Modric: Joining Tottenham was the right decision

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric recently sat down for an interview with Optus Sport, where he reminisced about his time at Tottenham Hotspur.

Modric signed with Spurs in 2008, a decision that marked a significant turning point in his career. Initially, his tenure under Spanish coach Juande Ramos didn't go smoothly, with Tottenham struggling in the opening eight games of the season, securing only two points and enduring their worst league start in club history. However, the arrival of Harry Redknapp salvaged Tottenham's fortunes that season, and Redknapp became a pivotal figure in Modric's career trajectory.

Modric recalled, "We had a terrible start to that season, both myself and the whole team. Things started to turn around when the new manager came in."

"I can only say that Redknapp is a fantastic coach, but what impressed me even more was his character as a person. He provided me with a lot of help during my time at Tottenham, right up until I left. So, I'll always be grateful for the fond memories of working with him. Having someone who truly believes in you, who sees your potential, of course, helps. I needed that support, especially during my initial struggles."

"We played the most beautiful football in England at that time."

Recalling Modric's time at Tottenham, Redknapp said, "When he came here, people started doubting whether he could play in England, whether he was strong enough to play here, and when you look back now, it's incredible, he was strong enough to play anywhere. When I first came to Tottenham, he was playing on the left, and I said I'm going to put him in midfield."

"Some coaches at Tottenham before I arrived said, 'Harry, you can't put him there. He's not strong enough, he'll get bullied.' That Saturday we played against Chelsea, and I remember those opposing coaches saying, 'Harry, it's a bit different this week. They have Essien, Lampard, and Ballack, they're too strong for Modric.' And I said: No, they're not too strong for Modric. He played in that position, performed brilliantly, and he never played anywhere else after that, did he?"

In 2010, Redknapp and Modric led Tottenham back to the Champions League, marking the club's first appearance in nearly 50 years. Around this time, Tottenham earned the nickname "Crotnam" due to having four Croatian players - Vedran Corluka, Niko Kranjcar, Vedran Corluka, and Modric - in their squad.

Modric remarked, "The dream was to play in Italy or Spain because it's hard to get into England since not many Croatian players play there, but joining Tottenham Hotspur was the right decision. If I could write a script for the development of my career, I couldn't write it any better than how it turned out."

"When you leave the Premier League, you don't stop following it. I keep an eye on the league, especially the teams with Croatian players. And, of course, I still follow Tottenham Hotspur."

Regarding the possibility of returning to the Premier League, Modric said, "At my age, it would be difficult, but you never know what might happen."