Son Heung-min is first Tottenham player to break silence on Antonio Conte sacking in emotional interview
SON HEUNG-MIN has apologised to Antonio Conte for personally not doing more this season.
Conte left the club on Sunday night, eight days after slaughtering his “selfish” players in an explosive final press conference after a 3-3 draw at Southampton.
It had been notable how none of Tottenham‘s squad had taken to social media to pay tribute to their outgoing boss.
But Son, 30, has now paid tribute to the “world-class” Italian and said he feels responsible for his exit.
The South Korean shared the Premier League golden boot last season as he flourished under Conte – but has not come close to hitting the same heights this term.
Speaking while on international duty, Son said: “I’m very sorry to him.
“He is a world-class manager, we had a great journey together, I thank him a lot.
“I do not know how other players are thinking about him, but I’m sorry to him.
“I should have shown more but I couldn’t. I couldn’t help the team and I feel responsible as he left the club.”
Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini has been put in caretaker charge until the end of the season.
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Spurs have ten games left to hold onto the fourth spot that they currently occupy, having been knocked out of all the cup competitions.
Conte is back in Italy contemplating his next move.
He is expected to be a leading contender for any vacancies that could crop up at the top-end of Serie A this summer, with AC Milan, Inter and Roma all possibly changing bosses.
Son, who is on 99 Premier League goals, added: “He surely has great ability and experience as a coach and I’m sure he’ll have great success in his other career.
“Coming back to Spurs, I wish to finish the rest of the season in a great way with my team-mates, for our club.”
One man who could follow Conte out of the exit door is Ivan Perisic – should any club be willing to stump up for his sky-high wages.
The Croat, 34, was signed on a two-year deal last summer by Conte, for whom he had excelled at Inter, but has struggled to replicate those performances in the Premier League.
Daniel Levy will assess possible successors to Conte between now and the end of the season.
Julian Nagelsmann, recently sacked by Bayern Munich, is a contender but also a possible candidate for Real Madrid should Carlo Ancelotti leave.
Nagelsmann’s close pal Ernst Tanner, who coached the 35-year-old at 1860 Munich and has known him for 20 years, told German media: “Real will certainly be an option again, but in terms of language and his interests, I see England rather as the next and logical step.
“Whether this has to be Tottenham in all haste, I dare to doubt.”