Modric. Again.
Monday, August 22, 2011 at 1:38PM Another day, another Harry throw-away soundbite that gets savaged on like a pack of zombies eating through a bit part character in The Walking Dead.
This illustrates why Redknapp should just say 'no comment' or just decline an appearance (although he's probably the one inviting himself). Personally think he has said something off the back of something we already know. Luka wants to leave. That's different, very different to the club looking to sell him and then publicly and indirectly suggest that the player is refusing to play. Just a single soundbite chewed and spat out by the gaffer, and suddenly the player is on the verge of signing for Chelsea again.
Redknapp, hardly the articulate type, probably wasn't suggesting what the media are lapping up at the moment whilst they continue to push their Modric to West London agenda.
The player is injured, not fully fit. The additional commentary on the state of his head (last time I noticed it was still sitting on his neck) was unnecessary and is also pretty much common knowledge. It's like Harry can't help himself (consciously or subconsciously) by stirring it up a little bit by stating facts of truth that only serve to feed the hungry journalists and sports desks.
Breaking news...Modric's head hasn't been right from the moment the Daily Mail published that interview from the yacht.
Once more I refer you to:
Levy has stated its a closed matter and the player won't be sold.
Modric and agent agreed a 6 year contract, of the ilk of an actual gentleman's agreement where pen gracefully touched paper.
All the alleged engineering in the world won't change the fact that regardless of the fact that this now transcends the player himself (he is simply a chess piece), the club can not go back on their word. This is not the same as the Berbatov strike and United move.
Redknapp (you might have missed this particular soundbite) cited the fact the chairman wont sell the player. He probably just needs to read off a cheat sheet next time to avoid using the wrong terminology.
Onwards to the only thing that should matter today. United at Old Trafford. Spirit of '89 and all that.
-
The Fighting Cock is a brand new THFC podcast. You can stream it or download it here on DML (make sure you have a Quicktime plug-in installed).
Love the Shirt.
Flav, tehTrunk, Spooky, Ricky, Chicago Dan.
The FC Podcast group on Facebook.
Also listen to The Fighting Cock via:
e-mail: thefightingcock at gmail dot com - we want your feedback, suggestions and e-mails.
Reader Comments (62)
richard keyes seems to think its already a done deal.
I'm getting sick of this. I can't wait for the window to close just so we can get on with our lives. Surely Diarra and Adebayor coming in from other teams, as well as a ton of money for Luka, would make us feel better and we wouldn't dwell on "why Modric left Spurs".
COYS!
That's not to say that I wouldn't miss Modric... just to clarify.
I've backed 'Arry in the past but the guy really is beginning to grate on me.
Surely he realises that every word he says will be over-analysed and take out of context by the scum media by which I mean the Mail, Sky, Telegraph and those bloggers who can hardly put words together. Not you of course Mr Spooky. I think the sun shines out of your arse....
Keep up the great work...
so is he unfit physically or mentally for this evenings game?
COYS
"the club can not go back on their word"
You mean Levy? I don't see why not. We should do what is ever best for the club, not for Daniel Levy.
Thanks for making the unfortunate Modric saga funny Spooky :-)
We created this Croatian fool and now he thinks he's bigger than the club. I really hope Levy sticks to his word. I don't care if Modric never plays again...we can always sell him to Man City next season (I'm sure they will still be itching to spend money on another "big name" player).
I don't believe he is injured, only because he was hardly ever injured the last couple years. Yet recently he has had several different injuries to miss pre-season games and then our first two games of the season. Bit of a coincidence that he happens to be injured now with the transfer window closing next week.
The fact is the guy is being paid money that the rest of us can never even bother dreaming of. I don't know the figure but its between 60-80 grand per week... WEEK! What most people wouldn't give to earn that much in a year, let alone a week. Every penny of that money is for playing football for Tottenham. Tonight we have a huge game, and I believe he is refusing to play because he wants to join a new team. How can he possibly justify not playing, it's absurd!
He signed a 6 year contract, so this is his own fault. He knew there was a chance we wouldn't qualify for the champions league, and despite his brilliant performances last year, he could have added goals and assists to his game, like our other stars bale and vdv. I feel unbelievably let down by him. He's going back on the contract he agreed and going back on what he said, that he wouldn't cause a fuss, go on strike or hand in a transfer request (which he has more or less done, it's just not official - if it was official, then he wouldn't receive a pay-off from Spurs when he leaves (every player receives this when they leave, unless they officially hand in a transfer request.)
