Son Heung-min struggles with Tottenham manager as legend questions his role

'Captain' Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) is said to not be receiving the trust of manager Ange Postecoglou.

'To the Rain and Back' covering Tottenham news reported on the 15th (Korea time) that "Son Heung-min is enduring a tough season at Tottenham," noting that "Robbie Keane provided a verdict on how difficult a time Son is having."

Son Heung-min is an undisputed legend at Tottenham. He has not transferred to another team since joining Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. Over the past 10 years, Son has worn the No. 7 jersey for Tottenham and scored 173 goals with 96 assists in 451 matches. This ranks him fifth in total goals in the club's history.

Moreover, except for his debut season, Son has achieved double-digit goals in the Premier League for eight consecutive seasons. With 127 league goals, he ranks joint 16th all-time. His total assists stand at 72, making him 17th overall and first in Tottenham history. If he adds just one more attacking point, he will reach 200 in the Premier League.

'To the Rain and Back' has also previously noted, "Since joining Tottenham in 2015, Son has been a loyal servant. While the word 'legend' is used too easily in football, the No. 7 of Tottenham is undoubtedly a club legend and one of the greatest players in the club's history. Son is loved by all fans and performs weekly for Tottenham."

However, Son's presence at Tottenham is reportedly diminishing. This season, he has recorded 11 goals and 12 assists in 43 games. In particular, he has scored only one goal in the last 17 matches, which was a penalty kick against Bournemouth. His last field goal in the Premier League was a deflected shot in January against Arsenal.

Tottenham has also fallen to 15th place after losing 17 out of 31 league matches. As a result, excessive criticism has been directed toward Son, the captain. While he still boasts the most attacking points on the team, there are calls to let him go at the end of the season, claiming he is not the same Son as before.

However, 'To the Rain and Back' pointed out that it only appears that Son is struggling because he is Son. The outlet stated, "Tottenham is at risk of finishing the season with the lowest points in history. Son's lack of form and influence have not helped," but added, "11 goals and 12 assists are not bad figures at all."

Nevertheless, 'To the Rain and Back' stated, "Son's inconsistent performances have not contributed to Tottenham's cause. He has struggled to exert influence over the past few months. Since entering 2025, he has had minimal impact," adding that Son is experiencing fluctuations in form.

Keane, one of Tottenham's legends, also defended Son. He is the all-time leading scorer for the Ireland national team and has won the Tottenham Player of the Year award three times. He played for Tottenham for eight seasons in the 2000s, appearing in 306 matches and scoring 122 goals with 39 assists.

Keane sided with his junior, Son. 'To the Rain and Back' reported, "Keane said that Son is having a tough season, but this is because he has not received support from other forwards. He claimed that Son is still a top-level player and that there is no reason to let him go in the summer. Keane believes that manager Postecoglou has no confidence in Son."

According to the media, Keane recently mentioned in an interview, "Son is having a difficult season, but the entire team is. He certainly misses Harry Kane. The two had a great connection, so it's a big change for Son. He hasn’t been able to play as often as he would like and is slightly lacking in confidence. Nevertheless, he is still a top player."

He also remarked, "Son has been an incredibly amazing player at Tottenham, so I hope he does not leave in the summer. I think his relationship with Postecoglou doesn’t resemble the relationships he had with prior managers. This is because Postecoglou often substitutes Son and leaves him out of the starting lineup," suggesting that it seems there is a rift between manager Postecoglou and Son.

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