Postecoglou's criticism against Son Heung-min? The world wants a scapegoat. Blame me
Feb 15, 2025
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Postecoglou held a press conference at Tottenham Hotspur Training Center in London on the afternoon of the 14th (local time). It was a press conference held two days before the Premier League home game against Manchester United.
At this meeting, a question was asked about Captain Son Heung-min's leadership. I asked him about his role as a captain outside the stadium or in training. Postecoglou was adamant.
"Son Heung-min's biggest strength is that he sets standards in training and preparation. You set an example with every action inside and outside the club, try to make a positive impact, and help your team members maintain a positive mind. But this wouldn't have been easy. It's going to be physically difficult like other players. Personally, it's not easy to shake it off and deliver positive energy to others as a leader."
He continued. Not only Son Heung-min, but all the players have grown.
"I think not only Son Heung-min but also other players have grown more during this period. The players endured this process together, and they didn't try to separate or avoid responsibility for one moment. I think this is because of the bond within the team created by Son Heung-min and other leaders. Now with the return of players from leadership groups like Vicario, Madison and Romero, I hope Son can share the burden."
But the question continued. The question came out, "'As Son Heung-min has been in the team for a long time, wasn't he responsible for the recent difficult period?' Postecoglou responded.
"I'm sure it was. But that's the essence of leadership. If you don't want responsibility, there's no reason to take on the role of a leader. It's a key factor in leading people. In hard times, you have to carry more burdens. Otherwise, there's no point in being in that position. It's not easy. It takes a lot of moderation and inner toughness to always put your personal feelings aside and do your best for the team."
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Postecoglou criticized the people.
"As I've said many times, this is a world where we keep looking for targets to blame. That's the reality we live in. Few people want to accept the facts as they are. The reason why we were sluggish is not because of Son Heung-min, nor because of my tactics. That's because 11 players have been out with injuries in the last two months. The power vacuum affected the results. But people are not satisfied with that explanation. They want to find a scapegoat.
This is modern society. Whatever happens in the world these days, if someone makes a mistake, they try to pull him down. I can't find any more generosity or understanding. They don't try to understand why this happened, they just shout "Let's get rid of him" That's why I'm still trying to blame someone. If there are people who think Son Heung-min didn't try to help the team to the best of his ability, I'd like to ask. Can't I be a nice person? Why does it matter to be a good person? Do you have to push people to make a good argument? I've seen a lot of arguments, but rather there have been a lot of leaders who are not very good with opposing tendencies.
I have no complaints about Son Heung-min's leadership or the way he has done so far. He did a great job in his own way. It's clear why we've had difficulties. If you look at it objectively, it's easy to see. But if you keep looking for someone to blame, here I am. I'm the one most responsible."
The question came in again. "People think of a style like Roy Keane or Tony Adams when they say captaincy." In response, Postecoglou said this.
"Yes, that's right. Because the world has changed. The dressing room atmosphere has changed a lot, too. In today's dressing room, even leaders like Roy Keane would have had a hard time adjusting. Of course, a good leader will adapt to the environment, but it has become difficult to lead a team in the same way as before.
I can't be the same director as I was 20 years ago. We're not in a world where we can do that now. Gone are the days when players can be ultimatumed "Leave if you don't like this." Because the world has changed, the way leadership has to change.
I'm not sure why it's problematic to be "nice person". If someone has good value, and is a good person, why is that a bad thing? You don't have to conclude that it's not inspiring or motivating. If someone comes into the training ground and is moving passionately, that energy will go to other people as well. "Why don't you do it when I'm working so hard?It makes me think " naturally.
There are many different ways of leadership. The key to leadership is to act like yourself. Son is showing that kind of leadership, and that's good enough."
Coach Postecoglou defended and defended Son Heung-min like this.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
