Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Jaco van Gass & Harry Kane
Every Monday we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.
HIT - JACO VAN GASS
Sometimes actions speak louder than words, but in the case of Paralympian Jaco van Gass, his achievements last week are a testament to the ability of sport to inspire, even in the face of adversity.
Twelve years ago, in 2009, Van Gass was a paratrooper undertaking his second tour of Afghanistan, with just two weeks left before he was due home.
During an intense firefight, he was hit by a rocket propelled grenade (RPG), losing his left arm at the elbow and suffering a collapsed lung, shrapnel wounds to his left side, punctured internal organs, blast wounds to upper thigh, a broken tibia and leg fractures.
Cycling became his activity of choice during his rehabilitation as he explained to Help for Heroes, who have supported him during his recovery and beyond. He said: “Cycling was the one thing that [I found easy to do]. I could sit on a static bike and I only needed one arm to hold myself up and still turn my legs.
“It was really good rehab for my left leg and I found it really helpful. Then, through Help for Heroes, I started learning about para sport and para cycling.
Determined not to let his injuries define him, van Gass watched London 2012 and set about achieving his Olympic dream.
He explained: “I was in the velodrome [in 2012] seeing the Paralympic Games, in the stadium as well for the athletics, and I was amazed by it and I wanted to be part of that, so I started my journey.
“I was in the build-up to Rio. I was on the team but I didn’t make the final team. I didn’t get on the plane, so there has been a lot of disappointment as well. I left British Cycling and I had to reset a bit and I came back a few years later, and here we are.”
Van Gass initially broke the men’s C3 3,000m individual pursuit long-standing world record by nine seconds with a time of 3:17.593 in qualifying before beating compatriot Finlay Graham to secure gold at the Izu Velodrome.
He told the BBC: “I am at the Paralympics. I had so many people supporting me, backing me, believing in me.
"I've worked very hard for this. It's nearly nine years of a lot of ups, probably more downs. It's such a relief to finally be here representing Great Britain in Tokyo and coming away with the top prize.
“If I can inspire anyone to do the same, if I can help someone then that's incredible.”
Help for Heroes CEO Mel Waters said: "We are delighted that somebody who has been in our sports recovery programme has gone on to win gold and be the pride of his nation. We’re so incredibly proud of him and of all our veteran athletes in Tokyo.
"How fitting that with Afghanistan in the news once again, a veteran who served there should be making such positive headlines.
"His superb capabilities – and those of his fellow veterans in Tokyo – send a powerful message to other veterans and anybody with a disability who may happen to face barriers, both visible and hidden, to engaging in sport.
"It shows what can be achieved, and what is possible with the right support. For many, your start line may not be in Tokyo, it maybe venturing out into your local community or taking up an activity for the first time. But support is there for you, and you can fulfil the goals you set yourself."
MISS – HARRY KANE
Few footballers are as synonymous with one club as Harry Kane and Tottenham Hotspur.
The club and national team captain, Kane has scored prolifically over the years and been a symbol of the North London club.
He has made no secret in recent years of his desire to win trophies - something that has eluded him his entire career - and decided to make it known at the end of the season that he wanted to leave his boyhood club.
When Kane signed a new six-year contract in 2018, Tottenham were in the ascendency, reaching the Champions League final that season, which they lost to Liverpool.
Notably, the contract did not include any release clauses linked to achievements or a minimum fee.
And he made it clear that silverware was his main priority, when he spoke to Thierry Henry soon after signing the contract and said: “The main thing is a trophy. It's been about four years now that I've been playing at this level and we're yet to win a trophy. I wake up every morning and that's what I want to achieve.”
After the departure of first Mauricio Pochettino and then Jose Mourinho, Tottenham have slipped out of the top four in the Premier League and have failed to win anything, prompting a change of heart from the striker.
Briefings with Kane’s representatives and media appear to have been undertaken by his agent, who also happens to be his brother Charlie, who runs the CK66 agency.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse when Kane failed to turn up for pre-season training as planned at Tottenham’s Enfield centre, prompting endless questions about his future amid reported interest from Manchester City.
For a player of such standing like Kane to push for a move away from the club where he has spent his entire career without having already secured a move has certainly dented his standing with some fans and perhaps even his team-mates, as former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega explained.
Vega said: “The guy was always Tottenham. He had the contract and the saga was a disaster from both parties, and most importantly, from the player’s point of view,” Vega said on the BBC World Service’s Sport Today.
“He has to turn because he can see he can’t go. But there is no doubt in his mind that his first option was Man City, not Tottenham Hotspur.
“Of course the fans are delighted they have a player that they’ve adored for the past six or seven years.
“From the perspective of an ex-player, I would be annoyed in the dressing room if one of the other players handled the situation in that way.
“Respect from the fans has not been gained from his actions and it cannot be there until he wins something for Tottenham.”
As Henry Winter put it in The Times: “Hitherto lauded as the ultimate pro, and a decent guy with principles, Kane cannot seriously be enjoying acting so selfishly, disrupting, distracting, developing a saga to force a move, as if Spurs’ streetwise chairman Daniel Levy would ever fall for that. Kane must squirm at hearing those who once cheered his name now jeer it, and having his fabulous body of club work over the past decade denigrated, those 222 goals in 336 appearances devalued.”
When it became clear that Kane’s dream move to Manchester City was not going to happen, he issued a statement via Twitter which said: “It was incredible to see the reception from the Spurs fans on Sunday and to read some of the messages of support I've had in the last few weeks.
“I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100% focused on helping the team achieve success. #COYS”
Fans will soon forget as Kane starts scoring again and he has not dodged questions about the transfer uncertainty when asked on England duty.
He said: "I have said before fans are entitled to their opinion. Obviously sometimes they don't get the full story of what's going on, but from my point of view I have got a clear conscience, and I [have] just got to keep doing what I do.
"I know everyone wants to know about every situation that happens over the summer, but like I said I'm focused on what's to come and the future. I know there is a lot of talk going on and there are a lot of questions being asked, but I stay focused on what I need to do.
"Obviously, everything that went on with the club is between me and the club and that's the way it will stay."
Whether or not Kane will try and negotiate a move again next summer remains to be seen, but he would be well advised to ensure Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy and whichever club tries to sign him are all in agreement before any hint of being unsettles arises again.