Sportslens have sat down with the legendary Trinidad and Tobagon forward, Dwight Yorke, who still thinks Wayne Rooney was a better player than record-breaking Harry Kane.
The 51-year-old also said how it looks unlikely that he’ll get the Aberdeen job now they’re performing well under the caretaker manager.
Yorke is proud of Bukayo Saka’s comeback following the racial abuse he experienced from missing the Euros penalty and labels him England’s ‘golden boy’, but warns Phil Foden can still come back.
Please read the full interview below.
Question. If you haven’t heard from Aderdeen yet, are there any other opportunities you’re exploring?
Dwight Yorke: Aberdeen has gone a little bit quiet, the chairman has gone through a major surgery and the team seems to be doing okay as well, so there’s no need for them to force it at the moment. I think Aberdeen will have a long list of people that they will think about appointing a head manager. Barry Robson is doing well at the moment so that might be a reason for it being a bit slow. But that’s the world we live in as employees, sometimes you have to act really quickly and sometimes you have to be patient, but it has gone quiet to be honest.
There are 1200 managers around the world so you’re constantly fighting for jobs, not just in Scotland or England, but in the whole world too. You have to have a network of people that are looking out for these jobs, when the jobs become available, you have to be proactive. It’s a tough gig and it’s tough to get in, the competition is fierce but you have to believe in your own ability and be ready when the opportunity comes.
Q. Man Utd return with a tough away fixture to Newcastle. What are you predicting?
DY: Manchester United have been tremendous this season under Erik ten Hag and they’ll want to finish the season strong. Manchester United are just outside of being able to compete for the Premier League and they’ll want to maintain their third spot. A win against Newcastle at St James’ Park will always be tough but it will be a step in the right direction. It’s another challenge for Manchester United to prove themselves, to prove ten Hag has improved their mentality. If they can win this game, then I can imagine next year to be an even better year for Manchester United.
I think Manchester United will knick it 2-1, Newcastle have a good record of scoring at home but Manchester United will have a good enough defence to hold them off.
Q. Now Antonio Conte is gone, who do you see taking over Tottenham?
DY: I can see Antonio Conte’s assistant and Ryan Mason seeing out the rest of the season since there are only 10 games to go. A manager coming in will want to come once the fourth spot is secure, managers are probably waiting and don’t want to touch that job until the end of the season. But I don’t many managers can turn their nose up to Tottenham because they’re an attractive club to go to. Managers will want to challenge themselves and try to break the curse of no silverware for years. They’ll have managers lined-up for the job.
Q. Will you throw your hat in for the job?
DY: I’m at an early stage in my coaching career and there will be a time and place for me to do that once I make my way up the ladder. My time will come, but not yet, I have to be sensible in my decision making and I have to admit the Premier League is not quite for me yet. In maybe two or three years, I’ll try to be in the category to get such a job like the Tottenham one now.
Q. Has England improved compared to when they were in the Euros final?
DY: Bear in mind that England have not won in Italy in such a long time, the odds were against them and getting a result would have been pleasing for them. I wouldn’t say the performance was incredible, but sometimes only the result matters. England will feel like they got on over Italy in their own backyard.
Q. Harry Kane has overtaken Wayne Rooney’s record for England, but will he ever be as good as him? Or is he now?
DY: Wayne Rooney overall was more explosive, creative and scored spectacular goals, Harry Kane is just a goalscorer and limited in terms of his contribution. He’s good at holding up the ball and play but he’s not quick, dynamic or as creative. But Kane is prolific in front of goal, instead of being all the things that Rooney was great at like free-kicks, Kane still eclipsed the art of being a number nine. Kane has shown that you don’t have to be flamboyant in that position to be successful.
Q. Is Bukayo Saka the main star of the team now? It used to be Phil Foden
DY: England is in a good position when it comes to young players. Phil Foden is an exceptional player, Bukayo Saka is taking the main role at the moment and seems to be the golden boy of the England team. Saka is having a great spell, but I’m sure Foden will come back into the equation at some point and then people might shift their opinion. Saka is one of the main reasons for Arsenal’s great season so far, and putting him in the England team was always going to be a bonus. Remember, Saka was the player who everyone pointed their finger to for the penalty miss two years ago, now everyone, even after the racial abuse, has changed their tune. I’m very pleased that Saka is one of the main men now, for his club and country.
Q. If you were Southgate, who would you base your team around?
DY: I don’t think Gareth Southgate should base his team around anyone, to be successful at that level you have to include as much talent as possible. Of course there are key player who are identified as dangerous. Marcus Rashford is still relatively young and has come back into the equation with the form he’s in. Rashford is a bit older than Phil Foden or Bukayo Saka so he has a bit more know-how in the international scene. I think it would be foolish for Southgate to focus on a singular player in the team.
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