What a player wants he generally gets
Another week and another footballer looks to use the media in order to ensure he gets what he wants. This time Luka Modric felt the need to tell all and sundry the reason he needs to leave White Hart Lane and move to one of Tottenham’s main rivals. It is a crass way to conduct business, but footballers have never been renowned for having great etiquette when it comes to such matters.
Nothing surprises me in football. Ever since I sat in that bar in New York and saw the news that Sol Campbell had moved to the other side, I lost complete faith in footballers and their loyalty to the cause. If your own captain can do it to your football club then why should expect any different from the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and now in this case Luka Modric. I am sure the latter won’t go through the same measures to force a move like Berbatov did by refusing to play, but I do question the logic of Tottenham holding onto a player that clearly wants to leave. You only have to see what happened at Arsenal last summer with Fabregas to know that it is a mistake to hold a player against their will, given the kind of performances that Cesc put in last season.
What frustrates me more than anything is the need to make his feelings public. If Modric wants to leave then do it through the proper channels instead of the public plea through the media. The press need little excuse to unsettle the football club and now they have their bait for the next few months and Spurs fans can now look forward to a summer of speculation and unrest. I am sure that is one of the reasons why Daniel Levy was so swift in his response on the official website and why it was refreshing to see; unfortunately player power will ultimately win the day.
Luka Modric may have been good for Tottenham in the past few years, but equally the club has been very good for him and deserves a far greater respect that has been shown. The Croatian may believe he is bigger than the football club and that he needs to fulfil his ambitions elsewhere, but he should be careful what he wishes for as Spurs aren’t a million miles away from Chelsea in terms of potential. Modric has made his bed and I agree with Gary Mabbutt in that we should sell him on as we can’t afford to have unhappy players at Tottenham and we need those who will give everything for the cause. It’s just a shame for the fans that stood by him in the early days and given him so much support, but unfortunately they have been here many times before.