Football banter adds an another dimension to the beautiful game. Accusations are a part of this banter and one such grave accusation was made recently by Nottingham Forest’s 21 year-old Nigerian left-back Ola Aina against Tottenham Hotspur’s captain and star striker Son Heung-min.
Shocking really, considering how Son is one of the nicest and most humble guys in football.
The crime, as reported by Aina, took place during Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday. After a Murillo own goal handed Spurs the lead, Chris Wood equalized for Forest. Not long into the second half, Tottenham took the lead through Mickey van de Ven before Pedro Porro secured the win with a sensational volley.
After the game, Aina took to Snapchat to express his inconvenience at getting his tooth fixed. Apparently, Ola received a major blow to his teeth during the game and holds Son as guilty of inflicting such pain. Going by his photos, the blow meant he was forced to go the dentist for some major treatment to his tooth that was clearly so bent out of shape.
Unlike Son, isn’t it? Clearly such an act of aggression doesn’t suit the South Korean. However, Aina wasn’t prepared to let it slide.
Post getting some necessary dental work done, Ola sent out a notice to “Mr. Son”, asking him to reimburse the cost of the treatment. He even argued that it is imperative Son pays, and that someone gets in touch with him as these treatments are expensive and their wages are nowhere near the same.
Although repeated public reminders were sent albeit to no response by Son, Aina was getting impatient. He posted a ‘wanted’ poster of Son, informing about his last known whereabouts and even sending a little message for him, “Tell him I just want to talk kmt (kiss my teeth)”.
After what he did, this sort of ignorance is something we could have never come to expected from ‘nice guy’ Son.
With the public too taking Ola Aina’s side, Son was losing support. As the silence dragged on so did the speculative nature of this conflict. However, before things could go sour, turn worse to ugly, Ola Aina, after careful review and taking help of VAR, came to the conclusion that it wasn’t Son who was behind his pain. As this verdict shook the fans once again, they called for justice. Unfortunately, as the VAR footage was inconclusive, the perpetrator runs free.
While the guilty party looms at large, it is massive relief that Son is cleared of all charges. To even think Son was capable of such acts is a nightmare. However, just as much as how Ola Aina likes to joke, Son is a nice guy just as much. Nothing can ever change that.
