Fergie at it again

[kcmei]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...y-Modric-good-play-hands-Fergie.html?ITO=1490

Redknapp: My Modric is good enough to play for anyone (so hands off please, Fergie!)

By Arindam Rej
Last updated at 10:28 PM on 06th March 2009

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Luka Modric could walk into any team in the world on current form, according to Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.

The midfielder, 23, has shone for Tottenham on the left wing, in central midfield and behind the front two. Redknapp admitted that Sir Alex Ferguson and Slaven Bilic have both told him that they see Modric as a unique talent.

Star man: Harry Redknapp is keen to hold on to Luka Modric.
'I think he could play for any team in the world,' said Redknapp. 'I said Lassana Diarra could play for any team in the world after two weeks at Portsmouth and he ended up at Real Madrid. This kid's the same.

'Alex Ferguson said to me after the the Carling Cup final last week that he thought he was fantastic and Alex changed how they played because of him.

'Sir Alex said "I took John O'Shea off and changed our system because Modric was causing us so many problems".

'We're looking to keep pushing Tottenham forward and hope that he won't want to go anywhere. I said to Ferguson, "no, you don't want him, Alex".'



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'Luka never misses a day's training. I've had a few Croatian lads over the years and I've found them to be terrific lads.

'Slaven Bilic played for me as well. I talk to Slaven a lot. He tells me that this fella will be one of the best players in the world.'

Redknapp thinks Modric is 'an amazing player with a great brain' but admits he was surprised by the Croatian's bravery.

'Not only is he a great footballer, he's strong,' said Redknapp. 'He works for the team, he takes knocks, he gets on with it. He challenges, he heads it.

Hot property: Kenwyne Jones was a target for Tottenham in January.

'Against Stoke, he played central in a 4-4-2. Against a physical team, he was the best player on the pitch.

'Niko Kranjcar said he's one of the best players he's ever seen. He really is a top player and he's only a kid as well. When he plays, you always feel he'll open a door for you.

'It's like what Manchester United do with Ronaldo, Rooney or Tevez. They've got people who can suddenly just kill you.'

Redknapp also hit back at Ricky Sbragia, the manager of Sunderland - Spurs' opponents today.
Sbragia was upset in January by Tottenham's pursuit of Kenwyne Jones. But Redknapp said: 'They probably used us as much. Niall Quinn, the Sunderland chairman, was quite pleased to go to his board and owners and say "Tottenham want to pay this for Jones, we don't want to sell him, but it shows that we have some real assets here". That is good for him.
'I don't know why Ricky said what he did. I have never spoken to him since he got the job. It was not a case of me speaking to him or Niall Quinn. It is the chairman who speaks - 100%.

'I think that what probably happens is that agents get involved with the chairman and said that the lad wants to move. Then that is when they probably get upset. But I don't think that Niall would have been upset. And Jones got a new contract!'
But Redknapp said he has no hard feelings, adding: 'I'll see him and have a glass of wine with him. I saw Niall at Arsenal and had a cup of tea with him.'

Sbragia, meanwhile, says he would have walked out on the club after less than a fortnight in charge if they had sold Jones.

Sbragia said: 'Previously Sunderland might have sold Kenwyne but we've changed and we want to progress now. The only way we'll do that is by keeping our best players and then bringing in some better quality in the summer.

'I'll be honest with you - if we'd have lost Kenwyne, I may as well have packed my bags and gone because he would have been such a big loss to us.

'There was dialogue, don't get me wrong, but it was always a "no" from our point of view. We are not just here to produce players for other clubs.

'I could understand it if Spurs were a top four club but Kenwyne is settled here and so are his family.'

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Carrick, berbatov, now modric :bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

 

[freeeki]

I love Luka. He's going nowhere.

 

[lishiyo]

we have to do everything we can to keep luka, we'll be a freaking midtable club forever if we can't keep hold of our best players! i don't think we've seen the best of him yet actually - when the other players get used to how he plays and we show better movement i think he'll become much more effective, so we have something to look forward to next season. i don't think fergie will come in for luka, at least not next season, though i'm a bit worried about the juventus rumors (i don't think we'd want to sell, but i doubt if luka is very happy about his intro to English football so far - and he would really thrive in serie a).

personally i'm rather glad we didn't take jones, even the sunderland fans don't rate him atm since he's lazy (and they're desperate for bent lol). we could do better for a cheaper price.

hope slaven is telling harry about the good croatian prospects. they've traveled pretty well and have some young talent, i wouldn't mind a trio of croats in our squad...

 

[DC_Boy]

I'm now a fully paid up member of the Modric fan club, it took a while, but I have to say now that I think he was our best signing this summer. He really has broken through (for me) in the last two months, and all credit to Levy especially (who seemed to be massively involved in the transfer) for getting him in.

It'll take at least £30m for Utd or anyone to bag Modric, but while he's happy here we won't sell.

it's a perfect example of how right Harry was to prioritise the Lge, Luka won't move cos we're not in the Europa lge, he almost certainly would go if we were in the Championship.

the consequences of relegation are frighteningly summarised when you think of players like Luka, that's why Harry is worth every pound of his bonus if he keeps us up. Also all credit to Levy for acting when and how he did.

