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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Son dislocates finger on international duty</li><li>Came in argument over ping pong request</li><li>Postecoglou defends captain's actions</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

'Sonny being Sonny' - Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou responds to furious South Korea ping pong bust-up that left Son Heung-min with dislocated finger

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Vissel Kobe

Tottenham

The South Korea captain was involved in a row with his younger team-mates at the Asian Cup, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/son-heung-min-south-korea-dislocated-finger-lee-kang-in-tottenham-hotspur-paris-saint-germain/blt3348eb0c52c68e0f" target="_blank">reportedly a result of their desire to leave dinner early to play ping pong</a>. Son injured his finger and Paris Saint-Germain's Kang-in Lee came out to publicly apologise shortly after. But Postecoglou backed his skipper and claims those events show his high "standards", which can lead to being put "in the firing line" of a squad.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Australian said in Friday's press conference: "It was Sonny being Sonny. When you're a leader, sometimes you get in the firing line. That's what leadership is all about. Leadership is not about being popular and trying to make everybody happy, it's about when you see something that you don't feel is right then you stand up for it because it's the best thing for the group. I see that in Sonny."Sometimes people are mistaken about Sonny because he's such a positive guy, who whenever you see him is smiling and everyone has a real affection for him, but he wants to win. He doesn't like standards slipping and I've seen him do that around here. If something is not right, he will say it. Sometimes it is not the popular thing to do. Sometimes that puts you in the firing line with the playing group and with coaches or the club, but as a leader if you think this is the right thing to do, then you should go strongly on it. Sonny by nature is a nice guy. He is very polite and very respectful but that doesn't mean he can't be a real winner and a guy who has high standards."

WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

The bust-up between Son, Lee and others happened before <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/son-heung-min-south-korea-asian-cup-semi-finals-jordan-tottenham/blt1339884221ff08b4" target="_blank">Korea's semi-final exit to Jordan</a>, who place 64 spots below them in the world rankings. That dire showing, combined with the ping pong fiasco, led to Jurgen Klinsmann's demise at the helm. The ex-USMNT boss was <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/jurgen-klinsmann-sacked-south-korea-heung-min-son-ping-pong-kfa-president-usmnt-boss/blt169af207b29b478f#cs3c0111d677fee999" target="_blank">relieved of his duties on Friday</a>, with the Korean FA president issuing a brutal statement calling him out for "falling short of people’s expectations". It is believed Son's ping pong altercation played a part in his sacking.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The mercurial forward returned to Premier League action sporting the war wounds of said bust up, making an instant impact to assist the winning goal in Tottenham's dramatic 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend. Spurs are in action later on Saturday against Wolves.

WHAT NEXT FOR SON?

'Sonny being Sonny' - Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou responds to furious South Korea ping pong bust-up that left Son Heung-min with dislocated finger | Goal.com Cameroon

Ange Postecoglou has defended Son Heung-min for &quot;being Sonny&quot; after the Tottenham forward dislocated his finger in an altercation on South Korea duty.

&apos;Sonny being Sonny&apos; - Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou responds to furious South Korea ping pong bust-up that left Son Heung-min with dislocated finger