Croat stars spur on Tottenham

HARRY REDKNAPP is backing his Croatian connection to land another famous double for Tottenham.

It might not be quite as pioneering as the 1961 feat when Danny Blanchflower and company became the first team in modern times to win the league and FA Cup in the same season in England.

But Redknapp reckons the midfield skills of Luka Modric and Nico Kranjcar can bring the cup home to White Hart Lane for the ninth time as well as help Spurs qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

A groin injury which will sideline Aaron Lennon for several weeks allowed Redknapp to pair Modric and Kranjcar on either side of midfield against Championship strugglers Peterborough on Saturday.

And they were the inventive key as Tottenham smashed in another glut of goals to ease through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Redknapp, who respected the trophy in true Tottenham tradition by playing his strongest available side and pledged to continue doing so, said: “I enjoy watching us play. The two Croatian boys move the ball about fantastically.

“When I first took Kranjcar at Portsmouth, Slaven Bilic (Croatia manager) raved about him.

“They are just fantastic boys. Not a minute’s problem. They get on with it. They’ve got great football brains, great ability.

“They are a dream for a manager. They just enjoy playing football and are technically gifted.”

Modric is still feeling his way back after recovering from a broken leg earlier this season and Redknapp expects the Croatian pair to have an extended run in Lennon’s absence.

Redknapp said: “They don’t stand out wide and get marked. They come into positions where opponents can’t find them. They’re in little holes and they have that knack of doing that. They do it so well.

“There’s no reason they can’t have a good run together because Aaron is going to be out for a good while.”

Kranjcar smashed home the first two goals, the first a spectacular right-foot shot, the second a tap-in.

Jermain Defoe popped up for his inevitable strike and captain Robbie Keane slotted home a penalty in injury time when Chris Whelpdale brought down substitute Danny Rose.

Yet it might well have been a defeat of 9-1 Wigan proportions but for an inspired performance by Peterborough and England Under-21 goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

Redknapp also confirmed £13m Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, who came on as a second-half substitute, can leave in the transfer window for the right price.

TOTTENHAM: Gomes, Hutton, Dawson, Bassong, Bale (Naughton 79), Kranjcar (Rose 73), Huddlestone, Palacios, Modric, Keane, Defoe (Pavlyuchenko 75).

PETERBOROUGH: Lewis, Griffiths, Bennett, Morgan, Williams, Whelpdale, Frecklington (Batt 69), Coutts, Lee (Green 87), Boyd, Mackail-Smith.

Referee: Lee Mason.