A journalist picked the wrong man this week when he questioned Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou about the value of the Asian Cup, which will leave the injury-hit Premier League club without Son Heung-Min for a few weeks in the New Year.
Postecoglou led Australia to the Asian Cup title on home soil in 2015 after his Socceroos team beat a South Korean team in which Son played in the final.
“You know I won it, right?” Postecoglou said when asked what he thought of the significance of the continental championship.
“That’s why I rank it quite high, I think it’s quite important. A lot of Europeans think the Euro is quite important. Well, the same goes for the Asian Cup or the African Cup of Nations.”
Tottenham are without James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero through injuries and will lose striker Son for as long as South Korea are in the Asian Cup.
Postecoglou, a proud Australian, could not resist a cheeky jibe at Tottenham’s captain.
“I hope Sonny will go on and win second place to Australia again,” he said.
“I would be very happy about that.”
Spurs, who are fifth in the standings after Thursday’s 4-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, next host 12th-placed Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Asian Cup will be held in Qatar from 12 January to 10 February.