I DIDN’T MIND PING-PONG DING-DONG
Postecoglou: Asian Cup bust-up shows Sonny is great leader & winner
v
PAUL BROWN
ANGE POSTECOGLOU says hardman Heung-min Son showed he’s a winner after dislocating his finger in a pingpong scrap.
Tottenham’s favourite Son is known as ‘Mr Nice Guy’ in Spurs’ half of north London for his smiley, unassuming demeanour.
But when some of his young South Korea team-mates picked up a paddle instead of paying attention at a team dinner at the Asian Cup, he flipped and called them out.
And as the injury he suffered in the subsequent scrap won’t stop him playing against Wolves today, Postecoglou (right) didn’t mind it one bit.
The Spurs boss said: “Sonny by nature is a nice guy. He is very polite and very respectful.
“But that doesn’t mean he can’t be a real winner and a guy who has high standards.
“There is a real discipline you need to last this long, especially in the Premier League, and that drive to have high standards transfers to leadership.
“The best ones are the ones who are themselves because people respect that. When you try and be somebody else, people see through that.
“He gave everything for his country. They fell short of their goals but it’s great to have him back around the group.
“In terms of the incident, that’s for the Korean Football Association to handle and, from what I know of the incident, it was Sonny being Sonny – being a leader.
“When you’re a leader, sometimes you get in the firing line. That’s what leadership is all about.
“Leadership is not about being popular and trying to make everybody happy, it’s about when you see something that you don’t feel is right, then you stand up for it because it’s the best thing for the group.
“I see that in Sonny. Sometimes
people are mistaken about Sonny because he’s such a positive guy who, whenever you see him, is smiling and everyone has a real affection for him – but he wants to win.
“He doesn’t like standards slipping and I’ve seen him do that around here. If something is not right, he will say it. Sometimes, it is not the popular thing to do.
“Sometimes, that puts you in the firing line with the playing group, and with coaches or the club. But, as a leader, if you think this is the right thing to do, then you should go strongly on it.”
Tottenham’s strong season has put Postecoglou’s name in the frame to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. But asked about reports he is on their shortlist, he said: “If it’s just people throwing up names, then who cares? Like, seriously?
“At the end of the day, if I’m doing a good job then hopefully people will acknowledge that in one form or another – whatever that form is.
“But so-called ‘chat’, that’s of no interest to me. I have only been here seven months. I may be on a shortlist.
“I don’t think that’s ever going to enter my brain space for what are my priorities in life and profession right now.”