1) He’s done something very few people manage
We alluded to this in one of our previous points, as it’s his performances for Portugal that have suddenly got people talking. Harry Kane has arguably been the stand-out striker in English football over the last twelve months – Liverpool couldn’t stop him, Arsenal couldn’t stop him, Chelsea couldn’t stop him; the 21-year-old smashed in 31 goals in all competitions last season. However, Ilori calmly guided Portugal to a clean-sheet and prevented the in form hit-man from adding to his impressive tally. That deserves recognition.
In fact, Kane’s own success should be an indication of what could happen to the defender next year. The Tottenham striker endured four rather indifferent loan spells before finally hitting the ground running at White Hart Lane last season. Similarly, Ilori has struggled at both Granada and Bordeaux, but looks to have all the attributes needed for success. Could he be the next Premier League surprise package? Let’s hope so!
