Context: Son Heung-min’s Workload Concerns
Ange Postecoglou has raised concerns about the sustainability of Son Heung-min’s game time this season. The 32-year-old Tottenham captain has played extensively in all seven of Spurs’ games, starting in all but one, and has also been heavily involved in international duty. Son has already played 549 minutes at the club level and an additional 180 minutes for South Korea this month. Despite his impressive contributions—four goal involvements in five Premier League matches—he picked up a hamstring issue during the Europa League win over Qarabag.
Quote from Postecoglou on Son’s Hamstring Fatigue:
“Son felt fatigue in his hamstring and that’s the reason he went down but whether that’s an injury or just fatigue we’ll have to wait and see.”
Context: Son’s Playing Time and Workload Management
Postecoglou admitted that Son’s current playing time is not sustainable and expressed his desire to ease Son’s workload, which has been challenging due to injuries to key players such as Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, and Wilson Odobert. Despite Son’s determination to play, the manager feels it’s important to be cautious with his workload, especially considering his involvement in international football.
Quote from Postecoglou on Managing Son’s Workload:
“No, I would have wanted to ease his workload this early part of the season, but we lost Richy and we lost Dominic [Solanke], then we lost Wilson [Odobert]. Sometimes, it’s not the amount of injuries, but the kind of injuries you get. So he’s played more than I think than I certainly want him to… it’s just the circumstances so far, and Sonny always wants to play, that’s his attitude, but we’ve got to be sensible about it.”
Context: Postecoglou’s Approach to Son’s International Duty
While some may suggest Son should limit his international commitments, Postecoglou supports Son’s desire to continue representing South Korea. The manager believes it’s important for players to build memories and not have regrets about missing international opportunities.
Quote from Postecoglou on Son’s International Duty:
“Oh no chance, because I understand how important it is for him. We can look in the cold harsh light that his club football will benefit if he doesn’t play for his country, but one day he won’t be able to play for his country, and the one thing I wouldn’t want is for him to have regrets that he missed the opportunity to play as much as he could.”
Context: Leadership Opportunities and Team Growth
Postecoglou emphasized the importance of Tottenham’s leadership group stepping up in Son’s potential absence. He mentioned how when Son was subbed off, other players like Vic took on the captain’s role and thrived, showing the potential for leadership within the squad.
Quote from Postecoglou on Leadership and Team Growth:
“There’s an opportunity there… to see who can step up in that kind of scenario. It will happen from time to time. That was a positive from last night that when [Son] went off, Vic took the armband and almost seemed to relish that responsibility to grow.”
Context: Lucas Bergvall’s Disappointment and Response
Another key point for Postecoglou was the reaction of 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall, who was subbed off early in the Europa League game after Radu Dragusin’s red card. Despite Bergvall’s visible disappointment, Postecoglou praised his reaction and strong response in training the following day.
Quote from Postecoglou on Bergvall’s Response:
“No, but he’ll know that. We entrusted him with starting a really important game for us, so he knows how we feel about him. It was a tactical decision. He was disappointed… but he’s going to have plenty of moments like that in his career. It’s always about how you respond to those things… He was training this morning – and he was flying – so he’s all good.”
This restructuring groups the quotes and context for a clearer understanding of Postecoglou’s insights on Son’s workload, leadership opportunities within the team, and Lucas Bergvall’s response to disappointment.
