Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane goes deep on dropping deep

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is not exactly the most conventional box striker — while also being exceptional at everything a box striker is supposed to do.

These are the qualities that make him special. Ahead of a Champions League play-off tie earlier this year, Kane spoke about how he sees his role on the pitch and how he came to be the type of player he is today for Vincent Kompany and the German Rekordmeister.

“I see myself as a No. 9, obviously, as being a goalscorer, first and foremost,” Kane said in an interview for UEFA.com. “But also, I like to be able to be involved in the game a lot more than, maybe, other No. 9s. I like to come and drop deep and link play. I like to be able to hold the ball up when the team is under pressure.

“A No. 9 is going to be judged on goals and how many they score, but I think it’s important when you’re not scoring goals that you still bring an impact to the team, and that’s what I try to do, both with and without the ball. A lot of work that we do in the high press starts with us, starts with me as the No. 9.”

Kane also revealed the roots of his famous tendency to drop deep and launch world-class quality passes to his teammates — the kind of thing you might associate more with a No. 6 than a No. 9.

In fact, a deep-lying playmaker is exactly a role he has familiarity with.

“When I was a youth team player, I played a lot in midfield. I played as a deep [holding] midfielder, [as] a No. 8, [as] a No. 10. That helped me be aware of my team-mates around me. And then, as I got older, I became more of a No. 9 because I was good at scoring goals, and good at making runs.”

6 + 8 + 10 = 9? Kane has done it all to become who he is today: the very model of a modern complete forward.