Ange Postecoglou believes the South Korea ping-pong kerfuffle that left Son Heung-min with a dislocated finger showed his hidden STEEL

Ange Postecoglou suspects the South Korea ping-pong kerfuffle, which left Son Heung-min nursing a dislocated finger, offered a rare glimpse of the hidden steel behind Tottenham’s nice-guy captain.

‘That’s what leadership is all about,’ said Spurs boss Postecoglou. ‘Leadership is not about being popular and trying to make everybody happy, it’s about when you see something that you don’t feel is right then you stand up for it because it’s the best thing for the group.’

Son returned from international duty at the Asian Cup with the minor injury, which, according to revelations from South Korea this week, happened during a row about table tennis.

Some younger players, including Kang-in Lee of Paris Saint-Germain had rushed through the team meal on the eve of a semi-final against Jordan to get back to the ping-pong tables.

Senior players including Son took issue with their behaviour, there were heated words exchanged and a scuffle broke out in the dining area.

The Tottenham captain was spotted with a brace on his fingers during his Asian Cup semi-final against Jordan

The Spurs boss stated that he felt ‘people are mistaken about Sonny’ adding that his player is constantly driving for higher standards 

Son played for South Korea in the defeat against Jordan with the finger in a split as he did when he came off the bench on his Tottenham return, against Brighton last week.

‘Sometimes people are mistaken about Sonny,’ said Postecoglou, who made the 31-year-old captain after losing Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane from his squad at the start of this season.

‘By nature, he’s a nice guy and a positive guy who whenever you see him is smiling and everyone has a real affection for him. He is very polite and very respectful, but he wants to win.

‘He doesn’t like standards slipping and I’ve seen him do that around here. If something is not right, he will say it.

‘Sometimes it is not the popular thing to do. Sometimes that puts you in the firing line with the playing group, and with coaches or the club. But as a leader if you think this is the right thing to do then you should go strongly on it.

‘That drive for high standards transfers to leadership.’

Son is expected to start against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday but Postecoglou will be without both first-choice full backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as he tries to maintain his team’s strong home form and push for the top four.

Son is expected to start for Tottenham on Saturday against Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Postecoglou will be without Destiny Udogie for their Premier League clash against Wolves 

Neither are expected to be out for long. Tottenham have no fixture for a fortnight after Wolves and hope they could return in the next game against Crystal Palace.

However, back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster will be out for at least two months after breaking a bone in his foot in training.