Bilic gets down to business after party time with Pogues

AS EVER, a manager as meticulous as Slaven Bilic has prepared impeccably for tonight’s friendly with Ireland. But, this time, he’s probably reached a new note.

“We have done our homework. We went to see The Pogues in concert in Zagreb. They are very popular, a world-class band.”

Bilic, of course, has a player who reaches that kind of elite level in his own squad: Luka Modric. And there’s a lot of noise being made about him at the moment. The Croatia manager, however, was unwilling to indulge the speculation about another Chelsea bid for the Tottenham playmaker. Rather, he merely said he had offered Modric some private advice.