If I recall correctly Darren Lewis at the Mirror was very pro Modric joining Chelsea in the summer. Much like all jorno's they wanted something to write about but he was constantly going on about how unfair spurs were being and you can't blame the lad for wanting to move to a bigger and better club etc. Bellend.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion ... 34045.html
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion ... 34045.html
Luka Modric must surely have watched Chelsea's defeat to Liverpool on Sunday believing he had dodged a bullet.
Four months ago the brilliant Croatian midfielder was adamant that he wanted to push ahead with his dream move to Stamford Bridge.
In the wake of Tottenham's impressive win over an awful Aston Villa side on Monday night, boss Harry Redknapp reiterated the need to put Modric on the kind of money that would ensure we are not subjected to a reprise of all that rigmarole when the transfer window reopens in January.
And yet, if you are Modric, why would you go to Chelsea now? Back in August this column was convinced that the mop-haired schemer was in danger of being a divisive influence if he stayed at White Hart Lane.
Particularly given that Redknapp had made public Modric's wish not to play against Manchester City and Manchester United with the summer transfer deadline looming.
At the time £40million for a player who looked to have been finished with Tottenham was widely regarded to be sensational business.
Since then, however, Modric - and his attitude - has been simply superb.
His performances have been matched by many of the players around him and Tottenham are quite clearly a force to be reckoned with just as Chelsea are falling to pieces.
So why would you jump ship from an outfit on the up to join a club where owner-inteference is the norm, a stubborn young manager is proving to be the worst so far under Roman Abramovich and Champions League football next season is no longer a given?
Andre Villas Boas is complaining about his treatment at the hands of the press but he could change all that with a back-to-basics approach and less of the cavalier football that has seen his side beaten in three of their last four Premier League games.
The problem for him, however, is that his owner - that intelligent man who sacked Carlo Ancelotti a year after the Italian landed the Double - wants to see sexy football.
So while Sir Alex Ferguson responded to United's 6-1 demolition at the hands of City by shutting up shop and grinding out a 1-0 wins against Everton, Sunderland and Swansea, Chelsea carry on regardless.
Which is why they could only draw 1-1 against minnows Genk in the Champions League on matchday four and why they suffered their fourth Premier League defeat of the season (already!) at home to the side managed by Kenny Dalglish.
Yes, the money might be better for Modric at Chelsea. But if Spurs chairman Daniel Levy were finally to appreciate the calibre of player he has at his disposal and bump up the midfielder's bunce, what other reason would there be for crossing over to west London?
Yes the Blues have Champions League football for the moment but the way things are going Spurs will be in that competition next season anyway.
And, assuming the two Manchester clubs are certainties to make it again, would you really put your money on Chelsea joining them ahead of the other two London clubs?
Liverpool are organised, effective and have now beaten the Blues in their last three meetings. Woolwich are right back in the Champions League/title mix with ten wins in their last 12 matches after looking a mess midway through September.
And if does turn out that Champions League football is in doubt - Chelsea face Newcastle away, Manchester City at home and Spurs at White Hart Lane in December - then Abramovich will surely pull the trigger, compensation or no compensation.
Villas Boas, as he has publicly declared, may feel protected by the exorbitant sums it has cost to prise him away from Porto. But Abramovich will surely not countenance the ignominy of Europa League football in far-flung footballing outposts next season.
Then, if Villas Boas does go, would the next manager's plans include Modric - as good a player as he is? Would that manager go in on the proviso that he lives and dies by his own decisions rather than be forced to work with the players foisted on so many managers before him?
All this is not to suggest Spurs have it easy, by the way. Levy still needs to go again in the January transfer market to beef up the quality within the squad even further in order to keep up the pressure.
Big Manny Adebayor has been a superb acquisition and will thrive under the absence of the kind of pressure he had Woolwich (where many fans never forgave him for not being Thierry Henry) and Manchester City (where Mark Hughes fancied him and Roberto Mancini didn't).
But if he is injured then Spurs will need a replacement of adequate quality to step into the breach. It is a measure of the squad depth at White Hart Lane that Jermain Defoe, who hit five for the reserves on Tuesday, can't get a game.
But the England striker offers variation while Redknapp will want a big man to continue with the style of play that has seen the north Londoners reap so many rewards this season.
Forget whingeing Roman Pavlyuchenko. Handed a chance - and the stage - to prove he should be a regular in the Europa League tie at Rubin Kazan, he was anonymous and came off "injured" midway through the second half.
You do wonder whether Redknapp would be keen on Nicolas Anelka though. Despite being 32, the Frenchman still scores goals but is a victim of the Chelsea insistence on indulging Fernando Torres.
Out of contract in the summer, there is already interest in Anelka from Chinese side Shanghai Shensua. But you never can rule Spurs out of the hunt for experienced players.
The Fulham striker Moussa Dembele, curiously, remains on the radar as does the Juventus forward Amauri, who played on loan at Parma last season.
Up front, however, is the only position where Spurs need quality competition. Cudicini and Gomes are alternatives for Brad Friedel in goal. Vedran Corluka or Younes Kaboul can deputise for Kyle Walker at right back.
Gareth Bale can drop to left-full back if Benoit Assou-Ekotto is missing. William Gallas is having to bide his time with Kaboul and Ledley King doing so well at centre-half. Michael Dawson is also on the way back from injury.
In midfield Rafael van der Vaart could take over from Aaron Lennon on the right and don't rule out the arrival of David Beckham, despite the denials from White Hart Lane.
Sandro is an able replacement for Scott Parker in the middle and could actually play alongside the England man if Luka Modric is out.
Steven Pienaar or Niko Krancjar can play left side while Defoe could play alongside Adebayor if Van der Vaart is unavailable.
The Tottenham squad is settled, organised and managing successfully to balance their Europa and Premier League commitments.
Chelsea are a club teetering on the brink of crisis. Within the next month or so they will find out whether their captain has been charged with racism and whether the team are into the quarter-final of the Carling Cup (they face Liverpool - again) as well as the knockout stages of the Champions League.
They will also discover whether the 12 points by which they trail Manchester City in the title race will become even greater or whether they can reduce the deficit.
Modric will be watching with interest.
