Who'd have thought, 12 months ago, that Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy would be vying for the right to start up front for England?

That the choice for Roy Hodgson would be between a former Spurs academy kid and a bloke who was playing for non-League Fleetwood in 2011.

That's the case right now with both Kane and Vardy making strong claims.

Had Vardy been fit here in Spain - he must be gutted that he has had to sit this one out - it appears he would have started up front against the defending European Champions with Ross Barkley behind him.

Instead there is an outside chance that Vardy will recover to play furthest forward against France next Tuesday with Wayne Rooney in the No. 10 position.

Both players have a good shot of going to the Euros next summer too as things stand.

The reality is that Hodgson cannot trust the fitness of Daniel Sturridge at the moment - much as he admires him.

When Danny Welbeck is fit he is often played out wide rather than in the centre-forward position. Andy Carroll has yet to prove that he can maintain his fitness.

And Theo Walcott, despite his excellent numbers, appears for Hodgson to be an option rather than an answer.

So Vardy and Kane, if they both continue with their excellent form, have a great chance.

Vardy is the fascinating one. Last season he had made it from non-League to the Premier League and was receiving the credit he deserved for a fantastic achievement.

He still, however, appeared not to have that X-factor that separates players of international quality from decent Premier League performers.

So when it emerged during the summer that Hodgson was considering him for England, several radio and TV pundits were incredulous.

Not out of any kind of malice. More because they were expressing a view felt by many at the time: Vardy had not yet achieved anything that had qualified him to play for his country.

It is this season that he has made himself a contender. No longer can anyone choke on their coffee when his name is mentioned in relation to the national team.

His behaviour off the field has been reprehensible, let's not kid ourselves. And there is a lot that Vardy could learn from the way that Kane conducts himself.

Yet as a footballer he has earned his place in the England team by right.

Nine goals in nine games, even allowing for a couple of penalties here and there, is not to be sniffed at.

If he scores a 10th against Newcastle after the international break he will match Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 12-year Premier League scoring record.

Vardy’s goal from the spot in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Watford was his 12th of the season in all competitions.

Of course he merits consideration for a chance down the middle for England.

Anyone that has seen him ripping it up for Leicester will tell you that that is where he is most potent.

He may not have the finesse, the class or the experience of European football under his belt. But he is doing what is required of him - and you can't ask more from him than that.

So it is a fascinating toss-up between him and Kane, who has six goals in four games.

Kane is in the zone again. As far as England is concerned he hasn’t been out of it since earning his first call-up last season. His goals against Switzerland and San Marino mean he has scored on three of the six occasions that he has pulled on an England shirt.

He is well aware that, despite his 31 goals last season there are some (quite a few, actually) who believed he was a one-season wonder. That he was likely to be found out this season.

So he will have taken great satisfaction from scoring in Tottenham’s 4-1 win over Manchester City. From his hat-trick against Bournemouth. From the quality of his finish against Aston Villa and the composure he proved he still has as he netted in the North London derby last Sunday against the experienced Petr Cech.

Kane is gathering the kind of momentum he had last season when he only really came alive in the Premier League - after finally being given a chance - around this time last year.

Vardy has been doing it since the start of the campaign. He has more pace than Kane, just as much power in front of goal and a similarly terrific work rate.

His goals this season have included two against Arsenal and another couple at Southampton. His heroics have lifted Leicester up to third in the table, a point off the leaders.

England aren't taking any chances with him against Spain because his club will go up the wall if it results in a more serious setback.

But Vardy is a man on fire. He’ll be aware that there are still people unconvinced that what he has done so far marks him down as an England international.

His run of scoring in consecutive games will also, obviously, come to an end sooner or later.

Yet if his overall form continues between now and the end of the season then Hodgson could have some interesting decisions to make.

The England boss took just four strikers to Euro 2012.

He could yet be forced to make room next summer for Jamie Vardy.

8/1 - Harry Kane to score any time and England to win

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