Wayne Rooney has urged England fans and his country's media not to put too much pressure on Tottenham striker Harry Kane.
England manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed that Kane will make his senior international debut in either Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley or the friendly against Italy on Tuesday, with the expectations around the Spurs marksman expanding following his impressive season of goal scoring for his club.
Similarly lofty demands for instant success were made of Rooney as he made his senior England debut against Australian at the age of 17 back in 2003 and he has suggested Kane should not be expected to make an immediate impact in the national team.
"When it was my debut I wanted to get out there and play as quickly as I could and I'm sure Harry will be the same," Rooney said of Kane, who is the joint-leading scorer in the Premier League with 19 goals.
"He'll be lying in bed tonight [Thursday] hoping that he'll make his England debut. I can imagine that. I know because I've felt the same feeling, the excitement he'll have, but we can't expect too much.
"It has been great to see a young English striker come through, scoring goals. He was scoring goals earlier in the season in the Europa League and not starting in the Premier League.
"Then he got his chance in the Premier League and he has taken it with both hands. I hope it continues because he is in sizzling form at the minute. If he does continue that then he has a bright future."
The expectation was that Kane would start for England against Lithuania in the absence of injured Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, but Hodgson has hinted he may stick to his tried and tested performers for the qualifying game, amid reports that a front three of Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Raheem Strerling could line-up at Wembley on Friday.
"If we put Harry in and he doesn't go well, people will say we should have been a bit more solicitous in giving him a bit more time to find his feet," Hodgson stated.
"If we don't put him in and it doesn't go so well we are guilty of not giving a form player his chance so in this situation it is a question which has to be resolved.
"Do I start him in the game or do I perhaps bring him on in the course of the game? Do I start him in the game against Italy? Do I not start him in either game?
"This is my decision and whatever decision I make, there are people out there who would say I should have done it a different way."