Redknapp still struggling to convince Modric to stay

Why is Harry Redknapp continuing this tug of war with Chelsea over the future of Luka Modric? Last week, he told us that he will attempt to convince the Croatian midfielder of the club’s ambition. But how is he going to do that unless we sign anyone? Talk is cheap my friend.

Central to Modric’s belief that his future is elsewhere, is his desire to win silverware and play Champions League football on a regular basis – something our Harry simply cannot guarantee at the moment, and given the lack of news on the transfer front, the former Portsmouth boss will have to rely on his persuasive manner that the club are as ambitious as the player. As I said, talk is cheap.

Speaking on Tottenham’s tour of South Africa, Redknapp admitted he understood why Modric is tempted to leave White Hart Lane this summer, but said he the club has its sights set on equally high targets.

“I can understand how Luka feels in all this. If anyone offers to treble your wages you’d be interested and Chelsea are a big club.” Redknapp said.

“Everyone wants Luka. Just ask Alex Ferguson what he thinks of him, ask Roberto Mancini at Manchester City - they all want him. He could play for Barcelona.”

“Luka wants the chance to win things and he is ambitious. All I’ll say is that we are too at Tottenham. It’s early days in the transfer market and no one is more ambitious than our chairman Daniel Levy.”

“Luka wants to know that we’ll be right up there challenging next season and we are working hard to bring in a couple of big signings that may convince him to stick with us. I hope so.”

“I have sympathy for Luka and his character has shone through in all this. He’s a fantastic bloke and a genius of a player. I’d just ask him to be patient.” He added.

Given John Terry’s recent lavishing of praise on Modric, there appears to be some equally generous words in Redknapp’s quotes aimed at buttering up the diminutive midfielder – all part of a charm offensive to persuade him to stay in North London, while he was also captain for the game against the Pirates.

Make no mistakes about it, Modric’s future hangs in the balance. The free bets market suggests he may stay, but if Chelsea come up with a seriously high offer, rumoured to be around the 38 million mark, Daniel Levy’s resolute stance could be tested, as it was before with Berbatov and Carrick. Or simply put, maybe he knew this would happen?

Redknapp must now match his words with actions as the start of the season quickly approaches. The arrival of Souleymane Coulibaly has been hailed as an excellent piece of business, with the Ivorian already a free bet favourite to break into the first team at some point this season. But let's face the facts here people. A 16-year old isn't going to get us back into the top four, and neither will the introduction of a veteran goalkeeper in Brad Freidel.

If we lose the momentum gained by qualifying for the Champions League and lose some key players including Modric, there is a real danger Spurs could go back to square one. How long before the likes of Van Der Vaart and Bale start asking for a move?.

Champions League qualification next season is bordering on essential; we all know that, yet Redknapp and Levy can't seem to get their finger out. It's not just Modric's ambitions they've got to match, they've got to keep us happy and at the moment, I am not the happiest Spurs fan.

---

Subscribe to THBN

If you own a WordPress blog, make sure you scan it for any malware. WebsiteDefender.com checks against any malware and protects your blog from hackers, absolutely free!

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

"We've got him and we won't sell him to anyone!"

Well, that was Redknapp's rant on TalkSport just now in reference to the Luka Modric transfer situation.

"The chairman has said that we ain't selling him and that's good enough for me...we've got him and we won't sell him to anyone. He's worth 40 or 50 million easy and he's under contract. I want a lot of things in this life but can't have them. Luka's a wonderful lad and has had his head turned, but to be honest, that doesn't bother me as Daniel [Levy] has said a few times that we won't be selling any of our players, no matter what the bid and I believe him because you can't make a statement like that and then go against what you've said."

Oh really? Harry either doesn't know Daniel Levy too well, or the Southend sun has gotten to him.

I suppose at only 40k per week and tied into a 6-year deal, the Spurs Board could tell Luka to lump it? But let's face it, Daniel Levy runs the ship. All we need now is the official Spurs website to issue a statement, telling us that "an offer from Chelsea was received but was exceedingly below what our valuation of the player is, given the recent transfer activity in the Premier League. Luka Modric is on a long-term contract and we expect him to honour that."

He'll be sold by the end of the transfer window for around 40 million or 30 million plus Lampard. We all know it, so we may as well own up to it and strike a deal now, rather than spoiling it for the rest.