The other shocking thing is that originally we all said no to the Modric deal. If he goes, we'll have 50-60 million, like the torres deal. All Chelsea had to do was offer 22mil to change everything. We all said that 22 was ridiculous, he's worth 40ish... Then they waited a while before offering 27 and maybe 29-30 mil.. now we're saying hmmm maybe.. but we should hold out for 35. Now when they do eventually offer 35 million, he'll be gone and we'll be saying at least we got a good deal for him. Is he worth 35 mil as a player? Probably not, but it depends on the market (if carrol is 30, torres is 35, then yes at least that.) But with that money we would have to get very lucky or do very well to get in a player, or 2 players that equate to the quality he brings. If it was likely, then Chelsea would have bought the other players themselves, rather than modric.
Lastly, if we have to sell, surely we should sell abroad even if we'll get a few million less for him?
TMWNN:
Agree but the Chariman cannot go back on his word; it seriously makes his position untenable. He would be a laughing stock and he knows that. Modric won't go, not this window anyway.
Modric is overrated! 30 million is more than enough...but like Spooky said, this is beyond him!
Lastly, if we have to sell, surely we should sell abroad even if we'll get a few million less for him?
-------
My sentiments exactly...
I couldn't give a monkey's about LM really, I hope he goes if we can cope without him and it appears we can. When it first cropped up I thought this was another Berbatov moment which is the only time i've questioned my faith in the club and it's direction/attitude. I felt we were an upmarket feeder club during the Berbatov saga and didn't see the point in supporting a club content with 5th and doubling the money spent on players. If this departure is choreographed with the intake of Ade, Lass and err.. Cahill I guess then my concerns will be settled.
I see now that DL and HR have been good cop/bad cop. I think HR has had a very loose tongue re: the whole affair however if this transpires to be a pantomime act then fair play.
The ghost of Pedro Mendes will be at Old Trafford tonight and I reckon we'll do the job, De Gea is a liability atm
COYS
p.s. I'm a massive DL fan, I think he's been great for the club
I see us above Chelsea by January with 2 - 3 signings pushing us right up there. Then what are the press going to try and engineer a move to a club below us.
Would love to win this evening, after the hearts performance would be 2 fingers up to the fecking awful media we have in this country.
Why do we worry about what players think - we dont care that Bentley, GDS etc want moves, comes down to money. If chelsea hadnt insulted with stupid offers maybe a deal could have been done around 40m.
Now no way are we going to sell to them. If it was an offer from Madrid of the like id take 35 but no way to an EPL team - and Levy wont.
Wonderful! wonderful post Andrew..
Levy could have stopped all this in it's tracks o0n day one. He should have advised Chgelsea that the only deal that Chelsea could offer that would be of interest to him would be a direct swap for Torres. If you want Modric offer Torres or bxxxer off.
Give Harry the same script and leave it at that.
It would not have been a bad bit of business for Chelsea that would have go a player who was on form and we would have got one who has not cut the mustard since he came to the big smoke.
Come on you wonderful SPURS
who's luka modric?
Nasri is fine to play but Modric isn't, personally I can't understand that but then again that's football. We can't afford to lose Modric now for various reasons and the bigger issue is that with 9 days of the window left we still haven't bought anyone. Finishing fifth last year and going into this year with the same squad while all our close rivals have strengthened somehow doesn't sound like a great plan.
With regards to the United game, if there was ever a time to play them it would be without Ferdinand and Vidic and a possible Gomes MK II in goal.
personally I've just about had enough of modric, the little prick. in todays market if we put him up for sale we would get at least £35m. I really hope that Levy takes a stand on the matter, and refuses to sell him. if his head is not right fine let him sit in the reserves and we'll sell him next summer, by next summer he'll still have 4 years left on his contract and his value will not have dropped by much. But we can't keep on selling players when the going is not great. might as well open the door and let bale and vdv go, and then perhaps lennon and sandro. perhaps tom huddlestone might want out as well. The club will go nowhere if our players are allowed to leave whenever they feel like.
Harry is playing games, or Harry and Levy is playing games, more like. From Harry's sound bytes, I firmly that Levy wants Harry to talk up the uselessness of holding on to Modpric and the logic in bringing in Diarra, Adebayor and a defender and that actually strengthing the team overall. Then Levy will be forgiven and won't have lost face. We need to resolve this immediately, not on the 31st August.
This is a saga that is being played out on a Chelsea controlled media stage. It seems to me there are two options:
1) Levy says no sale and that is that. However Harry with all his loose words has undermined that consistently. For someone who is supposed to be an excellent man manager to comment on his player's mental state is unforgivable. A simple "he is not fit " would have sufficed
2) Spurs go public and agree Modric can go but say the price is 40 million cash non-negotiable. Then let Chelsea deal with that. It simply is a transaction that if Chelsea want him they know the price. That value is entirely reasonable given the inflated prices payed by Liverpool and others for players of limited ability.
