|
Bilic backing Modric to deliver
÷y Elvir Islamovic from Zagreb
| |
|
|
Luka Modric has earned comparisons with Johan
Cruyff (¿Getty Images)
|
The reasons why Tottenham Hotspur FC were in such a hurry
to spend ?21m on Croatia midfielder Luka Modric will become clear at UEFA
EURO 2008T. That is the message from Modric's national-team coach Slaven
Bilic who has no doubts about the quality of the 22-year-old from NK Dinamo
Zagreb.
'The world will see'
Already a captain of his club side, Modric transferred his leadership
qualities to the international stage under Bilic during Croatia's successful
UEFA EURO 2008T qualifying campaign. Bilic, acquainted with his chargfe's
prodigious talent from their days with the Under-21 team, is now convinced
that his man is "one of the best European players". He said:
"Modric is a top-class player. I have known him since I was coaching
him in the U21s and, although he is still very young, I consider him one
of the best. You will see it at the EURO, when the world will see his
talent."
Blossoming talent
Tottenham needed no such persuasion to sign the playmaker from the Croatian
champions last week. Perhaps they had seen Modric blossom as an international
footballer during his 12 appearances in qualification for Austria/Switzerland.
Although armed with a total of 24 caps, and the experience of the 2006
FIFA World Cup, he only fully established himself once Bilic had replaced
Zlatko Kranjcar at the helm after those finals. The former Croatia defender
has used Modric as a defensive midfielder with licence to get forward,
yet he is just as adept operating further upfield. This season he has
scored 13 goals in 22 games for an unstoppable Dinamo Zagreb side.
Next generation
It is Croatia and Bilic's good fortune that the country may finally have
found worthy successors to midfield maestros Zvonimir Boban, Aljosa Asanovic
and Robert Prosinecki - in both Modric and Niko Kranjcar. The latter is
well known to English audiences for his performances with FA Cup finalists
Portsmouth FC. Eduardo da Silva and Vedran Corluka, from Arsenal FC and
Manchester City FC, have also given Croatian football a good name in the
Premier League this term.
Cruyff comparison
Modric and company also helped to eliminate England from the EURO, so
Tottenham Hotspur fans will not be completely incredulous of the comparisons
their recruit has earned with both Lionel Messi and Johan Cruyff. Increasingly,
he has been likened to Cruyff, whom he resembles both in frame - being
of slim build - and in speed, agility and creativity, as master of the
pinpoint pass. And if Modric could become NK Zrinjski's star player in
the Bosnia-Herzegovnian top flight as an 18-year-old loanee in 2003/04,
Bilic will be expecting a similar impact from his protege in north London
and beyond.
Euro2008.uefa.com,
29 April 2008
|
|
