Harry Kane can console Teddy Sheringham if the trophy curse continues

Harry Kane has been on fire since signing for Bayern Munich, but they are not top of the Bundesliga. Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Teddy Sheringham left Tottenham in 1997 for a better future. A move to Manchester United guaranteed access to the sun-drenched hills of football: medals, adoration and mumbling along to a chorus of Cup final songs from Status Quo. Arsene Wenger had other ideas.

Arsenal won the double in 1998, and the following season Sheringham's schadenfreude spread beyond Spurs. Wherever United went, opposing fans sang the same song to the tune of «My Father's Son»: «Oh Teddy Teddy/Went to Manchester United and you won the bloody everything.»

It's unlikely that Hoffenheim or Heidenheim fans will be as interested in Harry Kane's career choice, but it is possible that Bayern Munich will go through a trophy-less season. Before Wednesday night's game they were seven points behind Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, although they had a game in hand. The victory came just to reduce the gap to four, but Thomas Tuchel's side were unconvincing.

Kane's trophy cabinet includes a World Cup golden boot, three English top-flight equivalents and seven presentation boxes of the limited-edition deodorants you win as Premier League Player of the Month. Already this season, Kane has missed some opportunities to add accolades. A 3-0 Super Cup defeat to RB Leipzig in August and a German Cup exit to third division Saarbrücken despite Bayern leading. Lazio should win the Champions League, but Bayern will likely have to beat Manchester City at some point.

It's a league after all. Bayern always wins the championship. This is their own old company. This has happened 11 years in a row, 19 of the last 25, and the last time they lost the title Jurgen Klopp still had his old teeth. But even this most reliable of reliable things seems less certain. Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in December and beat Werder Bremen at home last weekend. Meanwhile, Leverkusen have not lost domestically since May last year. On paper they are inferior, but they are determined and play tight games.

Teddy Sheringham scores at Highbury shortly after joining Manchester United — but Arsenal have won this season. Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

It was Bayern on Wednesday night, who didn't play their best but did enough to see off Union Berlin 1-0 at home. Their goal came indirectly from Kane, who picked off his defender early in the second half and hit the ball against the post, which Raphael Guerreiro fired home. From here you would have expected Bayern to fly over the horizon, but it was a shaky performance. Towards the end of the match, Kane was cautioned for an aggressive outburst with Union defender Kevin Vogt.

Overall Kane gives a great performance. He is on track to break Robert Lewandowski's league goalscoring record (41 goals, 22 currently scored). His expected goals and passing stats are at career highs, indicating that his rare status as a goal machine and elite striker is not clouded. Leroy Sane and Kinglsey Coman either side of him form a powerful front three.

Recruitment elsewhere has been intriguing. Eric Dier made his debut on Wednesday and Kieran Trippier was the target. For a team trying to win a trophy, a reunion of the 2019 Tottenham squad seems interesting.

Mostly you get the sense that neutrals want what's best for Kane, but the thought that his trophy might not materialize seems to tickle many others. Goodwill is fading fast these days, perhaps due to the influx of (disgusting word) content surrounding football. We quickly tire of Kane's arc due to the exhausting stream of things we consume around it, and then rejoice in the dreams shattered.

This seems odd, because what's really not to like about Kane, unless you still angry about missing a penalty at Al Bayt Stadium? Likewise, joining a team that always wins and then somehow wins nothing is undoubtedly amusing, both as a curiosity and in its surprise. However, what we could quietly laugh at in years past is now becoming fodder for vicious hatred with a capital H. Hooray, Internet!

Even if Leverkusen fails to catch up and Bayern loses in the Champions League, the Sheringham story is a consolation. The 1997/98 season may have been a barren season for United, but the following year things improved significantly. Kane may have to endure another year of disappointment if his reward is a treble.