Euro 2016: Harry Kane not concerned by tournament scoring duck ahead England's clash against Iceland

It was perhaps not the hottest ticket in town, being the England player selected for media duties as the world attempted to dissect the fall-out of the vote which had just signalled the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, and Harry Kane was much more prepared to talk about taking corners than Brexit.

“I've not really thought too much about it yet,” Kane claimed, when asked his views on the outcome of the referendum. “I'm focused on the Euros. I will wait and see what happens."

Such is life in the England bubble in Chantilly at Euro 2016. The only European exit troubling the minds of Roy Hodgson’s players is that which they are attempting to avoid when facing Iceland in Nice on Monday.

But despite the Football Association having made provisions for each member of the England squad to vote by post or proxy in the referendum, any mention of it before, during and after the vote has been met with the straightest of bats and an insistence that football comes first.

The captain, Wayne Rooney, claimed on Thursday, when asked about the vote, that ‘whatever happens will happen,’ while defender Ryan Bertrand went as far to admit that the issue was the subject of ‘a brief chat at the dinner table when we unwind.’

What has been, perhaps, the most significant event in the country’s history since the end of the Second World War has, ultimately, become little more than a question for Hodgson’s players to briefed about to ensure that they do not dip their toe too deeply into unfamiliar waters.

Football is the only focus, with only Dr Steve Peters, the sport psychologist attached to the England squad, knowing whether the absence of free-thinking off the pitch compromises free-thinking on it.

Still, Kane was at least prepared to talk about corners, goal droughts and the lack of opportunities being created by his team-mates for the forwards to put away dogged opponents such as Russia, Slovakia and, potentially, Iceland.

“Taking corners was something we tried when we first met up for the Turkey friendly,” Kane said. “At the time, we had a lot of tall players in the team and they saw the delivery I had and wanted me to put it in the box.

“We did it then and it stuck. I'll listen to the manager. If he wants me to do something, I'll do it. The manager wanted me to take them, so I took them.

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“I woudn't remember the last time I was the designated corner taker. It's been blown out of proportion a bit.

“I've done it, but then the manager didn't want me to do it against Wales, so I didn't.”

Goals have proved hard to come by for Kane in France, however. Just like Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Tottenham forward has yet to score and he admits that chances have been so thin on the ground that he cannot remember one clear opportunity being created for him.

“I’ve not a clear chance where I'd say, 'I'm disappointed I missed that. I wish I'd scored that one,’” Kane said. “But you just have to be ready for when that chance comes.

“When teams are dropping off, it's difficult, especially as a striker. You always have two centre-halves behind you and maybe a sitting midfielder as well.

“It's a bit more difficult creating chances, but we can do better as a team in the final third as a whole: crosses better; final passes better; slipping players through.

“We can get a bit better on that and, if we do, it'll be alright.

“But I want to do the best I can. I want to score goals, I want to win football matches. Hopefully, if called upon on Monday, I can do that, get on the scoresheet and win the game.

“If not, my confidence won't drop. I won't worry. I'll still try and get into the right positions to score goals.”

The majority of England’s chances so far in France have been shots from outside the penalty or half chances for the likes of Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana, who is fit to face Iceland despite returning from training on Friday with a bandaged right ankle.

But with so many highly-rated forwards yet to get off the mark, Kane admits that opponents are now focusing their energies on shackling the men most likely to score goals.

“Teams are going to look at us (forwards) and maybe see strengths and weaknesses and what they want to do, as they do with other teams,” Kane said. “That's part of football. I see it in the Premier League.

“Last season was a lot different to the first year in the Premier League for me.

“Defenders maybe get a bit tighter when I get the ball, but if you want to be one of the best in the world, you have to learn to cope with that and I can learn from tournament football.”

If Kane can rediscover his goalscoring form in time for the Iceland game, England’s hopes of remaining in the European Championships will be far healthier.

And within the squad, that is the only ‘in or out’ debate that actually matters.