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FORGET the England players who have decided not to board the flight to South Africa this summer, and the fact there is a chance that Fabio Capello will be picking his third choice for the full back berth. The absent friends I’m going to miss are the Croatian trio of Luka, Niko and Vedran in the red and white, tablecloth check shirts of the Croatian side.

 

The three players, who remarkably were starting their first ever league game together, showed a remarkable knack of finding each other, of reading one another’s movements off the ball, and were at the centre of all the good things Spurs produced today.

 

How did it work out that Harry Redknapp managed to buy Kranjcar for under £2 million?

In this twisted world of multi-million pound transfer fees and eye watering superannuation, poor Portsmouth’s financial travails have led to a fire sale of their on-pitch assets. And while they have brought in some lavish fees - Real Madrid splurged some £20 million on Lassana Diarra, whom Harry took to Fratton Park for around £4 million - oh how the creditors must be watching Kranjcar’s Spurs career through their fingers. The Croatian was almost bought as an after thought, right at the end of the transfer window in August, and the bid was prompted after Luka Modric broke his leg.

 

But what a superb piece of business it has turned out to be.  Harry virtually stole the player - he handed over £1.5 million. And now as the south coast strugglers scrimp every last penny they can together, how they must rue letting Niko go so cheaply. He looks worth ten times that.

 

With David Bentley suffering from a knock,  Kranjcar stepped in on the right. His assets are varied. He has nimble feet when in possession, a vicious shot and an eye for a killer pass. But it is his willingness to apply himself to the darker arts that has really won the fans over. Kranjcar rarely loses possession, and if it is taken off him, he will turn and fight. It is this determination that provides his game with the base upon which is more thrilling qualities can come to the fore.

 

Arguably he was our best player in the autumn. He kept things ticking over, playing 25 times so far and hitting six goals, all memorable. Lining up on the right, he had England hopeful Leighton Baines tracking him. The potential benefactor from Terry’s infidelity had a horrible afternoon. Baines will hope Capello’s eyes were firmly focussed on Wembley’s Carling Cup final. 

 

And it was the Croatian connection who made the goal of the game on 27 minutes. Kranjcar probed down the right, linked up with Corluka and though Everton had bodies back, Kranjcar’s short ball to the on coming Luka Modric was perfectly timed and meant in a busy area he found space. His clipped effort from around 18 yards grazed the bar as it went in. It doubled the lead - the opener came on 10, from the rejuvenated Pavlyuchenko: a great ball from deep by Huddlestone was taken down the right by Defoe. He slipped the ball over to his strike partner and all Pav had to do was direct it gently goal wards.

 

This is some strike rate from Roman: six in just over two hours on the pitch all term. Either it is going to mean he stays next year and we will see him become the player we hoped he’d be - or he has at least added a nought or two to the fee he’ll command should he head off come May, which will be closer to his true value than what we would have received in January. 

 

What Pompey’s accountants would do to be able to ask for a cheque that shows the true value of Niko Kranjcar.