LIAM DELAP has hailed Harry Kane as “the best I’ve ever seen” after meeting his role model for the first time.
The Ipswich centre-forward is widely tipped to be Kane’s long-term successor as England’s No9 after a breakthrough season in the Premier League.
Delap, 22, has impressed with his physicality in his first full top-flight campaign – which is little wonder considering he grew up watching his dad Rory playing for Stoke City under Tony Pulis.
On Tuesday, the England Under-21 striker joined Thomas Tuchel’s senior squad for a training session at St George’s Park.
And Delap, 22, said: “That was the first time I’ve trained with Harry. He is someone I’ve looked up to for ages and he’s got everything.
“He’s had the most amazing career and he’s still flying so there’s someone as young as me to look up to him and then be able to watch him live is an incredible experience.
“I had a little chat with him, he’s a really nice guy. I watched him enough in the shooting drill to take so much from him and he’s just incredible. What I noticed was that just everything goes in!
“His all-round game is incredible and he’s played at the top level for so long now but as a striker it’s something I really enjoy doing, to watch the best practice and it’s the best I’ve seen.”
Delap is an old-school target man and admits: “I’ve always loved a battle and loved putting myself about.”
That mentality was honed during bruising sessions in the garden with his dad, now coaching under Robbie Keane at Hungarian club Ferencvaros, who was the long-throw merchant for Pulis’ fearsome Stoke side.
Delap said: “When dad was playing at Stoke I used to go to all the games. He’s working now but at the start of the season he wasn’t, so he was able to get to all my Ipswich games. He’s been there and I’ve watched, now I’m there so he can watch me.
“I’ve got a little brother as well so it was always football and rugby in the garden with dad and wrestling each other.
“He’s even tougher than me so it taught me a lot and where I got most of it from as a kid.
“Obviously there was no mercy from dad. Me and my brother loved that side of it, being aggressive. It was fun.”
Former Manchester City kid Delap has netted ten times in the Premier League, despite Ipswich’s struggles – and is being followed by several top clubs for a summer move.
Delap, who will lead the line for England Under-21s in France on Friday, said: “It’s my first full season in the Premier League and you’re always going to learn and improve.
“The manager and players at Ipswich have really helped with that and I like to think I’m learning as much as I can and trying to implement that into the next game.
“It’s the quality and physicality of the Premier League that’s so intense. I’ve got fitter as the games have gone along. It’s making the most out of every moment because the quality, if you make a mistake in this league, they punish you.”
His all-round game is incredible and he’s played at the top level for so long now but as a striker it’s something I really enjoy doing, to watch the best practice and it’s the best I’ve seen.
Delap on Kane
Asked to name his toughest opponents, Delap said: “Liverpool was really tough. Virgil Van Dijk and [Ibrahima] Konate, they are two monsters. And the possession Liverpool have and the quality they have it is tough for anyone to go there.
“I’ve always had the belief that I could [play at the highest level] and there is so much I can improve on – my hold-up play, being more consistent. I can score more headers. My overall game can be tweaked to improve.”
And Delap has not given up hope of Ipswich avoiding relegation despite a run of one point from nine matches leaving Kieran McKenna’s side nine points adrift of safety.
He said: “Yes we can stay up, 100 per cent. A couple of wins and it’s a different story.
“We all have the belief in the changing room. Outside the club, maybe not but we’ve got a really good group and everyone is confident.”
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