Only in a parallel universe will new Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane face the sort of Bundesliga wall of antagonism that awaited another England captain, Kevin Keegan, when the latter swapped Liverpool for Hamburg in the summer of1977.
Keegan, then at the peak of his powers, should have been welcomed with open arms by the Hamburg dressing room. Yet instead found himself isolated, treated with scorn and envy by team-mates who, for the bulk of his first season at the Volksparkstadion, only passed to him under duress. Once the bad blood had subsided, Keegan would go on to become a legendary figure in northern Germany, an inspirational talisman as HSV won a pair of German league titles (although by their second crown in 1982 he had departed the club) and reached the1980 European Cup final. Keegan ended up staying for three years, but easily could have walked within those first few months.
Kane, 30, should have no such problems fitting in at Bayern following his €110 million move, a record signing for the Allianz-Arena giants. Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, as much fan as manager, will do everything in his power to make him feel at home. His new team-mates have already taken to the unassuming East Londoner, struck by his work ethic and unselfish style of play. Not a scintilla of resentment has been generated by Kane’s status as the highest earner at the club (with a reported annual salary of £21.5m).
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