Should Harry Kane or Jan Vertonghen be the next Tottenham captain?

After being anointed national captain yesterday, one of the greatest accoldades for an English footballer, surely Harry Kane is the heir apparent to the throne at club level, too.  

Indisputably, Kane is considered a principal candidate to be the next Spurs captain.

While Kane is a certain frontrunner for the venerated responsibility, in no way is his name etched in stone as Hugo Lloris’ heir apparent.

This debate could be rendered moot if Lloris commits long-term to the Lilywhites. But it’s a question that merits further exploration, as Spurs’ faithful worldwide assume the day will come when either Kane or Vertonghen has the exalted honour bestowed upon him.

Arguments for a Vertonghen captaincy

Jan Vertonghen has every right to claim the throne as his own. In the grand scheme of things, centre backs certainly make for better skippers.

Centre backs are responsible, stable, stoic, usually humble and accountable. As they have an overarching perspective of the entire pitch, they are able to meticulously organize personnel and bellow instructions accordingly.

Vertonghen, like most centre back captains, leads by example. Battling in the trenches every week, Vertonghen knows intimately the meaning of a backbreaking afternoon’s graft. He goes to war for his team each week, scrapping and clawing to ensure optimal outcomes. And he plies his trade with the utmost professionalism, never complaining or uttering a word in grievance.

Named Tottenham’s player of the 2017-18 season, it’s easy to surmise why the affable Belgian offers Kane stern competition for the venerable role.

And it’s a role Vertonghen is familiar with. He captained Ajax under Frank de Boer’s reign, leading the Dutch giants to their second title in a row in a season that saw him capture the 2011-2012  Eredivisie Player of the Year award.

The 31-year-old should have another four seasons or so of elite-caliber football before the sands of time inevitably catch up to him.

Vertonghen also takes pleasure in roasting Arsenal, further fortifying his claim to the captaincy. If you want to cut right to the chase, skip to the 1:47 mark of the below video and watch Vertonghen ridicule the Gunners’ faithful in three beautiful words.

After running the polarizing question by Hotspur HQ’s fantastic Facebook contingent, about 60 percent of respondents elected Vertonghen as Spurs’ next captain. The people have spoken.

Yet Kane, even though the popular vote has elected Jan as Spurs’ next head of state, and with a rash of reasons to support their decision, is still king.

Why Kane should be the next Tottenham captain

I’m not usually one to support a talisman for club captain. But Kane is an exception to the rule.

He’s a born leader, both on and off the pitch. While Gareth Southgate just made the announcement, it was always presumed that Kane would captain the Three Lions.

Forwards aren’t usually top candidates for captaincy but Kane offers leadership qualities most strikers don’t. His propensity to score goals is matched only by the way he elicits the best from teammates.

He leads by example, never taking a match off.

Kane, in every way that counts, is already Tottenham’s unofficial club captain. His winning mentality and demanding disposition are calling cards of any tremendous leader. Some people believe offering him club captaincy will deter – even distract – him from his main priority of consistently bagging goals.

For players like Kane, the opposite is often true. The greatest leaders rise to the occasion when pressure mounts, and Kane would relish the chance to skipper his club to glory. That kind of honour would motivate him further, facilitating an increased goal output.

England’s captain also has youth on his side. So long as Kane stays put in North London, he’ll have an extended run as Tottenham’s captain. Still only 24, Kane could have another decade to captain the club, possibly re-writing the history books as Spurs’ greatest ever leader.

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Excuse the cliché, but Kane is one of our own.

Born and bred in Walthamstow, Kane spent his formative years a mere 10 miles from Hotspur Way. It his homegrown allegiance to the club that sets him apart, precisely what separates him from Vertonghen at the finish line, and it’s exactly why Kane is, and always will be, king and the next captain of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.