Ange Postecoglou takes a light-hearted swipe at Spurs star Son Heung-min in a hilarious exchange with a reporter
- Postecoglou was asked about the upcoming AFC Asian Cup
- He said he hopes Son Heung-min finishes second in Australia
- Ian Ladyman reveals the most boring manager he has dealt with during his career – It all starts
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has made a cheeky joke at the expense of Spurs star Son Heung-min when asked about the upcoming AFC Asian Cup during a press conference.
Spurs are dealing with mounting injuries and will miss a number of players next month, including captain Son Heung-min, due to international commitments at the Africa Cup of Nations and the AFC Asian Cup.
Postecoglou was questioned about how he viewed these tournaments and he wasted no time in reminding the reporter of his success in the Asian Cup.
“You know I won, right?” smiled Postecoglou.
“So I rank it quite high, I think it's quite important.
Postecoglou says he hopes Son Heung-min's South Korean team is defeated by Australia
'Many Europeans find the European Championship quite important. Well, that also applies to the Asian Cup or the African Cup of Nations.'
Postecoglou coached Australia to its first ever Asian Cup title in 2015 with a dramatic 2-1 win over South Korea at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Son Heung-min was on the losing side on that occasion and his Spurs boss will be hoping for a similar result in 2024.
“I hope Sonny goes on and comes second in Australia again, mate,” he told reporters.
'I would be very happy about that.'
Tottenham travel to Brighton on Friday (AEDT) and will be without Cristian Romero, who needs up to five weeks to recover from a hamstring injury.
Romero, with his mobility, aggression and experience at the heart of the defense, is a player for whom they have no comparable replacement.
Australia won its first ever Asian Cup title in 2015 with a dramatic 2-1 win over South Korea
Postecoglou (photo with Tim Cahill) after winning the Asian Cup in Sydney in 2015
Tottenham struggled when the Argentinian was sent off against Chelsea in November. They lost that match and only picked up one point from the three games he missed due to suspension. Since his return they have improved again.
“It's another challenge for us, with two games in a short time and a small selection available,” Postecoglou said.
“We'll handle it like we've handled everything else. We just have to get on with it.
'You see that other clubs are also going through it. We've been working on it for a while, but I like the attitude that everyone is taking internally.'