Realistic Expectations for Heung-Min Son at Tottenham Hotspur in 2016-17

Heung-Min Son is hoping to begin the 2016-17 season with a crack at glory on international duty with South Korea. Even if a medal proves elusive, the honour of representing his country at the Olympic Games will still offer considerable compensation—barring a deeply disappointing overall performance.

Participation at Rio 2016 could be to the detriment of his short-term prospects with his club Tottenham Hotspur, however. 

Son’s impending involvement at the Olympic football tournament—he is one of the Asian nation’s three allotted players aged 23 or over—has, if nothing else, complicated his integration into the upcoming campaign. Expectations of him are subject to alteration depending on how things go with both parties during this period.

The attacker’s second year playing in England may end up being boosted by the time with his national team.

A positive experience out in Brazil could help his confidence and form, benefiting him so significantly it makes up for lost time with his club. As noted by ESPN FC’s Dan Kilpatrick, winning a medal would also excuse him from his as-yet completed military service back home.

After the mixed experience of his debut Premier League campaign, though, there will be some concern being away will cost him a chance of establishing some early momentum.

Injury certainly hurt Son here at a similar point almost a year ago.

After transferring from Bayer Leverkusen in mid-August, his Tottenham career began with a string of welcome enthusiastic performances. A brace against Qarabag in the Europa League and the winner versus Crystal Palace in the Premier League helped kickstart the team’s season after a winless opening month. He impressed again in the memorable 4-1 league win over Manchester City.

Son spoke positively to Spurs’ official website about the foot issue that kept him out until November, stating upon his return “I am fit and getting better and stronger.” Come May, he admitted it had been more problematic.

“I started well, got injured and then getting fit took a long time,” he told the Tottenham & Wood Green Journal’s Ben Pearce. “I’m still getting [back to] 100 per cent.”

Son made 40 appearances overall—a solid return—and scored eight times. In the aforementioned Journal interview, he described the Premier League as being “harder than what I thought.”

Challenging though the new experience was, the good of Son’s work certainly established his qualities. On his day, he is an energetic presence, hungry to get forward and tricky for even focused opponents to contain.

The not-so-good days raised doubts about his ability to perform consistently, as well as concerns over his suitability to a Mauricio Pochettino team.

Speaking in April to the club’s official website, he highlighted the collective spirit that underpins Spurs’ pressing and beguilingly cohesive attacking play at their most effective as his favourite tenet of the Argentinian’s philosophy.

“The trust among the …

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