What is Harry up to? He's let Sir Alex know that Modders won't be playing tonight so a nice heads up there, he's also let the Chelsea scumbags know that it's not really a matter of money and that he wants to go to them so really no point in upping the fee it's just a matter of Levy's resolve now.
Sorry but Harry is an almighty cock.
I've said this before on this blog but Harry has signed all our fringe players - none of his signings make our starting 11 - Chimbonda, Keane, Crouch, Defoe, Kaboul, Palacios, Krancjar, Piennar - that's £65m in transfer fees on players who are all available for transfer
Modders goes in come the likes of Joe Cole, Barton, Benayoun, Adebayor, Diarra.
The funny thing is I used to be an England fan but I'd love Harry to get the England job just so we see the back of him - don't even care how bad England are under him.
It just feels like his departure is inevitable now. I really hope DL stands strong over this but I think Redknapps comments can then be referred to when he leaves - ' we didn't want a negative, 'not-head-right' person disrupting the rest of the team'
Really hope he stays, not just for the team but to set a precedent and say a nice big fuck you to Abramovich and hopefully stop this shit happening every time we buy a great player.
YIDS
This is all so typical Redchnapps and Levy!
Spurs must stick to their guns. This is not about Luka. This is about others club saying that they can take advantage of the situation. If we give in then - The players know they can make a moan, the opposition clubs know they can unsettle us. We need to stand up and not tolerate it. If it is Luka today, then it will be Bale tomorrow. it will send a message to players and other clubs. i will be really disappointed if we cave in..
Yes Harry and the rest should shut up. For lots of other things, Harry says "Daniel deals with transfers etc.Go ask him" - well he should play stupid and stick to this same line..
Bring back Gus Poyet!
He looked like my dog when he smiled...bless 'im.
Not the biggest HR fan but you cant judge his signings like that.
We could have gone down without Wilson and Keane, at the time they were critical signings and very much needed. Kaboul can be a great player for us and defoe might surprise us this season if he links up well with VDV.
Arry is just playing devil's advocate, he can't be seen to alienate the player just in case the poisoned little dwarf does stay. And even if Arry didn't say openly that his head wasn't right, it wouldn't stop the press from stating that he was on strike anyway... it's a no win situation.
I wouldn't want the poisoned one in the changing room anyway, even if he was fit we need players who are prepared to give their all in a game like this. To beat ManUre away you need the team fully focused, playing with total commitment and courage... it's for the best that he's not involved and Arry knows it.
The biggest statement THFC could possibly make is winning this game tonight... Modric? Who the fuck is Modric?
COYMFS!
If Harry had co-complied and backed Levy's mantra- You know......'Modric is not for sale' then none of us, not even the circus would be still wasting any time with this. It would be a non starter!!
But Harry didn't did he? Harry.....(and boys, he's not stupid)..... kept this alive by continuing to 'if and but'. Today he even said 'selling Modric could make us stronger!!!
This stinks of brinkmanship - Levy for some reason thrives on it! We want Chelsea to go all in, and then we'll well and truly fcuk um! Modders is good....but not that good!
@RD
"it appears we can cope without him"
You judging that on a game vs Hearts when the amount of time and space afforded to Kranjcar & VDV allowed them to totally dictate the game without breaking sweat. Kranjcar barely broke into a jog in the first half and was show boating after 30m...do you think he'll get that luxury vs Utd tonight, or when City have Dejong, Barry & Toure holding the middle of the park. Dream on!
If we sell , we sell on our terms.....If Levy has a figure in mind he should not drop below it. £27m is a joke considering what they paid for Torres, what we got for berba who had 2 years left on his deal. they just paid £23m for an Spanish U21 player. Luka is a EPL hardened player with his best years ahead of him and proven top quality. he is exactly the sort of player they need. he will make them tick. IF THEY WANT HIM that badly, then they will have to pay what it takes! If they don't then, boo hoo Luka! they didn't actually want you that badly. They have massively over paid for every top player they have and yet refuse to on this occasion!
There is no point weakening us and strengthening them. With Adebayor, Diarra and a CB and Modric, we are as strong as them IMO.
Luka in my mind is a little tw@t and has really sunk to low depths. A memory forever tarnished. Its like sticking with a girlf friend who did the dirty on you, it is never quite the same afterwards. BUT we are better off with him...he is the hot girlfreind that if you dumped, you would never get anything half as decent again.
