Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham)'s recent comments are being interpreted in an unexpected direction by the British media. His comments made during the A-match press conference are once again linked by local media to the possibility of discord with coach Ange Postecoglou (60), igniting another controversy.

On 22nd of last month (hereinafter Korean time), the British 'Tottenham Hotspur News' reported that "Son Heung-min expressed his stance on playing time during the A-match press conference, and coach Postecoglou may have felt discomfort regarding those comments."

Another British media outlet, 'Football Insider,' similarly reported that "Son Heung-min publicly mentioned his reduced playing time recently, which conflicts with the coach's explanation."

On March 19th, ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Oman, Son Heung-min stated during a press conference held at Goyang Stadium, "Now is the time when I feel in the best condition. There has been some physical consumption due to the concurrent Europa League and league matches, but it seems the coach has made a judgment to maintain good condition. There are no problems with my body at all."

While his remarks appear to show respect for both confidence and the coach's decisions, some British media interpreted this interview as saying, "There is no physical issue = exclusion from play is incomprehensible." Consequently, this led to reports suggesting that "Son Heung-min expressed dissatisfaction with the coach's decision to exclude him from playing."

In particular, the British 'Tottenham Hotspur News' and 'Independent' reported that "Such comments contradict coach Postecoglou's rotation policy. The coach may react sensitively to these remarks," raising the possibility of conflict.

Son Heung-min was honored as the 2024 Korea Football Association (KFA) Player of the Year, announced on March 31st, marking yet another achievement. He earned a total of 109 points, narrowly surpassing last year's winner Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich, 104 points).

"Player of the Year" is an award given by the KFA to the most outstanding South Korean football player each year, determined through a combination of journalists' votes (50%) and votes from football experts (50%). The expert group includes the Technical Development Committee and women's football head coaches.

This award is Son Heung-min's eighth personal award, marking a record for the most awards in history. Starting in 2013, he has won in 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and now this year, achieving the remarkable feat of eight awards. In the skipped year of 2023, Kim Min-jae received the honor, but Son Heung-min reclaimed the title after a year, proving himself as the true "symbol of South Korean football."

The news of this award also gained attention locally in Britain. 'Tottenham Hotspur News' reported on April 1st, stating, "Son Heung-min, who faced some criticism this season for underperforming, regained his pride by receiving a valuable award in his home country." The media added, "This shows that he remains the face of South Korean football and continues to maintain international influence."

However, 'Tottenham Hotspur News' claimed, "In recent weeks, Son Heung-min has occasionally been excluded from the starting lineup and has expressed dissatisfaction regarding playing time, which may have affected his relationship with the coach."

Son Heung-min's actual comments seem to convey both 'confidence in his current physical condition' and 'acceptance of the coach's decisions.' At the press conference, Son Heung-min remarked, "It seems the coach made that decision for a better situation," emphasizing his respect for the coach's decision.

Nevertheless, some local media continue to generate controversy by covering nearly fictional "forced discord" with the coach in their articles about Son Heung-min's KFA Player of the Year award.

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