Bilic: Starlet Modric can spur on Croatia

CROATIA boss Slaven Bilic has backed Luka Modric to take centre stage at Euro 2008 in the absence of Eduardo — and the Tottenham midfielder is confident he can live up to expectations.

Croatia face Austria today (kick-off 5pm) and Bilic’s name already crops up when a Barclays Premier League job becomes available, while Modric has earned a £16.5million (€20.6m) move to White Hart Lane from Dinamo Zagreb.

Spurs fans will get a glimpse of Modric when they face joint hosts Austria in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.