Tottenham Hotspur.....the fashionable selling footballing institution.

---

Subscribe to THBN

If you own a WordPress blog, make sure you scan it for any malware. WebsiteDefender.com checks against any malware and protects your blog from hackers, absolutely free!

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Has the Modric Non-Request Shocked You?

Personally, it hasn't shocked me. I watched Luka live in the last three to four matches last season. You could tell something wasn't quite right. He looked frustrated. For the first time, it looked as though he had developed Keaneitis - the degenerative disorder some footballers unfortunately inherit, in which they can't help but throw their arms up in the air like a runway controller. He looked tired and upset.

Maybe it was because he knew the Tottenham Hotspur Board didn't possess either the cash to bring in the top players, i.e. a striker, or the want to? Maybe he thought "hold on a second! I earn 20k per week after Cameron takes away 50% so Bill and Kate can have their ding-dong wedding, whilst that muppet over on-loan at West Ham is taking home double what I'm earning!" Maybe?

So then, what are our options? Well, to be frank, there aren't any. We have to sell him. The bugger of this situation is that he wants to stay in London, meaning the ball is firmly in Chelsea's court. When talk of both Manchester clubs being seriously interested in Modric first sparked, I could picture Levy licking his lips with the thought of yet another drawn out transfer saga in which he was the winner. With Chelsea being the only club in contention, he'd better apply some lip balm as some serious chapping could develop. I thought the 22 million offer was a bit suspect. Why would moneybags Chelsea make a silly offer, unless they knew something Levy and co. didn't? I think we all know why now.

I have a feeling we could be seeing Frank Lampard in a Spurs shirt plus some cash. That's football.

Good bye Modric. Your quality will most definitely be missed.

---

Subscribe to THBN

If you own a WordPress blog, make sure you scan it for any malware. WebsiteDefender.com checks against any malware and protects your blog from hackers, absolutely free!

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Can we start to believe?

Do the players believe?

After our superb win on Tuesday, BBC Fivelive commentator and presenter, Darren Fletcher, made the following statement:

"I truly believe that after tonight's amazing win against the European Champions, these Tottenham Hotspur players can begin to believe that they are good enough, not only in progressing further in the Champions League, but also believing in themselves so as to take this form into their Premier League fixtures. These players have come of age."

I do hope he's right. The word "hope" has to come into it, for as all die hard Spurs fans know and realise, our beloved club has a way of coming back and biting us in the unmentionables.

Fortunately, Luka Modric doesn't see it my way.

"They will look at us more seriously than before. Maybe they didn’t take us so seriously before. But after the games against Inter Milan and FC Twente I think they have to look at us differently. I said after Twente that we can play with anyone in Europe and we showed that against the champions. We need to be proud but also need to keep going like this and progress in our game and we should be fine. Our main target before was to go through in the group and we are close to that now."

Being Spurs through and through, I have always believed, much to the entertainment of my fellow Arsenal loving friends. When we signed Jurgen Klinsmann, I believed. Before 'Lasagna-Gate', I believed. When we beat City up at Eastlands last season, I still believed.

Thing is, Darren Fletcher has hit the nail on the head. It doesn't matter if we, as supporters, believe. It's the belief of the players that counts. I hope they can take a step back and say to themselves, "We have just beaten the Champions League holders. We can accomplish anything".

Talking about Tuesday's game, I think we shouldn't get too carried away. Gareth Bale played amazingly well, but instead of giving him all the credit, I think some has to go to Rafael Benitez. The Spanish waiter experienced what Bale had done to them in the previous game, therefore, one would have thought that Benitez, apparently being a statistic guru, would have prepared his side so as not to grant Gareth the time and space needed for him to flourish. Fortunately for us, that never happened. Forget there being a taxi for the apparent amazing Brazilian right-back, Hasan's Tottenham Minicab Service would have been sufficient for Maicon.

Next up; Bolton away at the Reebok on Saturday. Can we wear the Investec shirts for that one guv?

---

Subscribe to THBN

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

The Big One - For West Ham

Even with the midweek debacle, the majority of our players have been well rested and let's face it, they deserve to give us something to cheer about. 

