Filed under: Tottenham, Premier League, Football
Harry Redknapp had a conversation with his goalkeeper coach, Tony Parks, recently. The gist of it was how Tottenham's history is littered with the club having seasons of brilliance followed by years of mediocrity.Parks should know, having spent most of the 1980s at White Hart Lane when there was FA Cup wins, European glory but not the dominance that other clubs have enjoyed.
It was Liverpool in Parks' days, then Manchester United the next decade and Arsenal also muscling in.
Spurs manager Redknapp wants a sustained challenge from his club. He wants them to be challenging for the title and competing in the Champions League every season.
And the future of Luka Modric has become the symbol of their efforts. Chelsea want him and are likely to increase their £22million bid from last month.
"It's a difficult situation and I understand where he's coming from. We can't kid ourselves," Redknapp told The Sun. "He signed a contract here, we love him here and want him here. "We need him to progress."
Selling Modric would mean Spurs are accepting their place as flash-in-the-pan merchants; a club who produce decent teams once in a while, then fade while others overtake.
Redknapp has often talked about it, suggesting there is little point in qualifying for the Champions League, as they did two seasons ago, then failing to rub shoulders with Europe's elite for the next 20 years.
Spurs would surely not expect to finish in the top four if they sold Modric to one of their rivals. If the Croatia international went, then Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Sandro may follow.
Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy must be furious with Chelsea for unsettling Modric and giving them a potential problem like Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal, when his head was turned by Barcelona and his form dipped last season. That in itself is undermining Spurs' chances next season.
"The kid's confused. Other teams want him but we love him and are looking to build a team not tear it to pieces. He will remain here," Redknapp said.
"I'd be lying if I said he's happy and feeling great. It's no good me saying he is happy and that he's going to stay, the kid's a bit confused, it's not easy for him."
Modric has returned to pre-training training and the initial signs from his team-mates are positive.
"He told us that he loves playing with us and enjoys being here," said Rafael van der Vaart. Redknapp will hope it stays that way.
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