He may have turned out to be one of the finest players to have graced the White Hart Lane turf in the last 20 years, but the silky Croat was once raising a few sceptical eyebrows following his 2008 transfer from Dinamo Zagreb. Modric has been excelling as a deep-lying playmaker at the Bernabeu for over a year now, but when Spurs boss Juande Ramos utilised him in a defensive role, his slight frame wasn't used to the rigours of the Premier League, and he struggled as a result. Having sparkled for Zagreb and Croatia on the left hand side of midfield, Modric was unfamiliar with the defensive duties he was assigned with, and suddenly, his £16.5 million fee wasn't looking too clever on Levy's part. Labelled as 'light-weight' by certain sections of the media, his poor form was exacerbated by niggling injuries sustained throughout the early parts of the 08/09 season, as he struggled in vain to adapt to the demands of the English league.
''I am not satisfied with my performances at Tottenham. I have to do better and I can do better. The problem has been a knee problem - it's been causing pain.'' - Luka Modric, October 2008.
The arrival of Harry Redknapp in the following weeks proved to be the catalyst for the rejuvenation of the club, as they hauled themselves up the division. Deploying the Croat in a more advanced, second-striker role, it was no surprise hat Modric's form improved tenfold, with the former Portsmouth boss choosing to build his side around the former Zagreb midfielder.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
