Son Hueng-Min is finally getting serious about Tottenham
Son Heung-Min is staying at Tottenham during this international break
Tottenham attacker Son Heung-Min is finally getting serious about his Spurs career. Perhaps he realizes just how close he was to being sold this summer. No matter what the motivation, Son appears to be more dedicated to the club than ever before.
The South Korean star has elected to stay at White Hart Lane instead of competing with his country during this international break. This represents a sharp departure from Son’s previous philosophy. As you’ll recall, he missed the start of Tottenham’s Premier League campaign while competing for South Korea in the Summer Olympics.
It’s possible that skipping his country’s qualifiers was part of the club’s deal to allow him to compete in the Olympics. It’s also possible that Son has realized just how tenuous his place at the club really is.
I tend to think it’s the latter. Son surely knows how close he was to being shipped back to the Bundesliga this summer. He claimed not to have any real knowledge of Wolfsburg’s interest, but that seems too naive to actually believe. Son has access to the internet, he knows that being sold this summer was a viable possibility.
Get the FanSided App
Son also realizes that the arrival of attackers Georges-Kevin N’Koudou and Moussa Sissoko are a direct threat to his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Sissoko, in particular, has been brought in to provide cover at all three attacking midfield positions. That’s exactly the role that Son wants to claim for his own.
Perhaps this summer was just the kick in the pants the talented attacker needed. It’s all well and good to always play with a smile on your face, but in the Premier League you need more to succeed. You need to develop an edge. Attackers need a killer instinct to flourish in England’s top flight.
Spending a little extra time under Pochettino should help Son transform his game. He could use some petulance in his bag of tricks. The Argentine manager specializes in helping his players develop just that sort of mindset on the pitch.
Tottenham fans will hope that Son’s decision to focus more of his energy on his Spurs career will pay real dividends. He has the talent to be a real offensive boost off the bench. The next few months will likely determine whether or not he becomes a valuable Plan B off Pochettino’s bench or a valuable transfer commodity during the January window.
More from Playing for 90
This article originally appeared on 
