Heung-Min Son deserves credit for fine form, says Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino
Tuesday 2 January 2018 09:16, UK
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has made sure Heung-Min Son has received the praise he deserves for his improved performances this season.
Harry Kane has unsurprisingly hogged the headlines after scoring 56 goals in 2017, while the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli have attracted praise for their midfield exploits.
However, Pochettino insists Son deserves as much recognition as his team-mates and has hailed the South Korean as a vital part of his Spurs squad.
"Personally, us the coaching staff, we've given him the credit he deserves," Pochettino said ahead of his side's trip to Swansea on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
"When you are next to Harry Kane, achieving all he is and scoring so many goals, it's normal that the focus is on Harry Kane.
"But for us it's very important to show Sonny how much he's appreciated.
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"And all the players, all the team, they all love him. It's not only because of his performances, but because of how he is as a man."
Son has scored five goals in his last seven games in all competitions and Pochettino believes the South Korean international has the chance to become a superstar his native country.
Asked if the 25-year-old's status in east Asia could rival that of David Beckham, the Argentinian replied: "Yes, that is what we think. But we cannot prove this.
"When you talk about Beckham, he's a massive world icon. Maybe it's like this with Sonny. But here he's so humble, and he's such a normal guy. That makes him so important to us.
"I think he's such an important player for us, scoring a lot of goals and he's very consistent, in training, his performance. He's an important and very good player for us.
"It's true that the headlines are always for Harry or others, but it's important to recognise him, because he's a very great guy, a very good professional and he's always there, scoring and playing well."
