- Sep 2, 2003
- 5,850
- 8,794
Dear Mr. Modric
You may be aware that a number of english newspapers are running a story purporting to contain quotes from you. While I am reluctant to believe that you have indeed said these things, I fear that these organs would not have run the risk of a libel case for the sake of a football 'exclusive', however sensational the story may be. I therefore reluctantly assume that you did say them. If you did not, then please excuse me for what I am about to say.
First, I do not share your opinion about Chelsea being a 'great club'. They are a club which first tasted success as recently as 1955 (and not again until 1970) and historically were always vying with West Ham for the claim to be the third biggest club in London. It is only since the injections of cash by first Matthew Harding and then Roman Abrahmovitch that they have become a media darling 'big club'. In my own humble opinion they are a detestable ensemble of arrogance and a shining example of all that is wrong with the modern game. Their followers include a larger-than-typical collection of neanderthals and so, frankly, does their squad. So far from being 'one of the best clubs in the world', they are, I would contend, one of the worst.
You say that the reason for wishing to leave is that you want to play in the Champion's League. It is a laudable objective, and one which I - and all my fellow Spurs fans - would want for you; in the white shirt of Tottenham. It is indeed unfortunate that we missed out on qualification last season, finishing six points behind Arsenal. Had we managed to take more than one point off of relegated West Ham and Blackpool, we would have been closer to that elusive fourth spot. Furthermore, had we won as few as eighteen points of the thirty on offer from matches against teams that finished in the bottom five places, then not only would you be playing Champions League Football with Spurs next season, but Arsenal would have missed out on qualification. A win-win, if you like.
While I do not wish to lay blame for that abject failure against the league's poorest teams entirely at your door, I am sure that you will agree that, as a key member of the team, you are at least partly culpable. Do you not feel that you and your colleagues were good enough to finish in the top four and have therefore failed each other, the management, the fans and the club? Do you not therefore feel that you might have a moral obligation to all of the fans who love you (a feeling which you say that you reciprocate) to right that wrong? To stay with the club who - as you have said on numerous occasions - brought you to the 'big time' of one of the best leagues in the world?
You say that you want ...."to go in a good way, a friendly way....". That is doubtless the best way to leave a relationship, and I would wish you success in that endeavour. I have to tell you, though, that leaving now - when the Chairman has categorically stated that none of the club's best players will be sold - and leaving to a club that most of the fans who idolise you detest with a passion, means that your wish is doomed to failure. You will become a pariah at White Hart Lane and, frankly, it will be deserved.
You also say that you will not request a transfer because "that would be disrespectful". I believe that you are correct: it would. But is it not disrespectful for you to give interviews of this type to national newspapers? Have you not, by declaring a wish to leave in such a public way, effectively handed in a transfer request? While I would like to think that it isn't so, such an act is surely hypocrisy of the highest order.
If it were my decision, I would not accept any transfer fee from Chelsea, no matter how much money was offered. If you were set on leaving then I would not sell to any other english club; and I would only sell to a foreign club if the fee involved was substancially more than the existing world record. That at least would provide enough money to make the Northumberland Development Project viable and enable us to build a stadium to compete financially with other front-line clubs.
In conclusion, I would like to say how disappointed I am in your actions. I and many fellow Spurs fans have believed you to be a 'classy' individual. Somebody who values loyalty. Somebody with integrity. It seems that I was mistaken. It seems that you would be ideally suited to join the motley collection of human detritus plying its trade in SW6.
Sincerely,
spud
You may be aware that a number of english newspapers are running a story purporting to contain quotes from you. While I am reluctant to believe that you have indeed said these things, I fear that these organs would not have run the risk of a libel case for the sake of a football 'exclusive', however sensational the story may be. I therefore reluctantly assume that you did say them. If you did not, then please excuse me for what I am about to say.
First, I do not share your opinion about Chelsea being a 'great club'. They are a club which first tasted success as recently as 1955 (and not again until 1970) and historically were always vying with West Ham for the claim to be the third biggest club in London. It is only since the injections of cash by first Matthew Harding and then Roman Abrahmovitch that they have become a media darling 'big club'. In my own humble opinion they are a detestable ensemble of arrogance and a shining example of all that is wrong with the modern game. Their followers include a larger-than-typical collection of neanderthals and so, frankly, does their squad. So far from being 'one of the best clubs in the world', they are, I would contend, one of the worst.
You say that the reason for wishing to leave is that you want to play in the Champion's League. It is a laudable objective, and one which I - and all my fellow Spurs fans - would want for you; in the white shirt of Tottenham. It is indeed unfortunate that we missed out on qualification last season, finishing six points behind Arsenal. Had we managed to take more than one point off of relegated West Ham and Blackpool, we would have been closer to that elusive fourth spot. Furthermore, had we won as few as eighteen points of the thirty on offer from matches against teams that finished in the bottom five places, then not only would you be playing Champions League Football with Spurs next season, but Arsenal would have missed out on qualification. A win-win, if you like.
While I do not wish to lay blame for that abject failure against the league's poorest teams entirely at your door, I am sure that you will agree that, as a key member of the team, you are at least partly culpable. Do you not feel that you and your colleagues were good enough to finish in the top four and have therefore failed each other, the management, the fans and the club? Do you not therefore feel that you might have a moral obligation to all of the fans who love you (a feeling which you say that you reciprocate) to right that wrong? To stay with the club who - as you have said on numerous occasions - brought you to the 'big time' of one of the best leagues in the world?
You say that you want ...."to go in a good way, a friendly way....". That is doubtless the best way to leave a relationship, and I would wish you success in that endeavour. I have to tell you, though, that leaving now - when the Chairman has categorically stated that none of the club's best players will be sold - and leaving to a club that most of the fans who idolise you detest with a passion, means that your wish is doomed to failure. You will become a pariah at White Hart Lane and, frankly, it will be deserved.
You also say that you will not request a transfer because "that would be disrespectful". I believe that you are correct: it would. But is it not disrespectful for you to give interviews of this type to national newspapers? Have you not, by declaring a wish to leave in such a public way, effectively handed in a transfer request? While I would like to think that it isn't so, such an act is surely hypocrisy of the highest order.
If it were my decision, I would not accept any transfer fee from Chelsea, no matter how much money was offered. If you were set on leaving then I would not sell to any other english club; and I would only sell to a foreign club if the fee involved was substancially more than the existing world record. That at least would provide enough money to make the Northumberland Development Project viable and enable us to build a stadium to compete financially with other front-line clubs.
In conclusion, I would like to say how disappointed I am in your actions. I and many fellow Spurs fans have believed you to be a 'classy' individual. Somebody who values loyalty. Somebody with integrity. It seems that I was mistaken. It seems that you would be ideally suited to join the motley collection of human detritus plying its trade in SW6.
Sincerely,
spud