‘Diluted the award’: Simon Jordan slams decision to award Harry Kane freedom of the city of London

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Outspoken TalkSPORT regular Simon Jordan has criticised the decision to award Tottenham’s Harry Kane the freedom of the city of London award.

Reports surfaced yesterday confirming that Kane will be bestowed the prestigious title. The England captain is closing in on both Premier League and International goal records and has yet to be sent off in his career.

However, debating the award with Martin Keown and Jim White this morning, former Palace owner Jordan was having none of it, insisting the award should be kept for Prime Ministers and other titles.

‘Well you haven’t actually won anything. Third in the Premier League all goal scoring record. And if we’re going to award people for being third. When he does (break the record), fantastic, and if we think a sporting achievement of scoring a certain amount of goals is worth of a societal award,” Jordan said on TalkSPORT.

“Now, we also know Harry does do other things and get involved with charities and other societal things and gives back by sponsoring shirts for clubs he used to play for. Let me give you the standard I’d give it by. By the awarding of it to Disraeli, or to Winston Churchill. I would give it by that standard. They led the country in very difficult times. Now we’ve diluted the award of merit, and the meritocracy for what we give awards for.”

TBR’s View: Jordan makes a point on Kane but come on

While Simon Jordan does have a point about how awards can seem devalued, he is going a bit far on Kane here.

Sure, he is ‘just’ a footballer. But as White points out in the clip, he does so much more. He is a role model for children. Gets involved with charities and has never been in the media for anything bad.

As England captain, he has led by example. And if that means he gets the freedom of the city, then so be it. Certainly, Kane deserves it in footballing terms.