Its a case of hanging on and taking the heart ache and worry, or getting rid and moving on!
@ Yidal
Granted Sgt Wilson was exactly what we needed at the time. Kaboul is also a prospect. But the fact is Harry would sell every player he's bought.
He came to Spurs and announced that the squad was completely unbalanced. Our last starting 11 of last season contained 10 players who were there when he got there.
Bale was on his way to Birmingham until BAE got injured, Modric was too small to play in the middle, pav doesn't speak English etc etc
Selling Modric sends a really bad message - that we are weak and a feeder club - Harry may sign five, four will be shit and one will be good and get sold. Essentially I don't trust Harry to sign anyone good. We've needed a striker for two F**kin' summers - we haven't got near anybody.
Levy has got to stick to his word sick of players thinking they can do as they please,his on a 5 year deal for Christ sake! he either plays for us or rots
The more this goes on for the more I think we would not miss him. Yes, he is quality and one of the best players I've seen play for spurs. But we have always struggled to accomodate VdV, Modric & Lennon into the same team. This is down to playing a certain way to accomodate the players we have, instead of using the players we have to play to a certain tactic. Usually, this is not good for a team. I often think we look un-balanced last year, which I am sure resulted in our troubles in scoring. VdV & Modric play the same role when around the apponents box, but VdV is more of a goal threat. Ok, yes Modric plays deeper when we are closer to our own box, but I am sure we could actually be a better "Team" if we played any 2 of Sandro, Hudd or Diarra in CM, with Lennon / Bale on the wings then VdV behind Adebayor / Defoe, than if we kept Modric but didnt add Diarra / Adebayor.
I think signing Adebayour would be an error. Arsenal got rid of him and I suspect he will cause trouble if he comes to Spurs.
lets not focus on this orrible lttle man anymore and instead turn our attentions to our possible new recruit mr adebayor....... i feel a lttle song coming up......
ADEBAYOR ADEBAYOR
HIS DAD USED TO WASH ELEPHANTS
BUT NOT ANYMORE........
and repeat.
COYS xx
@Devonshire
Well Hearts game aside we have a decent midfield to say the least. Yes he's a good player but he's only one of 11 -14. We could talk most players up and say it would be the end of the world if they left but that's not how the game works and thank god for that. Bigger players than LM leave clubs every year and compensating for the loss is part of a modern club's business. I'd sooner have a player with less skill but more interest in playing for the club than the other way round too. Let him go, subject to forthcoming signings I think we're in better shape than Chelsea anyway, if he cant see that then that's ok with me.
My head's not right either!
Good post Spooky, exactly what I think about 'Arry's blabbering. Why can't he make a media boycott like Sir Alex? 'Arry's got the opposite of a boycott if there is such a thing. I hoped the wheeler dealer "I'm a farking football manager" would make him more restrained. No chance of that happening obviously. I wonder if Levy even cares what 'Arry says anymore. If Levy stressed about it he would have a heart attack for breakfast everyday.
Don't get me started on the "if we sell Modric we could get 3-4 players in", in an already somewhat bloated squad where we can't shed the dead weight as it is, that's 'Arry's strategy? In a day and age where a player like Jordan Henderson costs £20m. Your head's not right 'Arry and neither is mine!
I'm sick of Modric. Want to go and play for Chelsea? Go. But beware when you return to the lane...beware...
And I got stick for saying I would boo him this season. I guess I am not getting stick any more. On the million to 1 chance that he does play for us again, I will still boo him for his behaviour. He's humiliated us, shamed himself and left a bitter taste in the mouth of all fans of sport. All for his own financial gain. Has he actually put in a transfer request yet? Nope, thought not.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: most footballers are money grabbing wankers. Today they have a new king. Feigning injury, going on strike - its awful, but Fabrgas did exactly the same thing last week. Samba is currently doing it at Blackburn. Who will it be next week? Nasri maybe? Ronaldo when he hears what PSG want to pay him? Teves?
My advice for those that still have some emotion on this is clear: let it go. Modric was gone the day he gave the Telegraph interview. Most of us knew it. Some - yourself included Spooky - went into some odd kind of denial. An emotional crutch to keep the hurt at bay. "I wont believe it til I hear him say it". Seriously, this whole thing was stage managed from start to finish. Did you really believe his agent allowed him to be duped into saying that stuff by accident? Levy knew this, Harry knew this, most Spurs fans knew this. Say what you like about Levy - he's sure to get some grief when Modric goes tomorrow or the next day - but he's just getting the best price possible with his posturing. (So we can bring in another 2 or 3 loyalty light mercinares who'll stick around for a couple of years.)
