EPL: Redknapp backs Conte over latest decision on Son Heung-min

Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Jamie Redknapp has backed manager Antonio Conte’s decision to drop forward, Son Heung-min from the start against Leicester City on Saturday despite the player coming on to net a 14-minute hat-trick.

Son was introduced during Tottenham’s Premier League tie with Leicester after an hour with the game poised at 3-2.

His hat-trick in 14 minutes, his first strikes of the new season, took the game away from Leicester.

Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Redknapp backed Conte and said that it was Son’s prerogative to ‘buy into’ the manager’s methods owing to the wealth of attacking talent he has at his disposal.

“Of course, he was going to be angry, you could see that [when he was on] the bench,” Redknapp said.

“He’s a very, very special player and that is exactly the way to react when you get left out. But Spurs have so many great options and you have to buy into that.”

“It is not about an individual player. It was always Son and [Harry] Kane the last three, four, five years.

“Now there is other options. You have Richarlison, Kane, Son, [Kulusevski, brilliant options to come off the bench. And that’s exactly what you have to buy into.

“That is the perfect example of what to do as a player, but also as a manager. You have to say to Conte he’s got it right. He is not afraid to leave players out, he won the golden boot last year.

“You spoke before the game about Leicester, how their confidence is so fragile. And it is the same with players sometimes. Son said before the game, he had to go back to basics and get his finishing right. And that is shown today. It was a brilliant hat-trick and an amazing cameo.”