Tottenham’s Son Heung-min has thanked South Korea manager Jürgen Klinsmann for giving him an opportunity to feature in his country’s 6-0 win over Vietnam on Tuesday.
Last week, the forward was struggling with a groin injury, forcing him to miss training and also the clash against Tunisia. Two days ago, Klinsmann stated there was a question mark over his involvement for yesterday’s clash.
The Tottenham star played the full 90 minutes and also managed a goal and an assist against Vietnam.
After the tie, when asked about his physical condition, relayed by Yonhap News Agency, he said: “Injuries are an inevitable part of living as a footballer. I was worried about whether or not to play in today’s game, but I couldn’t accept coming to Korea and not playing in front of the fans.
“I discussed with the coach and told him that I would play in the game. I was not able to participate much in training, but I am grateful to the coach for respecting my decision.”
According to FourFourTwo Korea, the 31-year-old was seen ‘limping’ during the break and had also complained of pain in the second half against Vietnam. They state ‘there are concerns’ about the South Korean international as he’s been suffering with a groin injury.
The attacker, however, feels otherwise and believes the minutes against Vietnam will help him when he returns to the north London club.
“I hope it’s not too much. If you are worried about injuries due to the constant collisions and intense competition, you should not play this kind of football,” Son explained.
“Colliding like this is why I love football. I hit my thigh slightly in the first half, but it was not a big deal. I think playing full time in today’s game will help me in terms of physical strength and performance as I return to my club.”
On Monday, Spurs face Fulham and Son’s comments will please Ange Postecoglou, although the manager will still be concerned about his fitness. He has scored six goals from eight league games and is one of the key players for Tottenham, who are currently on top of the table.
