Son seeking gold with one eye on Spurs

JAKARTA: Son Heung-min is one Asian Games win away from earning gold and an exemption from military service but the South Korean forward is also keeping a close eye on how his Tottenham Hotspur team mates are doing in the Premier League — when he can keep his eyes open that is.

Son slept through Spurs’ 3-0 win over Manchester United on Monday night having earlier played all 120 minutes of South Korea’s 4-3 extra-time win over Uzbekistan.

“It was too late, it was two o’clock in the morning here so I was sleeping but I was very happy when I saw the result,” the 26year-old said.

He will not return to Tottenham until the middle of September as he is set to join up with the senior national side next week for friendlies against Costa Rica and Chile and he knows he may have to bide his team to reclaim a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting line-up.

Despite his exertions for his country in sweltering Indonesian conditions, Son said he would be in good shape for the restart to the domestic season

All that stands between South Korea and the gold medal is a win over fierce rivals Japan and while Son was reluctant to talk too much about the prospect of winning a military exemption he was in no doubt as to the importance of rounding out the tournament with the victory.

All able-bodied South Korean men must complete 21 months service in the military as a deterrent against the North, but exemptions are offered to athletes who win gold at the Asian Games or a medal of any colour at the Olympics.