[Football] Croatia Motivated By English Pundits’ Lack Of Respect, Says Luka Modric

[Eeyore]

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...motivated-lack-of-respect-england-luka-modric

I've been wanting to spark a debate on this. In my view, the ITV punditry was rock bottom, lowest common denominator trash last night. Ian Wright being its lead clown.

The business about Croatia being tired (they had merely played half an hour more than us) and the cringe worthy talk at half time about England comfortably cruising through the second half.

Whatever the channel, our 'pundits' seem to have descended into a bunch of cheer leading excitable children. You only have to see the faces of foreign guests to see how embarrassing it is.

Like cricket, the afterlife has taken the best from us, never to return. Peter Jones, Bryan Butler, Brian Moore etc

It wasn't the result that upset me last night, it was the final realisation that the reporting of events surrounding it is now a silly and disrespectful circus devoid of any talent.

 

[albionite]

Media always gets carried away and why would pundits motivate them. Surely the prize of being in a World Cup final is all you need.

 

[Triggaaar]

Croatia Motivated By English Pundits’ Lack Of Respect, Says Luka Modric

That's really ****ing weird.

'Right lads, a place at the World Cup final is up for grabs!'

'Meh, not really fussed boss'

'But the pundits on English tv think England are better than us!'

'****in' 'ell boss, why didn't you say! Let's ****in' 'ave 'em!'

 

[Shooting Star]

Who cares? As Wrighty said, let the nation hope and dream! What fun is it going into a semi-final with the pundits overly-respecting the opponents and downplaying our chances? I didn't see a single pundit say we were already in the final. Everyone knew Croatia would be tough but we hoped beyond hope we would make it to the final.

What would have made last night worse is if the whole nation hadn't got overly excited beforehand. It's a World Cup for goodness sake, it comes around every four years, it's supposed to be fun to dream!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I doubt Modric has looked at an English newspaper in years.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Lost respect for Modric and Vrjsalko with their classless post-match comments.

Corluka can get ****ed as well.

 

[Beanstalk]

In reality, pre-tournament Croatians were baying for Modric's blood and some still are for his perjury charge. Below article sums it up pretty well.

I think if he wanted any motivation, it would be that leading his country to his first world cup would potentially change public opinion surround him and help him minimize or avoid jail time. The whole pundit thing is Mourinho-esque deflection via wind up rubbish.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/3561265/luka-modric-a-potential-world-cup-winner--yet-many-in-croatia-hate-him

 

[Papa Lazarou]

On the quality of the ITV pundits, Roy Keane could hardly keep a smile off his smug face whilst putting the boot in.

 

[DJ NOBO]

On the quality of the ITV pundits, Roy Keane could hardly keep a smile off his smug face whilst putting the boot in.

Marginally less annoying than Ian wright shamelessly trying to take the crown of ‘man of the people’

 

[Bold Seagull]

I don't recall a single pundit saying anything disrespectful or anything but praise for their team, especially in midfield

I didn't hear a single pundit say England were favourites, and entirely reasonable to suggest to penalty shootouts might take its toll. What it does reinforce is that some of these footballers live in their own little fantasy land and are completely removed from reality.

Perhaps Modric should be more concerned about his perjury case than what a few pundits are saying.

 

[Diablo]

Why when we are beaten does someone have to try and dig for dirt.........They beat us....Well done Croatia I hope you can beat the French..End of.

 

[neilbard]

Marginally less annoying than Ian wright shamelessly trying to take the crown of ‘man of the people’

It was his shark motif shirt that sent me over the edge.

 

[Gritt23]

Lost respect for Modric and Vrjsalko with their classless post-match comments.

Corluka can get ****ed as well.

They've shown themselves to be rather classless winners, as they demonstrated after the Russia game, which led to the booing Vida was getting last night.

Maybe it just looks so much worse when compared to how classy Southgate has been throughout, when in victory or defeat.

 

[Gritt23]

On the quality of the ITV pundits, Roy Keane could hardly keep a smile off his smug face whilst putting the boot in.

It's a shame really, but he has turned into a nasty, bitter old git, who just seems to delight in dismissing the current crop of players. Whether that's England, Ireland, or Manchester United, he doesn't care, no-one is ever as good as they were in his days. He's a modern day, footballing Geoff Boycott ..... not sure that should be your punditry role model Roy.

