West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has hailed Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane for his pinpoint and powerful finishing in England training.
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Rice, 21, joined West Ham’s youth academy from rivals Chelsea’s back in 2013 and after making 32 appearances for the Hammers’ under-23s side, Rice went on to force his way into the club’s senior first-team.
Now as an establish first-team regular, the young Englishman has gone on to feature in 116 matches in all competitions for the Hammers.
West Ham’s young midfielder has enjoyed a hugely successful breakthrough period with his London based side and is quickly becoming one of England’s most highly-rated holding midfielders.
After stamping his authority on the domestic league, Rice was rewarded with a call-up to the national side and made his full England debut back in March.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Super 6 Podcast, West Ham’s 21-year-old has opened about the high standards his compatriots operate at, as quoted by Metro he said: “I remember I got there and my first training session was in the evening it was a group of us on a Sunday night, a few of the lads were doing recovery, there was 11 of us, and even though there was only 11 the standard was ridiculous. [Raheem] Sterling, Rashford, Kane, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“Even now when I go, the lads ask me at West Ham what the training is like, it’s ridiculous, the standard is so, so good. I can’t speak highly enough of it.
“You see the rondos and the boxes, you can do flicks and tricks but if they want to get 50 passes [in a row] within about 20 seconds it’s done, you can’t get the ball back. The standard is so good.”
When asked which England player most surprised him, Rice said: “It’s so hard to say because there’s so many in different ways.
“Even in that last camp just gone back, I said to Eric Dier I’ve never seen finishing like Harry Kane in my life, I’ve never seen it.
“We did a finishing drill and he finished every single ball from outside the ‘D’ with power and precision.
“I know how good he is but witnessing it in training, it’s so sick to watch, as a football person as well, as a fan, as a player, to watch him just doing that you have to applaud it.”