Fans call for Son Heung-min's contract termination after Tottenham's loss to Fulham

Once again, attention is turning to Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur). Although Son performed admirably after being substituted in the second half, fans are once again criticizing him.

The Tottenham fan community 'Tottenham News' reported on the 17th (Korean time) that "Tottenham fans are calling for a termination of Son Heung-min's contract after witnessing scenes captured following the loss to Fulham."

Tottenham Hotspur lost 0-2 in a 'London derby' against Fulham during the 29th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League (PL) held at Craven Cottage in London, UK, at 10:30 p.m. on the 16th.

With this, Tottenham has failed to secure victory for the third consecutive league match, continuing their poor performance. They currently sit in 13th place with 34 points (10 wins, 4 draws, 15 losses) but are at risk of being overtaken by 15th place Manchester United (also 34 points). Meanwhile, Fulham has jumped to 8th place with 45 points (12 wins, 9 draws, 8 losses).

On this day, head coach Ange Postecoglou opted for rotation. After playing the full 90 minutes against AZ Alkmaar on the 14th, it seems he decided to focus more on the UEFA Europa League (UEL), where they have reached the quarterfinals, rather than the league. Key players such as Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Lucas Beriwal, Pape Sarr, Pedro Porro, and Mickey van de Ven were notably seated on the bench.

In their place, Mathis Tel, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Yves Bissouma, Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, and Jed Spence started. The formation was once again 4-3-3.

Tottenham once again could not avoid a lackluster performance. They failed to find a breakthrough throughout the first half, not producing a single shot on target in 45 minutes. Their only shot in the first half was a header from Bentancur during a corner kick in the 15th minute. Instead, they made defensive mistakes that handed opportunities to Fulham.

Postecoglou pulled out the Son Heung-min card right at the start of the second half. As soon as Son was brought on, he made his presence felt. In the 2nd minute of the second half, he faked a defender on the right flank, broke through, and passed, but Bentancur's shot was blocked by the defense. In the 13th minute of the second half, Son delivered a sharp free kick toward the goal, but it did not connect with a teammate's head.

Fulham broke the deadlock. In the 33rd minute of the second half, Odobert attempted a risky dribble, lost the ball, and allowed a counterattack opportunity. In the ensuing attack, Rodrigo Muniz pierced the corner of the goal with an exquisite one-touch shot, scoring the opening goal.

Fulham scored a second goal. In the 43rd minute of the second half, Davies mishandled a long pass, and Ryan Sessegnon seized the opportunity to snatch the ball. Sessegnon then scored with a right-footed shot, making it 2-0. Ultimately, Tottenham succumbed to a goal from Sessegnon, who they had sent away last year.

Son Heung-min also could not make a significant impact. He was brought on in the second half and covered the pitch for 45 minutes, registering 1 shot, 3 chance creations, 4 successful crosses (4/8), 2 successful duels (2/4), and 1 foul won, but he could not make a difference. The soccer statistics outlet 'Footmob' rated Son Heung-min at 6.5.

Support from teammates was also lacking. Son displayed good linked play and sharp kicks, but most did not lead to threatening situations. During added time, he delivered a good pass to Solanke, but the shot was stopped by the goalkeeper. Moreover, there was a moment in the 14th minute of the second half where Udogie interfered with Son's shot.

Tottenham News gave Son Heung-min a rating of 7. This was the highest score shared with Tel, Gray, and Romero. The outlet praised him, saying, "He provided quality to the attack as soon as he entered the field."

'Spurs Web' and 'Standard' rated Son Heung-min's performance at 6. Spurs Web noted, "He looked very dangerous in the first 20 minutes after being brought on. However, he soon faded." Meanwhile, Standard remarked, "He added a bit of intensity up front. Furthermore, he created a late shot for Solanke in the final moments of the match."

Nevertheless, some Tottenham fans harshly criticized Son Heung-min. This was especially due to him being captured covering his face with a jersey in despair after the loss. Tottenham News reported that "Son Heung-min's popularity is declining among Tottenham fans. The scenes of losing to Fulham are not helping either. After Tottenham suffered their 15th loss of the season, fans were engulfed in anger."

The outlet added, "In a video shared on social media, captain Son Heung-min appeared to have a somewhat angry expression after the match ended. However, fans do not seem to feel much sympathy for him. In fact, one fan even demanded a termination of his contract."

According to the outlet, fans who witnessed Son Heung-min's despondent demeanor expressed, "Terminate the contract. He’s a loser captain," "I’m tired of that expression. Show it on the field," "It’s the same reaction every time we lose. Such a captain-like behavior," "He needs to grow up," and "Son Heung-min should step down from the captaincy to protect his reputation. We’ve already seen the case of Lloris: he was our best winger but also the worst captain."

Tottenham News also urged that Son Heung-min should do more. The outlet noted, "Son has often appeared upset after losses this season. However, in the end, fans grow disinterested in players’ reactions following defeats. Fans want to see results on the field. Just appearing angry is not enough for fans to continue their support. Son needs to express his emotions more positively."

Meanwhile, coach Postecoglou has not escaped criticism from fans either. After the match against Fulham, he clashed with fans again. Spurs Army, which covers Tottenham news, reported that "After today’s loss, a dispute broke out between Postecoglou and a fan as he was leaving the tunnel. Mathis Tel once again played the role of mediator."

After the whistle blew at the end of the Fulham match, Tottenham fans could not contain their anger. According to a released video, one fan shouted repeatedly at coach Postecoglou, "XX (fu**) what is this?" At that, Postecoglou stopped in his tracks and glared at the fan, shouting something back.

The 2005-born loan player Tel and the 2000-born Jed Spence urgently intervened, but coach Postecoglou also appeared to be very angry. He turned back, seemingly having something left to say, pointing at the fan while adding something. It was clearly an emotional response. Spurs Army reported, "It sounded as if Postecoglou was telling the fan, 'You’re a young man. Show some respect.'"

This is not the first time Postecoglou has clashed with Tottenham fans. Tottenham has been experiencing serious poor performance throughout this season. After losing 0-1 helplessly against Bournemouth away last December, he also had a dispute with fans. One fan criticized him, saying, "It’s your fault," and he replied, "Me?" while approaching the away supporters before being restrained by security.

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