Enjoy football for the social part. The day out with your mates and family. The talk with colleagues at work. But never enjoy it for any kind of affection or loyalty to the players. With very, very few exceptions, they dont deserve your respect or affection. Admiration for their ability, sure. A bond shared by your common love for the club? No. Never. Not in this world my friends.
Not so long ago Manchester United lost Christiano Ronaldo. According to the pundits and football journalist the skies were going to fall in around OLd Trafford. They seem to have ok without him, so I suspect that Spurs who have beeb around since 1888 will survive without Modric.. so in essence F**k him and F**k Chelsea, they deserve each other.
What I have learnt out of all this, is how Radio presenters and the like ie Richard Keys can manipulate a situation to help favoured clubs. They all wanted Chelsea to get Modric so in essence F**k them too. Spurs will still be around and strong when the Russian dosh runs out... roll on the day!
I feel like I keep repeating myself but he wont be sold. He can't be sold.
It's that frigging simple.
I think Harry has decided he wants to do £30 million of wheeling and dealing more than he wants to keep Modric.
At least I hope that's the reason, because any other reasons as to why he has spent the last few weeks undermining Levy about this don't bear thinking about.
Levy CANNOT back down now, or Bale is next.
Iain, I very much agree with your sentiments. How Harry can get away with saying the opposite to Levy and getting away with it is beyond belief. Theres only one answer to that, that Levy is allowing it because he wants to sell now to facilitate incoming players. If however Levy backs down, theres no excuse that will be good enough. The media, on the other hand seem to have absolutely no respect for Daniel Levy or the Club.
mmmmm. excuse my naivety, but I don't ever remember seeing (reading) or hearing Luka say that he wants to leave.
Stand to be corrected!!
It's a routine, a charade...Modric is going and they know it. Redknapp is doing nothing but gradually softening the blow so that it becomes less and less of a surprise when it does happen, he is laying the foundations for being able to say "well, we tried but at the end of the day what's the use in keeping an unhappy player".
For him and Levy it is now all about saving as much face as possible and organising some reinforcements in time to appease the masses before releasing the little runt from his cage and letting him trot off towards his roubles.
Score draw tonight.
Interesting that Chelsea fans blame Levy for the current situation, some Spurs fans blame Harry but really it is a combination of the Russian crook and Modric's agent who are really to blame. Modric didn't want to join Chelsea until he had a holiday trip to the yatch of Putin's little helper. Maybe if Joe Lewis invited a few more top players to his Bahama's hideaway we could behave like that as well, although I'm happy that we don't.
And for the usual Harry-bashers, I too would like to see him stop talking to the press and then see what the moaners have to write about, especially in a transfer window where nothing has happened to resolve our striker problems as of yet. I suspect the moaners would be howling for the club to make some statements.
Also, with Krank coming out in support of Modric can we trust him to play tonight?
Let's see what happens tonight. I expect we will lose and have every aspect of Harry's selection, tactics and substitutions pulled to pieces but on the other hand I hope we win and then all the talk will be about Harry's luck. Come on you spineless gits in white shirts stand up and fight and put Modric where he deserves to be in the reserves. COYS!!
Hi Spurs fans
We are retarded and, like our fellow retard Nani, we don't know that handball = free kick
We hope you subscribe to the Fiver
Must dash, Barry's just pooped his nappy again
"Another day, another Harry throw-away soundbite that gets savaged on like a pack of zombies eating through a bit part character in The Walking Dead."
Nicely put. Unless Harry, or Bond or whoever else is very, very careful in what they say the media make whatever they want out of it.
Which is why they should stick to "no comment".
Trouble is I think in Harry's case it isn't an accident, there is an agenda.
Spooky. this is like one of those corny films where, when the girl finally leaves the guy, when he's begging her not to go, she whispers to him: "I went months ago honey, you just didnt notice.."
Spooky - he's gone. He went months ago. You just refused to notice
So why does the story end with the transfer window closing and Modric still a Spurs player?
I've seen the screening, pre-cinema release.
Harry did say in the same interview, that he won't be leaving, the chairmen said so. And then that he expected them to sit down and talk about a new contract.
Be interesting to see what happens, the good thing is that I am beyond caring now, he stays he goes, whatever.
So COYS, seems like the longest time ever between two seasons, and it probably is. I feel so positive about tonight, can tell its our first game and ambition not been dampened by SSN and MOTD pundits hating Spurs.