KENNY McEvoy is ready to take a leaf out of former Tottenham pal Harry Kane's book as he looks to relaunch his career after being released by York City.

The Republic or Ireland under-21 international has joined hundreds of out-of-work fellow professionals following the end of his five-and-a-half month stay with the Minstermen.

Kane, who came through the academy ranks at White Hart Lane with McEvoy, has just finished the season as the Premier League' leading marksman, meanwhile, ahead of spearheading England's hopes this summer at Euro 2016.

The Spurs talisman's meteoric rise still inspires, rather than deflates, his old friend, who believes imitating Kane's attitude towards self-improvement could hold the key to meeting his own future goals.

"I played with Harry Kane for six years and he has gone on to unbelievable things," McEvoy said. "Now, I want to take on board a few of the things he did when we were training.

"He would stay behind to work on free kicks and practise his finishing and used to argue with the coaches because they wanted him to rest but, if I can copy what he did, maybe I can get back up there."

Winger McEvoy is also determined to come back from next season stronger after City manager Jackie McNamara questioned his ability to meet the physical challenges of National League football next term.

"Jackie said he didn't think going into the Conference would do me any good with the way I play and that he needs to strengthen the team in certain areas," McEvoy explained. "He thinks he needs stronger players than me and I know where he's coming from but I still feel that, if a team gives me the ball, I can beat people one-on-one and create chances or score goals.

"I've no regrets about leaving Spurs because I needed to step out of academy football and into the real world. I knew I was good at under-21s level, but I wasn't being challenged physically.

"I've since learnt that I need to get a bit stronger because that's what I was lacking in men's football and I'll be working on that over the summer, so I can fight with the bigger players and affect games defensively, as well as attacking wise. I've got some programmes from Tottenham that I have been doing every day since the season ended and I've not taken a break.

"Under-21s football is massively different. It's just pass, pass, pass and a case of you have the ball, then we'll have it.

"You don't get dirty tackles like you do in League Two, where you have big players who are not afraid to leave their mark on you. Every team I came up against was like that right from the start.

"I remember going past two players in my first game and, then, as I got to the edge of the box, the next defender just wiped me out and I've still got the scar on my leg from that. You've got to get used to that at any level though and I don't mind it.

"It just makes me want to get past them even more."

But McEvoy will still leave Bootham Crescent uncertain about what might have been had his manager shown more faith in him.

He only kicked off ten City matches, but his longest run of successive starts (five) coincided with three of the five victories during McNamara's stewardship and McEvoy added: "In the matches where we were under pressure, I didn't affect the game but I felt that, when we got the ball out to me, I did well.

"I chipped in with two goals and three assists and I just wonder how many more I could have got, if I had been given a longer run of games. The only time I did get a bit of a regular run-out, we picked up some wins."

The Waterford-born attacker went on to confess that he has no idea where he will be plying his trade next season, saying: "My agent has been speaking to a few places to see where will be best to go in terms of somewhere I can play a decent style of football and get the ball on the floor and run at people.

"It could be at any level, I really don't know, but there's nothing concrete at the moment - just talks. I don't really mind where my next club is either.

"I came over from Ireland when I was young and have travelled all over the country. My wife's family are from the Midlands and we are having a baby in October, so it might be nice to get a club near there, but I will go wherever football takes me."