19m
19m
OLIVER HOLT: It is July 10 2024‚ a couple of hours after goals from
Harry Kane and
Ollie Watkins have taken
England past the
Netherlands in
Dortmund and into the final of
Euro 2024. In the Dorint Hotel‚ the other side of a dual carriageway from the Westfalenstadi
on‚ a group of fans‚ some in
England shirts‚ are sitting in the lobby bar. They see a couple of us sitting by ourselves at another table and invite us over. It is
Kane's wife‚ Katie Goodland‚ and her family‚ her sister‚ her parents. They talk about
Kane's life in Munich and their lives in Essex‚ their favourite pubs‚ favourite places to eat. They talk a little about some of the criticism
Kane is attracting but they hold no bitterness. They are lovely people. It is two hours well spent. I thought of them when I got around to seeing Dear
England‚ the play written by
James Graham‚ which w
on rave reviews for its portrayal of
Gareth Southgate as football's answer to
Jesus Christ but whose characterisati
on of
Kane as a dolt and a bore was so crass and crudely drawn that it spoilt the play.