I can see us getting a win, purely because we are a lot better than West Ham at this point in the season. I know that football doesn't always work like that, but from seeing West Ham on one occasion live this season against Bolton (yes, I was asked to go, and thinking that I could possibly get lucky, went along), they were about as lucky as I was on the night. Terrible and dross are but two adjectives that spring to mind. I haven't watched a team so inept of confidence since the Ramos days.

Has Grant lost the dressing room? Maybe he has. I think a few West Ham fans will come on here and let us know the answer to that. 

With The Modfather back in action today and with Bale and Transit (VDV) on form, I can't see us getting anything but a win.

We may not be the most consistent side at the moment, but this is a London derby and surely that's got to count for something? Of course, we all know that this match means more to the Hammers than it does to us, but as things stand, anything they could get from the game would be a bonus.

As I said above, I can see our attacking play overwhelming them, especially in midfield. Unless Parker can pick up Transit, we may run riot. Our new Dutch maestro is beginning to show why many Real Madrid fans were left disgusted at losing him; and imagine, he's been carrying a niggling calf injury, but has still shown us why he truly can be placed in the "Worldclass" category.

Even if fellow Spurs lovechild Parker can chase him out of the game, who will mark Bale and Modric? I ate my words after the Arsenal match, but I can't see me having to eat humble pie after this game has run its course.

THBN Prediction: West Ham 0 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur

One to Watch: Gareth Bale

---

Subscribe to THBN

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Joe Cole could be Arsenal bound

Had a few mates round last night, and as usual, we were discussing who'd be in and out of the Spurs team. Barry, a closet Spurs fan, but Arsenal season ticket holder down at the Arabic Library, told us all that he is confident Joe Cole will join Arsenal as soon as Fabregas is sold to Barcelona.

I really wish that were true, as I cannot see how Cole would fit into our team, unless Harry was planning on selling Luka Modric to Chelsea, which I can't see happening by the way.

This summer could be our most important in decades, so let's just hope Harry and Levy get it right.

_________________________________________________
Follow our rants on Twitter

Read our latest Evening Standard Blog

Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....

Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Levy's £40 million Warchest!

In the last few days, I've read that Daniel Levy has told Harry Redknapp that he will have £40 million in which to spend on the right players.

Now, hold on a second; did Daniel Levy publically come out with this information? If so, where was I?

I can understand that for the past few seasons, we've been good at getting our wallet out, but I haven't read that "Tottenham will have an £x million warchest" since Ossie Ardiles was in charge and we went on a little shopping spree, bringing in Klinsmann, Popescu, and Dumitrescu.

It also looks like the papers have sold Robbie Keane and Jermaine Jenas too. Not that I mind of course. Jenas has been on his way to Villa for the past 4 seasons now, so I am sure he'll finally find his way. Not sure who'd take on Robbie Keane though. I think he can still do a job for someone in the Premier League. Whether or not that someone is willing to pay his vast wages, is another matter.

So who is this Edin Dzeko that we've been linked with then? Wiki tells me that he's a fairly tall lad and has scored a lottery of goals for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. I've never seen him play and so I'm not too sure what type of player he's likened to.

Joe Cole's name has also come up again and again and again. A player we should have nothing to do with in my opinion. If he comes in, he'll either be brought in to replace The Modfather, or he'll have to find a comfy spot on the bench.

Anyway, here's to our Warchest!


_________________________________________________
Follow our rants on Twitter
Read our latest Evening Standard Blog
Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....
Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Why The Sun is advertising Spurs players

In this last week, The Sun has touted Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, linking them both with Manchester United.

This is the same paper that reported Manchester United had no cash whatsoever not so long ago. So far, we've been told that Fergie is on the verge of splashing out a total of £45 million on the two players.

So then, how can Manchester United afford to sign two players that are clearly out of their price-range?

The only reason I can think of, is that Fergie, knowing he can in no way afford the above stated amount, thinks that if he can use his chums in the media to unsettle our players, he will successfully manage to get them at a considerably lower price. After all, Berbatov went on strike when Fergie's chums forced him out of White Hart Lane. Is it time we started to worry?

_________________________________________________

Follow our rants on Twitter
Read our latest Evening Standard Blog
Have you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....
Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Neil Custis Wants Modric

The Sun's jouralist, Neil Custis, who I respected up until I read his article in today's Sun (Manchester United want to sign Luka Modric), really should learn to research his stories a little better, instead of pouring his masters words onto the canvas.

