Heung-Min Son (손흥민)

  • The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...

    Get involved!

Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports

exp10.jpg
 
As an Asian, I can reaffirm there is not much representation of us in the wider media like big movies (even the MCU has a movie about Black Panther but the only Asian we have is fucking Wong?)and football (the most popular sport) aside from the typical stereotypes.

That's true, but it's also completely understandable. After all, Asia may be the largest and most populated (by far) continent on Earth, but in the West, Asians remain a rather severe minority. The entirety of Asians, of all kinds, in the UK comprises only 6.9% of the country's population, and the bulk of that are people whose ancestry comes from India or Pakistan. Similarly, in the US the percentage is actually only 5.2% (+0.6% if you're including mixed race Asians), heavily skewed in favor of Chinese.


In other words Asians, collectively, only make up roughly 1 in 20 people in the US, so if you're ever watching American media which portrays Asians at higher rates than this, they're technically being over-represented. Sounds strange to say, but a fact it nonetheless remains. The reason I bring it up, is because often the whole discussion of 'representation' in media tends to forget these facts, and it's frequently chalked up to racism, when it's actually just a reflection of demographic reality.

And as for football, well, that's solely down to whether or not certain regions of the world produce fine footballers. Notice how the PL is not swarming with players from the US, for instance, and no-one could accuse the US of being underprivileged. Indeed, if clubs were to start deliberately purchasing American players just for the sake of increasing their 'representation' to attract fans in the US, then I would call that horrendously cynical, not to mention commercial, and unlikely to build the best team.

I say all of this not to argue against your point regarding Korean fans. I agree with you about that, and I am very happy to see such fans supporting THFC, even if it's down to a favorite player. I'm glad Asians have a footballing hero to look up to and admire, and as has been noted by someone else, this is actually how most people become fans anyway. But once you have become a fan of a team, it's pretty bad form to then just ditch that team in favour of a new one just because the player you liked got transferred.

For people like you to simplify it by saying "omg these korean fans are not loyal" is you basically taking something for granted that as a white person that you do not have to deal with or suffer a lot less from.

That's going a bit too far, and in fact I'd argue it's really the opposite of that. It's simply holding the Korean fans to the same standards as all the other fans, actually. See, you mention Ronaldo and Messi, but neither of them are supported so greatly around the world because of their ethnicity. Also, I'd like you to consider Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid from Manchester United. Do you believe that a ton of people who had become United fans suddenly became Madrid fans just because their favorite player had moved? If they did, then to be perfectly honest with you I reckon most football fans would write them off as plastic, and yes, to a certain degree disloyal. How about if Dele Alli gets poached by City; is it reasonable to expect fans to switch allegiances, or would the very thought of this cause most of our fans to have a heart attack? I don't imagine too many kind words would be showered upon the 'fans' who switched...

So while I do agree with you about how great it is to have this Korean support, you have to appreciate that football culture is essentially built upon loyalty, and so it remains a highly valued currency among the fans. It's not taking something for granted to expect the same from Asians, regardless of how undersold you think they are in media. Instead, it's welcoming them into the fold, and saying: "here's the rules". :)

Just some food for thought.
 
All our players and our manager are constantly linked with big money moves to Europe's biggest clubs , why never Sonny he's class
The simple answer is that up until last summer there was always the near inevitable military service looming. So most of the biggest clubs did not want to go for him.

We however gambled on him and it has now paid off and Son seems to truly adore us for it.
 
I just saw this somewhere that SALE is what's up now from the old DESK

Son
Ali
Llorente
Eriksen

:eriksenlol:
 
But once you have become a fan of a team, it's pretty bad form to then just ditch that team in favour of a new one just because the player you liked got transferred.

I'd like you to consider Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid from Manchester United. Do you believe that a ton of people who had become United fans suddenly became Madrid fans just because their favorite player had moved? If they did, then to be perfectly honest with you I reckon most football fans would write them off as plastic, and yes, to a certain degree disloyal.

There are local fan of the club. People who live where the teams are based on, hold season tickets and go to every game. These would be the loyal fans of the club. But for international fans (clubs do market internationally for reason) who don't live in the region, what should their loyalty be based on? If the players change, manager change, sponsor change, owner change... is it really the same club they supported? As an example, ManUtd is not the same club since SAF left. Entire player roster changed as well as their style. Is it "plastic" for international fans to switch?

