Ollie Watkins told he doesn't have same 'aura' as Harry Kane with England No.9 role deemed to be beyond Aston Villa star due to lack of 'hunger'

With Kane’s international career seemingly in its twilight, England are preparing to usher in a new era in attack. The transition is in its early dawn, as seen last November, when the Three Lions opted to leave Kane on the bench for a UEFA Nations League clash against Greece. Even without their talisman, they had little trouble dealing with the Greeks, as Watkins stepped up in his absence and contributed a goal in a 3-0 victory in Athens.

Watkins' performances for Aston Villa have solidified his place in the national team squad. Many view the 29-year-old as a natural successor to Kane, proving that the captain’s eventual departure may not be as detrimental as once feared. However, Yorke remains unconvinced. He insists that Watkins lacks the dominance and presence that Kane brings to the role, making it difficult to see him as England’s undisputed first-choice striker.

Yorke, while discussing England’s attacking options in an interview with Casinobeats, acknowledged Watkins as the best available alternative but maintained that he is not yet ready to slip into Kane's shoes.

"Watkins will be next in line because, outside of him, who else is there as a nine? There's no one else who I think can compete," he argued.

"I don't think Watkins has that sort of aura about him, where people will say, 'he’s the best we’ve got, he’s going to win us a World Cup.' That's why he's always been second best for England. Even when he plays at Villa, Duran was obviously a threat to him, but when you watch him, he's not giving me the sense that says, ‘I'm the top man here.’"

Yorke suggested that Watkins should show more ambition and drive if he wants to be England's first-choice striker.

"You look at Kane, and it’s different," the former Manchester United striker added. "I'd like to see a little bit more out of Ollie Watkins before he replaces Kane. He seems just happy to accept being the second best in England rather than saying, ‘I'm banging in the goals. I feel my time is now.’ He wouldn’t be dissing Harry Kane by doing that, there's mutual respect there, but it would show me a man that is hungry to be the best."

New boss Thomas Tuchel’s primary objective is to end England’s 60-year wait for a World Cup triumph when the next tournament takes place in North America in 2026. While Kane remains the clear first choice striker, Watkins will have an opportunity to stake his claim in the upcoming fixtures. The German manager is set to name his first squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with The Three Lions scheduled to face Albania on March 21 and Latvia on March 24. It remains to be seen if Watkins will be able to prove his critics wrong and make an early impression on the new manager.