"Modric signed for Spurs from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 after impressing for Croatia in the European Championships."

The keyword in that sentence is "after". Is that poor research or what? Maybe it's been a slow day in the press? Neil Custis obviously has been having one of those days. We all have them, so it's really not his fault that he forgot Daniel Levy brokered a deal with Dinamo Zagreb, BEFORE the 2008 Euro's.

Mr. Custis also forgot to mention that Manchester United are stone-broke. Well, I say he failed to mention it, but in fact, towards the end of his article, he alluded to as much by insinuating that Michael Carrick could be a part of the deal that takes The Modfather to Old Trafford.

Neil; maybe you should take some pointers off of your brother in future.

The thing that does worry me, is that Neil Custis is fairly close with his master, Sir Alex Ferguson. I also know that it's about this time of the year in which the top journo's get together with their favoured bosses, for an analysis of the season thus far. It's also the time of year in which Fergie labels his prime targets to Custis and other reporters; knowing all to well that the Geordie and others, will report on the players Fergie would like to sign. Both know what this kind of reporting will do, and both realise that it could be effective.

I personally think they're both forgetting that Tottenham Hotspur are run by a certain Daniel Levy. Custis mentions a possible £25 million fee for Luka Modric. Obviously, he wasn't around on the day Levy skinned United for just over £31 million for an ageing striker.


_________________________________________________
Follow our rants on TwitterRead our latest Evening Standard BlogHave you got an iPod or mp3 player? If you love listening to audiobooks, click here....Big Chiv: My Goals in Life - Get it now!

Read More

Midfielder Lite Spurs

Right then, the good news is that Harry has spoken openly about us being light in the midfield department.

"I am happy with the squad. The only area we are short of a body is central midfield", said Harry, in preparation for the January sales.

Thank the lord! The only hurdle that I can see us falling on is that teams rarely give away their best players in winter transfer window. The standard names of Sandro, Muntari and the like have been banded about again. Does the media think that if they print these players names out enough times, they will actually materialise into Spurs players?

The one player that will definitely be available in January, is Middlesbrough's left winger, Adam Johnson. The 22 year old will be in the last 6 months of his contract come the transfer window and even though Boro are adamant that they want to keep the England Under-21 International winger, he's not been saying if he'll sign a new deal or not.

Sunderland have been linked with him, but I think Harry may take a look at the lad. Reports are talking about a deal worth around £3 million only (due to his contract running down).

I know that a lot of you are wondering where we would accommodate him, seeing that the Modfather and Kranjčar, as well as Bale can fill the left-wing position, but then again, Harry's on the lookout for another central midfielder, even though we've got a plethora of them also.

Read More

Who's Harry about to buy?

Our great win against the Brum was truly marred by The Modfather's leg fracturing and Ledley suffering a groin injury.

I suppose the one bit of good news is that Woody came through his first training session on Friday. I'm not sure how long he'll still be out for though, but seeing as we don't play for two weeks, he could be fit in time for our biggest test yet, Manchester United at home, although I don't think he'll be match-fit.

I hope we'll get to hear how long Luka will be out for and of course, we send him our regards.

As regards Ledder's, it all depends on what he's done to his groin. If he's torn it, then we could be looking at 4-6 weeks. A tweak can take him out for up to 3 weeks, as can a pulled groin. Either way, I can't see him being back for Man U game.

I was at the Lane on Saturday and saw that Charlie clearly isn't a centre-half. He's a very good full-back, but that's the extent of his game. He just didn't look at all comfortable, especially when being pressured.

So then, what do we do? I'm sure Harry will be looking to bring someone in. Maybe Sgt. Wilson's mate, Ozzie Chavez, can be brought in on a short-term deal?

As regards our goal keeping position, I think Harry's not too pleased with either Carlo or Gomes and may look to bring in James. I don't think James is the answer, but Harry knows him and so make take the plunge.

In relation to signing a left winger to replace Modric, I've got a feeling Keano will be filling that spot until Luka returns, with Crouch and Defoe playing up front. After all, Robbie slotted into that position fairly okay in Luka's absence.

