Ange Postecoglou has insisted that his main priority is to win matches, suggesting that he will continue to take off Son Heung-min in the latter part of games if he feels that will help the team.
Despite being Tottenham’s club captain, Son has been replaced towards the latter part of matches on more than one occasion this season.
The 31-year-old has reportedly had issues with his groin recently (The Athletic) and some have felt that the reason behind Postecoglou withdrawing him in the later stage of matches is to protect him from picking up a serious injury considering there have been fitness concerns surrounding the forward (Evening Standard).
Son also played all 90 minutes for South Korea in their 6-0 win over Vietnam last week, with the Tottenham man getting on the scoresheet in the second half.
(Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Ange Postecoglou explains why he has been substituting Heung-min Son
Some Spurs fans would have been concerned when they saw the forward limping during that game but he is expected to be fit to start against Fulham this evening (Football.London).
When asked about Son not completing 90 minutes for Spurs recently, Postecoglou has said (via Vavel): “As long as he’s still scoring goals I couldn’t care, mate. He’s scored six goals and scored for South Korea at the weekend. Son has got to where he is because of the person he is. I’m not going to change his part of that because you take all of these things in context.
“If anything, you can learn from people like that. That’s the beauty of the position I’m in [as] you come across different people every time you go along this journey and you learn from all of them. In terms of his physical well-being, he’s well looked after and he knows his body.
“I made the substitutions [against Arsenal and Liverpool] because I wanted to win the game, mate. I’m not trying to look after players; I’m trying to win games. If I think making substitutions will help us do that, I don’t care who it is. It doesn’t matter if that is Son, James Maddison or anybody else.
“In the games we’ve had so far, we’ve just needed different things, and – depending on who you’ve got available to come on – you make those decisions. If their maximum is 70 minutes in a game, then that’s fine. I’m more than happy with that.”
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Son is very much a team man and not someone who is likely to throw his toys out of the pram if and when he is taken off, as the 31-year-old wants to win as much as anyone else. Postecoglou is evidently trying to foster that sort of attitude across the squad.
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