Two more games under JR and it might have been too late.

Not that we're clear yet, but another star show from Luka today and it'll help get us there.

 

[GLUESODA]

And good old Wenger though he was wank huh....

 

[Mullers]

I never doubted the quality of Modric for one second.

Now lets be realistic. If we want to keep players of that quality, we must match his level of quality and ambition. Bottom line: Any player worth his salt wants to win things.

 

[bubble07]

there was absolutely no need for Redknapp to say that. Sometimes he needs to think before he speaks. Now once luka or his agent read those quotes it will IMO put strong thoughts in Luka's mind that he has a great chance of playing for United. Omce those thoughts creep into your mind ala Carrick, Berbatov and Sheringham they simply leave

A manager would only talk about a player in that way to force his price up

 

[CaYid]

there was absolutely no need for Redknapp to say that. Sometimes he needs to think before he speaks. Now once luka or his agent read those quotes it will IMO put strong thoughts in Luka's mind that he has a great chance of playing for United. Omce those thoughts creep into your mind ala Carrick, Berbatov and Sheringham they simply leave

A manager would only talk about a player in that way to force his price up

Bilic said he's as good as Kaka.

If Barcelona ever comes calling, I think Modric would ask for a transfer cuz it's his dream to play for them or something. But Modric signed on a 6 year contract, is playing with his best friend, and is still adapting to the league. He won't get sold for at least two years unless we got a monster bid for him which is unlikely. And plus, Levy isn't likely to sell such a valuable commodity in this kind of global economy.

Also Modric is still 23 and from his point of view has plenty of time to play for a giant someday. Berbatov was 27 and might have felt he was starting to run out of time to get a big money deal at his dream club like United.

Please, let's stop being so worried about our players. The ONLY times Levy has sold a player he didn't want to in eight years at the club was with Carrick and Berbatov (and keane, but we would have taken 20 million in a flash if berbatov wasn't about to walk out the door with him in the same window in my opinion). Both of those situations were extremely different to Modric's. And even when Berbatov moped and pratically boycotted the club Levy STILL held on to him until 11:00 PM on deadline day. Tottenham are a pretty big club, we have the right to have a good player like modric without instantly getting worried he'll be sold the second he shows any sort of product on the pitch.

 

[sunnydelight786]

With no Euro football to offer our big players next season, it seem's, expect the big clubs to circle around our good/quality players in the summer. It's the law of the jungle. Remind me why David Bentley left Blackburn. Was it because he wanted to move back to London or was it because he wanted to play Euro footy?

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

he'll be here next season. but we''ll have to finish 5th to keep him after that i think.

 

[bubble07]

he'll be here next season. but we''ll have to finish 5th to keep him after that i think.

more like 4th

 

[punky]

After Berbatov we don't need to have Ferguson tap up our players. Redknapp does it for him.

Absolutely last thing we need at the moment is planting the idea into Modric's head that Ferguson in any way rates him.

 

[lishiyo]

more like 4th

i think if we at least change for a CL spot for part of the season and end up with Europa it will be fine. problem is man city is certain for a huge overhaul that could help them challenge, aston villa will still be either 4th or 5th depending on whether Barry leaves this summer, and everton is always up there...we will need a lot of luck and clever decisions this summer, chelsea to collapse (won't happen tho) so we can just replace them with mancity, and arsenal to keep sinking (doubt if that'll happen though, unless villa does keep them out of the CL spots - which looks increasingly unlikely atm unfortunately )

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Stop losing perspective, guys. Aside from shrugging off this tag as a selling club, read that last line from Sbragia - "I could understand if they were a top four side".

This isn't about desperately hanging on to one player because the grass is greener in Lancashire, stop focussing on one player, we do this too much as fans. Instead turn your eyes to the rest of the squad - THOSE are the people who are going to get us into a position where the temptation won't exist, those are the ones who will make us tempting. Modric is one piece of the puzzle but, instead of worrying he's off, look at the squad and worry where we're not making the grade.

I think Harrys methods are pulling together a squad that's only been in each others company about a year. Ramos stripped the bones of Martins team and training sessions started looking like penpal meets with uncomfortable smiles, no familiarity etc. and it shows in the way Luka has started to link up with Lennon and Keane - that's a trio that makes your mouth water now.

Luka is brilliant, he's got a good set of players around him but it's not the lure of other clubs that will be the danger, it'll be the disillusionment if we fail to find our form on a more consistent basis.

That's cost us more quality players in the last few years than anything else.

 

[freeeki]

To be fair to Alex Ferguson here, he's not 'at' anything again.

Nowhere has he tried tapping up Modric, merely complimented his play.

 

[Spurs_Q8]

I trust Modric, he isn't going, he will be hero here.

 

[ziggy]

Absolutely last thing we need at the moment is planting the idea into Modric's head that Ferguson in any way rates him.

Do you really think that players only know of other clubs interests in them through managers quotes ?

If SAF wanted Modric he'd find plenty of other ways to get at him to sway him before a quote from our manager.

 

[dickyid]

SAF and Harry are friends though, so in that context it's not surprising that they have good things to say about each other after a cup final is it?