Who Can Blame Modric For Wanting Out?

‘I don’t want to have an argument with Tottenham,’ said Modric. ‘The supporters have been very good to me and I have enjoyed my time playing for the club, but it is for football that players leave clubs and move. It has happened to Tottenham before. It is normal for a player to dream about playing for a bigger club.’ – Luka Modric supposedly talking to the Daily Bugle

Ouch. That hurts a lot. A bigger club? I won’t get into how you define a bigger club and quite frankly it’s not important, even if we do have a 35,000+ waiting list for season tickets and Chelsea are giving them away to members with 0 loyalty points. What really hurts is it looks like it’s about to happen to us again.

If these quotes are true and I assume as the journalist, Matt Lawton, has bothered using quotation marks that they are, then we may at some point this summer lose a player who above all others we had to keep. I know Levy has come out and said Modric is not for sale at any price, but things can change very quickly in football and money talks. We’ve seen it before.

But instead of being sickened at the possibility of him moving to Chelsea or spending the next few seasons booing when we see him we should really be asking who can blame him?

Let’s face it since getting into the top 4 Joe Lewis, Daniel Levy, Harry Redknapp and at least 50% of the fanbase have shown little or no ambition. Last summer was the time to spend and improve the team. Having Champions League football to offer was the carrot to dangle in front of the players that we needed. The management failed to realise we needed a striker until January by which time it was too late.

We spent the vast majority of last summer chasing Joe Cole, Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards. I’m a fan of Richards but none of those players are of the calibre we needed, nor in the positions that could’ve really improved us. Come January we spent most of the time discussing David Beckham and making last minute bids for Phil Neville. Yes, there was the final day £35m offers for any striker in Europe that might want to join us but that was a) too late and b) a pointless exercise to appease the fans in my opinion.

We’ve had our manager walking about with a grin on his face because he achieved 5th place, telling us (and therefore the players) that 5th was as good as it was going to get. A large amount of fans agree with him, stating the last season was one of the best on record.

“5th place, quarter final of the Champions League in our first season! It’s been great. I mean what more do you want?”

If you believe the above statement then you can’t have any problem with Modric or any other player wishing to leave. No team has a write to be at the top or even competing towards that end of the table but if you’re blinded so easily by a few great nights in Europe that you can’t see where this team should’ve finished then more fool you.

My fear was some of our better players would see this too. Clearly when Modric signed his contract extension last summer he would’ve been told the club was going places. He’s said as much in the past, stating he feels he can win and achieve everything he wants to with Spurs and we loved him for it. I don’t think he was lying either. It was only last summer Redknapp was telling us there’s no reason why we can’t compete for the title. No doubt he told Luka the same thing. I can imagine it now:

“Right then little man. I think you’re a triffic little player. We want to build this team around you but to do so we need you to sign a new contract”

“Ok Mr Harry. We have had a very good season but do you think we can win something one day?”

“Luka, Luka, Luka. Let me tell you something. I know great players when I see them. I’ve been in this game for over 50 years, man and boy. Triffic. I’ve managed to build teams capable of escaping relegation on more than one occasion and have I shown you the DVD of when I lifted the FA Cup with Portsmouth?”

“Yes Mr Harry. You show us that every other Tuesday when you show up for training, but what I really want to know is if I commit my future to Tottenham Hotspur will we win something? I want to win the league and cups and compete in the Champions League every season. Do you think that’s possible?”

“I’ve got my eye on a 2-3 players Luka. That’s all we need to make that final push. The Chairman’s behind me and I honestly believe once they arrive there’s no reason why this team can’t compete for the title in the next couple of seasons. This time next year Luka, we’ll be millionaires.”

“Ok Mr Harry. That’s all I wanted to hear. I look forward to meeting these new players. Where do I sign?”

Unfortunately Modric would’ve been as upset about last summer and this January as fans like myself were. We showed no ambition at all. Forget what you might’ve heard about us making an offer for this player or that player. It’s completely meaningless unless we sign them. Luis Suarez was ready to come to Spurs, wanted to play in London and we decide he’s no better than Pav! I’m not saying he would’ve been the answer to our poor form in the final couple of months but surely he’s better than Pav?

The van der Vaart signing saved last summer’s window for a lot of us and probably for most of the players, especially players like Modric. It was all very last minute but at least it happened. Steven Pienaar on the other hand wouldn’t have had the same impact on the dressing room in January.

When you look at the cold hard facts, I’d want to leave Spurs for a club that shows ambition too. Before anyone says anything about the size of our football stadium and how we can’t compete with those clubs above us all I can say is stop listening to everything the club drip feeds you. Of course it’s a problem, especially when it comes to attracting players who the clubs above us also want because they can pay larger salaries but last summer we were a football club who had Premier League football, Champions League football, still very reasonable wages and a team obviously going somewhere to offer and yet we still didn’t go out and cement our position. That’s all Modric would’ve wanted. Ambition shown from the top to the bottom, from Lewis and Levy to you and me. When you take into account the signings we’ve made, the comments about finishing 5th and winning nothing being as good as it’ll get and can you really blame him for wanting to leave? I can’t.

It’s been a pleasure Luka, thank you and I wish you personal success. Maybe if we had more like you in charge, in the team and in the stands you really could achieve everything you wanted in N17. Until we do though, you’re not the first and you certainly won’t be the last to move to pastures new. After all it’s been happening for 20 years.

COYS

Submitted by DrWinston001 from THFC1882