Another example. Let's say you're Mercedes fan in F1 and you hate Ferrari and Vettel. And Vettel suddenly moves to Mercedes and Hamilton goes to Ferrari. now you're cheering for Vettel and start hating Hamilton? Can you blame anyone for being loyal to the team or the player?
 
Last edited:
Son knows the meaning and appreciation of playing for the shirt!
Its called loyalty and a love of your club and teammates !
Superjan and Son club Best and Fairest this season by miles!
 
Must say one of the things that I feel relieved about in the midst of our another injury crisis is that Son has been remarkably durable over the last few seasons. I actually can’t remember him being off injured for quite a long time, in fact I can’t remember any injuries other than his first season when he was off for plantar fasciitis.

Ever since then he’s pretty much been available every time when Harry has been injured to fill the centre forward spot, Son and Eriksen pretty much seems to play almost every game every season. And this is considering he played way more games with tighter schedules than everyone else with his Asian games and whatnot.

This Does not comment on his performance issues but I must say it is comforting that he’s available whether he’s playing well or not.
 
Another example. Let's say you're Mercedes fan in F1 and you hate Ferrari and Vettel. And Vettel suddenly moves to Mercedes and Hamilton goes to Ferrari. now you're cheering for Vettel and start hating Hamilton? Can you blame anyone for being loyal to the team or the player?

Hey don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to blame or criticize anyone at all, and certainly not the Korean fans. I just noticed that the argument was being made that wanting/expecting fan loyalty was a function of white privilege, and I can't agree with that.

As for international fans in general, well, it's possible that you could make the argument that ALL international fandom is inherently plastic, but I don't think that's true. I think choosing a team is the same principle all over the world, and also across most sports. Just like how supporters for a PL team can be found all over the country, in the US the NFL teams likewise have support nationwide, which typically doesn't change just because a star player is no longer playing, so I don't buy the geography angle. One might have been attracted to a team because of a particular player, but if your interest fades as soon as they're not there, then were you ever really a fan of that team in the first place?

In fact, taking your Manchester United example, if you're only supporting United because SAF/Ronaldo is there and they're winning things, but lose interest when that stops, isn't that the very definition of glory-hunting?

All I'm saying is that however you feel about the importance (or lack thereof) of fan 'loyalty', the reasons for supporters wanting/expecting such loyalty are pretty understandable when you consider football culture, and what it is based upon. Just felt that was worth stating.
 
Must say one of the things that I feel relieved about in the midst of our another injury crisis is that Son has been remarkably durable over the last few seasons. I actually can’t remember him being off injured for quite a long time, in fact I can’t remember any injuries other than his first season when he was off for plantar fasciitis.

Ever since then he’s pretty much been available every time when Harry has been injured to fill the centre forward spot, Son and Eriksen pretty much seems to play almost every game every season. And this is considering he played way more games with tighter schedules than everyone else with his Asian games and whatnot.

This Does not comment on his performance issues but I must say it is comforting that he’s available whether he’s playing well or not.
He did break his arm on national duty just as the 17-18 season started. But he only missed a week or two before he was back playing with a cast.

But yeah, dude is durable. It's important that we look after him and probably bring in some back up so we do not run Sonny into the ground if Kane will end up being injured each season now which might be the case.
 
Just like how supporters for a PL team can be found all over the country, in the US the NFL teams likewise have support nationwide, which typically doesn't change just because a star player is no longer playing, so I don't buy the geography angle.

In fact, taking your Manchester United example, if you're only supporting United because SAF/Ronaldo is there and they're winning things, but lose interest when that stops, isn't that the very definition of glory-hunting?
I disagree. Vast majority of "nationwide" fans of Chicago Bulls faded as soon as Michael Jordan retired. As with Wayne Gretzky. Joe Montana...

United example was to ask what international fan's loyalty should be based on. It was extreme example of everything anyone loved about the team being changed. Not just the manager and star player. But "ENTIRE" player roster and their style.

And when a man all United fans hated, Mourinho became manager of United, all of sudden fans support him. And then criticize him as soon as he got sacked... Loyalty can be interpreted many ways. Just have to acknowledge there are different type of fans and loyalty. Some soldiers are loyal to the country and some are loyal to their superiors.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom