Modders is very positive on the arrival of his old Croatian mucker Niko. Loving him refer to 3MP as 'Crouchy'. Clearly the Redschnapps Linguafone tapes are kicking in nicely...

"Niko knows everything about English football and he won't need long to settle, especially with myself and Charlie already here and of course he knows Jermain and Crouchy from Portsmouth," said Luka, who has started on the road to recovery from a fractured right fibula. "He speaks perfect English as well.

"He's a great player and a great person. I'm glad because it means I will play with him and Charlie in the same team. He's a fantastic player and he will help us. He's strong on the ball, has great vision and is a great passer of the ball. He's a dangerous player."

And on the flipside of the coin we have TAFKAKPB's mood...

 Moving to Manchester? - Bag o'shite

Compliments to HH reader namingrights_available for the heads up on the Modders interview which is translated for you HERE.

In a nutshell he refers to Spurs as awesome and says he only became aware of the fictional tale that The Grump From Govan was on the verge of signing him when reading about it in the The Sun.

He goes on to say that in fact he wouldn't be surprised if Tottenham offered him an extension on his existing contract.

Well done to all concerned at the Currant Bun. 

 "It was a great finish from a great little player. He's a top, top player - one of the best in the world in my opinion.

"He's got so much ability. He's got a big heart as well and is a terrific footballer."

And be it taunting him with the inclusion of Bentley or playing him Huddlestone's Boyz To Men collection, Lennon's game has been raised dramatically.

The introduction of Palacios was the ruddy faced alchemist's addition of  'a dash of bull terrier'.

With all others he has demanded more and sidelined those unprepared to deliver. Jenas has been driven hard and Keane let off the leash.

Arry knows that for some time this rag tag collective of potentially good footballers have, up until now, gone largely unmanaged or been mismanaged.

So Tottenham are top of the form pops with an indifferent Blackburn away as their next task. Let's hope they are able for it and don't revert to type.

Chris at studs-up.com has just released a rather cool Arry t-shirt... HERE but you can win one by answering the following question: Studs Up is published every Monday, Wednesday and... what other day?

Answers plus your required size to harryhotspur@oleole.com. Good luck.

Only eighteen days into March and the first signs of human sewage are beginning to blossom.

After a torturous time of it with the deeply unpleasant Emil Danchev, may I reluctantly introduce you to the one, the only Sabatino Durante.

Calling himself Luca Modric's Italian representitive only goes to reaffirm any suspicions that one might have had that this creature probably also operates an executive taxi service out of Naples Airport, not to mention a dry cleaners in Bari and his mobile sushi bar between the two.

"...he proved he is a great player..."

Nice little runner.

“I have been saying that Modric is one of the best midfielders in Europe for the last two, three years because he is a good mix of quality and quantity. And he’s a young player as well."

Good engine, FSH.

“For sure (moving to Italy in the summer is an option) but it will depend on the state of the economy. Modric can’t move on from London for less than €24 or €25 million."

Failing that have you considered a time share in Greece?

“Him moving to Italy seems complicated for many reasons.”

This is largely due to the fact I'm a wh*ring git who made this entire thing up.

The vast majority of you reading this aren't going to the game.

But with any luck you will have a plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel. A plan that perhaps incorporates a juicer, some fellow fans and a modestly sized European lager lake.

I'm looking for you to share here, not only where you'll be this Sunday but where you've been and what occured on Cup Final days gone by.

It's all upbeat when it comes to 'Arry so far. And with the revitalised performances he's been serving up only rightly so.

Here's some gold from within the hallowed walls that may go some way to explaining where the feel good factor has come from.

In one of his first gatherings with the players, 'Arry said, "You boys look hungry" ...and proceeded to plant a bottle of ketchup on the table.

Huddlestone is being kept on a slightly shorter leash as 'Arry is determind to keep him 'lean and mean'.

This backs up what I was hearing from another source recently who told me that the Ramos food regime was so oppressive that a number of players were on more than one occasion sneaking off to a McDonalds after training.

'Arry was dumbfounded by the atmosphere in the dressing room. He felt the banter was 'criminal' and took immeadiate action. He instructed Pavlyuchenko and Modric to 'start taking the piss' out of the English players.

On player development some great news!

Lennon has been told not to worry about scoring. 'Arry wants all his attention on his final ball.

Bentley is well regarded. 'Arry sees him almost in the Ronaldo mould - going past players and the dead ball specialist.

Gareth Bale has had a bit of an earful. His development is a key concern. 'Arry is more than aware he hasn't been producing like he was.

Corluka has really caught 'Arry's eye and his progress viewed as a real positive. Hutton has not made such a good first impression but still very much being worked on.

That's all good in my book.

Viva 'Arry.

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A new dawn, another win. I could get used to this.

The difference is undoubtedly Redschnapps and the difference is these boys really believe they can turn things around. We're not quite out of the woods yet, but we're off bottom and able to start looking folk square in the eye again.

You see clubs come off the rails hit the relegation zone and and you watch them fight. You can see the fight has gone out of them. Drowning - not waving. Tottenham's performances since 'Arry came in have not been like that. More like masterclasses in common sense and a thing called ...will.  

Gomes 7 I predict a time when his critics will groan when he comes for a cross and he only catches it.

Woodgate 7 Kept them at bay using only a large broom and dustbin lid.

Ekotto 2.5 Hopefully we can appeal the card and get the ban extended so he can have a long think about what it is he wants out of life.

Corluka 7 Every game I see marginal improvement. Note to PSB: That is how you leave a club.

King 6.4 Uncomfortable viewing. The battery is going and it fell over at a crucial moment.  

Zokora 6.5 One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest time. Is he a patient or a doctor?

Jenas 6.5 I'm beginning to think he might be agoraphobic.

Lennon 6 Came on and didn't change the game.

Huddlestone 6.6 Class in a glass. Unfortunately it was a flute and we need him by the pint.

Bentley 6.5 A day where he had to battle to do anything. I'd say the lid on his hair wax wouldn't undo the first time and his earphones on his iPod were all tangled up like you would not believe.

Modric 8.1 Man Of The Match. He's a terrier. Twice as good as any City player. Inspirational.

Bent 8 Super Darren Bent. Would you Adam and Eve it? Me neither.

This will be a really interesting fixture and it must have been a while since anyone has said that and actually meant it.

Playing City was always a bit like facing Villa. The only guarantee was 90 minutes of pretty joyless hard work and with one lapse of concentration you could be you on your way with no points.

How times thankfully change. This game will present instead to rather revitalised teams and we might just might find ourselves promoted from the comedy tag item on Match Of The Day.

Needless to say but I will anyway, a win will catapult us out of the bottom slot. A draw may serve as a credible part of the healing process, but will be of little use otherwise.

It's all about goals. City have knocked in twelve at home in contrast to the rather lonely brace of Spurs' net rattlers away.

City's 'dangerman' is Robinho, but Ireland, Elano and Wright Phillips have all scored three league goals a piece so far. By contrast, Benty has five with Jenas and Pav sitting on two each...

City will give us the space so it's a question then of how we use it. I feel cautiously upbeat. City are as useless as us. Which is to say they can flatter to decieve and the right team can go in there and collapse them. Huddlestone or Jenas could open them up and Bentley and Lennon could really cause some trouble. Could. What a word.

I fancy us to beat them by two goals. Bold as brass but there you have it. 0-2, 1-3 ...it's all the same to me. Huddlestone as an anytime scorer is 7/1, so it only makes sense to extend your loan and get on.

BIOYC!