Ange Postecoglou gave her verdict 8 years ago on Son Heung-min’s crucial move at Tottenham
The Tottenham Hotspur boss spoke about his captain and top scorer ahead of the Premier League match against Chelsea.
Ange Postecoglou admitted that the decision to let Son Heung-min play in the center of Tottenham’s attack took 8 years.
The Spurs coach’s choice to play the Korean star in the middle has paid off with a series of goals and Son is the second highest scorer in the Premier League with 8 goals in 10 matches in the tournament, The 31-year-old has not scored in 2 of the last 7 matches.
Son will be looking to continue scoring goals against former boss Mauricio Pochettino when the Argentine takes his Chelsea side to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night.
Postecoglou was asked whether the fact that Pochettino played Son in the middle while Harry Kane was absent convinced him that the desire to play Son there was legitimate.
“He scored against me in the Asian Cup in 2015, mate.
That was enough!
” he said.
“I saw enough then to know he is a decent goalscorer, so I didn’t need any more evidence,
“I have followed him for a very long time and what you are looking for in attacking players is are they a goal threat?
And he’s always been a goal threat and a good finisher.
” On when he decided after arriving that he would utilise Son in the role over some of his other options, he added: “Fairly early on in the piece.
It’s pretty clear that when Harry leaves, there are ways we can handle that.
I said it before, I don’t think you can replace Harry exactly, another one for him doesn’t exist, so I think we have to go into the transfer market and bring in someone who can score 25 to 30 goals.
The first year, I didn’t think it was realistic.
“What I know from Sonny having watched him for a long time is that he is a great goalscorer, an intelligent footballer, he has great movement and the ability to work and press really, which I like my strikers to do.
“I just think he would suit us really well and it’s not the only option I’m considering, but it’s definitely the option that I think would best suit where we are as a team and what we need.
Even with him, I think the more he plays there, the more he will become a real goal threat in every game.
For us, it is a massive asset to have”