Whist at The Lane on Saturday, I had a great conversion with a guy named Tony. He obviously knew his football and said that "Harry won't be in for that Dutch Real player (Van der Vaart) as Harry prefers to play two central holding midfielders with the other two midfielders being very attack minded.

I agreed with Tony. Azza is a right winger and The Modfather plays on the left but is given the freedom to do as he wishes. Even though I would love to see the likes of Van der Vaart at White Hart Lane, but what would happen when Luka returned to action? We would either have an unhappy Croatian or Dutchman.

If Harry is looking to bring in James, I would ask that Portsmouth take Cudicini as part of the deal. I would then try my damn hardest to sign another midfield enforcer. Unfortunately, both Sandro and Sissoko are unavailable.

I do believe that we need a short-term solution at centre-half, although that's way easier said then done.

Whatever happens, I think there will be some movement before the window closes.

Niko Kranjčar anyone?

Read More

Pavlova & The Modfather

I've recently had a chat with a client of ours about Roman Pavlyuchenko. Our client is Russian and also supports Spartak Moscow and Manchester United (don't they all?!). I told him that I support Spurs and immediately, his face lite up. Before I could say a word, he said "Roman Pavlyuchenko!".

So I asked for some info on our player. We spoke for ages about Roman, Modric, Manchester United, Hiddink, England and finally, Tottenham.

Our client (we'll call him Mr. X), said that the decent newspapers in Moscow are filled with direct quotes from players and their agents all the time. You'll never get "a source close to the player", or "a club insider said" type comments. Mr. X told me that he read that Pav has said that he's unhappy at the moment because he feels he's in great shape and form and wants to be given the chance to play.

"I completely agree with him. He would have been better off at a club like Arsenal where they play good football". I smiled and explained that we also try to play "good football".

"Yes, but Roman isn't in the team. You have such a good player, you know the one..." I asked if he was talking about Luka Modric.

"Yes. He is fantastic!" Again, his face sparked up. "He plays football as it should be played." I agreed with him and we spoke about the Liverpool game, which he had watched with my boss (who happens to be a Cypriot Liverpool fan).

"Roman needs players like him (Modric) to play around him. You know, you haven't even seen 10% of what Roman can do. He needs passes to be played to his feet, not high passes like a lot of the English teams do."

I again found myself agreeing, but the way Mr. X was going on about Pavlyuchenko, I had thought that he can't be talking about the same player? So I told him so.

He didn't agree with me one bit.

"Last season, he was without his family. he was in a new country, he had no friends and was lonely." Fair enough. I also added that he must have been pretty exhusted, but that didn't seem to bother Mr. X.

"He needs Modric to feed him the ball, then you will see what a player Roman is. He needs to be playing regularly and you will see that he will score goals for your team."

We said our good-byes and I'll be seeing Mr. X again in November when he comes over for his next visit. I hope that by the time he returns, Harry has started to use him. I completely agree that Pavlova (nicknamed that by the Spartak Moscow supporters, not because he likes the cake, but because he moves like the famous Russian ballerina; another golden wonder provided by Mr. X), especially last season, showed us glimpses that he is quality. Unfortunately, Harry only saw glimpses of that talent to.

Someone on here the other day called Modric, The Modfather. I quite like the ring of that. I also believe that he is our finest player and one that we need to hold onto.

Would Pavlova play better with The Modfather on the pitch? Of course he would. Any professional footballer playing alongside Luka would benefit greatly. Whether Harry sees this is another matter altogether.

Read More

A tribute to Luka

For those of you that watched the game against Liverpool on Sunday, you would have seen Luka Modric grace the White Hart Lane pitch.

It's been a while since I've had the courage to say that about any Spurs player. His first touch, vision, passing ability and versatility make his team mates and fans tick.

I've got a feeling that we'll be hearing a lot about our little Croatian this season. He's a joy to watch and a truly magnificent player.

Now I'm sure there are Spurs fans out there that have never seen Modric live. I just hope they don't come on here with their West Ham tactics, trying to belittle our master player. Although anyone is welcome to make comments on here, you've got to either be blind, or a fool to not recognize his brilliance. Didn't Wenger say that he wasn't strong enough for the Premier League?

Well, that's my two-cents worth for the day.

Read More