Two former defenders who played with Harry Kane recall his early years. Sebastien Bassong was in the Tottenham side when a young Kane was rising through the ranks.

'He was hungry for goals,' says Bassong. 'Obsessed. Kind of selfish to be fair. He wanted them so much, all the time. He was shooting from all over. At times it kind of irritated the older guys when he came and trained with us and didn’t pass.

'That’s what made me laugh about him. Jermain Defoe spoke to him a few times because he was the one getting irritated because he didn’t get the ball.

'He reminded me a bit of Gareth Bale when he came through, an introvert but not to any detriment. Outside the pitch, well raised. Not speaking too loud, really willing to learn and that really shocked me. This kid has the ears to listen and he is using them really well.

'At the time in training against Harry it was ok for me. I was an experienced defender.

'The only time he was really dangerous was in and around the box. His right foot was like a shotgun. Boom. I thought “yo, this kid can strike the ball” but he couldn’t master his own strength and super power. He was just young. He needed to learn how to calibrate because the ball was flying everywhere.

'He was rushing things. Like a young puppy, running around, too crazy. But it was just a matter of time before he got the confidence and accuracy.

'When I was at Norwich later on [manager] Chris Hughton said to me “Seb I need a striker.” I said “if you need a young striker who needs game time, get Harry - the best that you can get" but then he got injured [Kane made just five appearances while on loan].

'He was just young. He needed to learn — the ball was flying everywhere and he was rushing things. Like a young puppy, running around, too crazy. But it was just a matter of time before he got the confidence and accuracy he has now.

'When I faced him he was back at Tottenham after a few loan spells and I was playing for Norwich — the big difference was the composure he had gained. He was turning into a complete striker.

'You could see the confidence Mauricio Pochettino gave him. Tim Sherwood first, then when he and Mauricio developed a relationship, things turned.

'He was banging in goals week in, week out and had confidence. The way he was playing and carrying himself changed.

'He got bigger, his stature got larger, he was more of a focal point and became a leader. I could hear him on the pitch — people were following him and he was setting an example.

'Now, he rarely misses the target. Right foot, left foot, header, they are all on point.

'Look at the goal he scored at Fulham recently — world class. He became a superstar. A world-class player and he can still reach even greater heights.'

Before establishing himself at Spurs, Kane embarked on a number of lower league loan spells to continue his development starting at Leyton Orient aged 17. Former O’s defender Ben Chorley said: 'Harry joined with Tom Carroll and Paul-Jose M’poku and Harry was probably the most behind.

'He was big, naïve, very good technically with his feet though had an awful lot of work to do.

'But what stood out was his deep-lying confidence. In training, he would do things an older pro would.

'If there was a free-kick, he’d want it. In five-a-sides or a little rondo he’d be trying to call the shots.

'Every day he had a need to stay out and want to be a better player. He really wanted to practice his finishing, free-kicks, shooting. Constantly. You had to drag him off the training pitch.

'I had a lot of admiration for that. He’d ask: “Ben, can we do some stuff when I'm backing into you? Can we set up the mannequins? Can I practice headers from goal kicks?”

'Loads of times we did that and it suited me. I could practice my heading and League One was a long-ball league.

'He’d stand in front of me, we'd be elbowing each other, going at it. He wouldn't give up.

'I’d never have predicted what he has become. I've spoken to him about this as things have progressed.

'I didn’t see him slimming down and becoming an athlete or physically what he is now – slim, slender, big legs, small top half.

'He scored away at Huddersfield once and there is a picture of him – he’s a big lump, thick set.

'Not got the cheekbones, slim shoulders. Not fat at all, but puppy fat around the face.

'He must have worked extremely hard in the gym and on his mechanics, dynamism, quick feet movement to develop because he’s gained a yard of pace and running style that I didn’t see in him.

'Because he was young back then it was natural for me being 27, 28 with a few hundred games played, to try and get close, bully him a bit.

'But you couldn’t bully him.

'I wouldn’t say he was the hardest opponent but you knew he had certain tools and he knew how to use them.

'He would back in, had a very good first touch so could get the ball out of his feet and get a shot off.

'You would get the better of him in the air and physically but at no time did he shy away.

'Coming out on loan to a League One team going for promotion, shouldering a lot of responsibility he showed probably why he is a leader and has developed into being a captain.

'We had a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals, Barry Hearn arranged an end of season trip to Las Vegas and he came.

'He played golf every day, was a bit boring but then what can a 17 year-old do in Vegas?

'Coming into a big environment sometimes that can be tough. You can go under. But he fitted right in and was one of the lads.

'His desire in the box to score has stuck, so has that short back-lift when shooting with precision.

'Only certain players have that. Wayne Rooney is one. When they hit a shot you hear it whistle past and think “wow, that is power”.

'When I see both of those things now I watch and smile because he had them at 17.'