A reporter picked the wrong man this week when he quizzed Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou on the value of the Asian Cup, which will cost the injury-hit Premier League club the services of Son Heung-min for a few weeks in the new year.
Postecoglou guided Australia to the Asian Cup title on home soil in 2015 after his Socceroos side beat a South Korea team featuring Son in the final.
“You know I won it, don’t you?” Postecoglou replied when asked for his view on the importance of the continental championship.
“So I rank it pretty highly, I think it’s pretty important. A lot of European people think the Euros are pretty important - well, it’s the same for the Asian Cup or the African Cup of Nations.”
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Tottenham is without James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero due to injury and will also lose forward Son for as long as South Korea remains in the Asian Cup.
Still a proud Australian, Postecoglou could not resist a cheeky dig at the Tottenham captain.
“I hope Sonny goes on and finishes runner-up to Australia again, mate,” he said. “I’d be really happy about that.”
Spurs, fifth in the standings after their 4-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday, next host 12th-placed Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Asian Cup takes place from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 in Qatar.
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