowledge about their continental opponents. But there will be few secrets when Mauricio Pochettino's men line up against Juergen Klopp's Reds.

"Spurs and Liverpool know each other inside out," Stevens said. "Personally, I like European finals to be between sides from different nations, so I was pleased that 1984 wasn't against Forest, nothing against them, of course.

"It's absolutely not easier that Spurs will face Liverpool, instead of Barcelona. The two semi-finalists were excellent sides, huge challengers for the 2019 UCL title, so now the biggest test of all for Spurs is the final against Liverpool."

Since he moved to Thailand five years ago to coach Thai club Army FC, Stevens has observed an increase in Tottenham's popularity across Southeast Asia.

Working as a Premier League TV pundit for Astro in Malaysia, he's set up his own website www.garystevens.co and Twitter account (@GaryStevensUK). "We became the best team of the Uefa Cup in 1984 and today's team needs to prove the same thing in the UCL by winning the final," he said.


Jason Dasey is CEO of Singapore-based Cockatoo Media and emcee of corporate events in Bangkok.

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