Jenas: Spurs are no ‘Harry Kane team’ – Son has been their star man for two years
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jermaine Jenas believes Son Heung-min has been the club’s best player over the last two years - not Harry Kane.
![Son Heung-Min](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jaxnM9277VMbn7uL4Pr68d.jpg)
The South Korea international has been in superb form for Spurs this season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions, including the opener in the 3-0 Champions League last 16 first leg win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
Jenas has been blown away by the 26-year-old’s displays and believes he is an example of why Tottenham can’t be considered a one-man team.
“Thankfully, Son got knocked out of the Asia games and he was able to come back early,” he told Goal.
“The level of professionalism from him is unbelievable. He has travelled all over the world numerous times this season and he is back and ready to play.
“He is not only ready to play but he is producing, he is ready to fill the boots of Harry Kane. Essentially, it is that which has allowed Spurs to put themselves back into title contention.
“That’s not to discredit anyone else. Everyone is playing their part and they are tough moments when you lose a couple of your best players. You go onto the pitch lacking a little bit of that confidence and you can see that but they have dug deep and found some serious strength.
“Son, in my eyes, he is arguably Spurs’ best player for the last two years. Harry Kane had a below-par four or five months leading into the World Cup and that was partly due to injury. Within that period Son has been a shining light.
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“In that period he was scoring goals last year and then hit the ground running again this year. With the emotions that he was going through going into the first time that he went to play in the Asian Games with the Under 23s. The circumstances surrounding that, he dealt with it. Then, to go again and come back, it can knock you out of your rhythm.
“It is interesting when you hear people describe Spurs as the ‘Harry Kane team’. If you look at most teams, they all have a star player. Whether it is Mohamed Salah at Liverpool or Eden Hazard at Chelsea.
“The flip side to that, would Christian Eriksen not get into the top sides in Europe? Would Dele Alli not get into the top sides in Europe? Lucas Moura was at PSG and they aren’t exactly average. There are plenty of players with that star power.“
Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
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