Harry Kane SLAMS England drop-outs for ‘taking advantage’ of ‘a tough period of the season’ – as Three Lions captain insists the national side should ‘come before anything’

Harry Kane has accused England’s drop-outs of taking advantage amid concerns players are putting club before country.

In a week where England’s plans for tomorrow’s Nations League clash versus Greece has been decimated due to a glut of withdrawals, the captain has issued an astonishing riposte to his colleagues who have withdrawn from international duty this week by insisting playing for your country is more important than playing club football.

The Bayern Munich striker, when asked what one aspect of previous boss Gareth Southgate’s reign senior players must ensure isn’t lost, Kane answered: ‘I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.

‘Every camp, people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and that’s the most important thing.

‘I think England comes before anything. It comes before club and it is the most important thing you play as a professional footballer.

England’s plans for their Nations League clash versus Greece have been decimated due to a glut of withdrawals

‘Gareth was hot on that and he wasn’t and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if that started to drift from certain players.’

Asked if he felt that culture may have softened this week in light of the glut of pull-outs, Kane told ITV: ‘It’s a shame this week obviously.

‘I think it’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit.

‘I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think as I just said there England comes before anything, any club situation’

Kane’s candid comments come after Mail Sport reported that clubs are privately blaming Thomas Tuchel’s late arrival as permanent England head coach as a key reason behind the drop-outs.

Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Aaron Ramsdale have all dropped out of the squad, with Jarrad Branthwaite a doubt for the game against Greece.

Mail Sport understands that at least two of the withdrawals are precautionary rather than because of injuries that would prevent their participation in one or both of this week’s games.

Stars such as Kane (left) and Cole Palmer (right) were also seen arriving on Monday

Trent Alexander-Arnold withdrew from the squad after getting injured against Aston Villa

Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka (left) and Declan Rice (right) have also withdrawn from the squad

The large number of players named in the original squad to become unavailable this week has not come as a shock to leading figures at top-flight clubs, who believe the Football Association’s agreement with Tuchel that he starts work on January 1 has led to the raft of casualties.

While the next two games will be crucial towards ensuring England returning to the Nations League top tier next season – and avoid a play-off scenario in March, which will be Tuchel’s first matches in charge – there is a sense from clubs that the forthcoming fixtures have lost a degree of gravitas because the German has already been confirmed as new head coach – but won’t be on the touchline.