Also grates when he takes the high ground on any of this when he was such a selfish and destructive character in the Ireland dressing room under McCarthy. His very public flounce is never far from my mind when I hear him being critical.

 

[beorhthelm]

this suggests the Croatians were spending time watching UK TV and reading our papers? or some after-timing methinks. i dont think the TV pundits were particularly dis-respecting, maybe Wright gets going a bit but more as a fan wanting to see us do well than against the opposition. and they didnt show this motivation first half. its bollocks really isnt it?

 

[Bold Seagull]

It's a shame really, but he has turned into a nasty, bitter old git, who just seems to delight in dismissing the current crop of players. Whether that's England, Ireland, or Manchester United, he doesn't care, no-one is ever as good as they were in his days. He's a modern day, footballing Geoff Boycott ..... not sure that should be your punditry role model Roy.

Also grates when he takes the high ground on any of this when he was such a selfish and destructive character in the Ireland dressing room under McCarthy. His very public flounce is never far from my mind when I hear him being critical.

At least Gary Neville attempted to dissect England's performance in a constructive way, I thought his point about calmness in front of goal, that the very best seem to have time, and he was right, when England dribbled, or got close it was all rushed, and a bit out of control. Keane just sits there saying, well they weren't good enough, offering no insight from his position as a professional in the game. I don't always agree with Neville, but at least he tries to give an audience an in-depth opinion from his pop; how the players might have been mentally, how pressure can effect you. Keane is just like a grumpy bloke they got from the end of the bar in the pub. He's no where near as good as Boycott, because like Neville, Boycott will give you a technical explanation of his opinion, like it or not. Roy Keane can F-off. It really is clear why he can't manage a football team, because who really would play for someone that miserable.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Agree with most of the posts on the thread. Modric is aftertiming like a beast and comes over as completely dislikable. No wonder the Croats hate him. He must have taken humilty lessons from Renaldo at Madrid.

That doesn't necessarily mean the standard of punditry is any good though. Keane has been unbearable. Wright is an oaf who knows he just has to play up to the crowd and The Sun will leave him alone. And don't even start me off on how much Shearer has done my swede in during this tournament.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

Luka Modric has let himself down here. Nothing worse than a bad winner! Jesus, what a prick. After winning a great game and getting into the WC final for the first time, all he can do is use it to slate us and get in some snide digs. Hope France pulverise them into mush. ****.

 

[Stato]

Except the article quotes comments from Modric and Perisic and inteprets them to mean that the pundit's dismissal added required motivation. Neither said that they needed extra motivation.

Perisic: "The all-round perception was that this is a new-look England who have changed their ways of punting long balls upfield but when we pressed them it turned out that they haven’t"

Modric: “People were talking … English journalists, pundits from television,” he told ITV. “They underestimated Croatia tonight and that was a huge mistake. All these words from them we take, we were reading and we were saying: ‘OK, today we will see who will be tired.’ They should be more humble and respect their opponents more."


Modric critcises the perception of those giving their inexpert opinions for money. Perisic's summary of our performance is correct. We did well in the first half, but Southgate didn't changes things to respond to the high press in the second half, instead allowing Croatia to dominate the ball and control the game.

English pundits did get carried away and underestimated Croatia prior to the game. This always happens a bit, because pundits, like punters are swayed by patriotism and selective bias. Take a look at where their players are playing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia_national_football_team#Current_squad and consider how many of the England squad would be candidates to play for Real, Barca, Athletico, Inter, Juve etc. Croatia won all of their group games in a tough group, fought back after being behind against Denmark and knocked out the hosts. They were obviously the best side that England had faced and should have been favourites. Our lot came up slightly short in a game of fine margins. Its a young side and an inexperienced manager. They need to take defeat in a humble manner, learn from the experience and next time come back stronger and find ways to become as good as the top opponents. This squad over acheived but, if they are going to build on this, Southgate and his bosses now need their post Sheffield Wednesday board meeting.

 

[Eeyore]

Agree with most of the posts on the thread. Modric is aftertiming like a beast and comes over as completely dislikable. No wonder the Croats hate him. He must have taken humilty lessons from Renaldo at Madrid.

That doesn't necessarily mean the standard of punditry is any good though. Keane has been unbearable. Wright is an oaf who knows he just has to play up to the crowd and The Sun will leave him alone. And don't even start me off on how much Shearer has done my swede in during this tournament.

Yes. Modric's point was a bad example.

I wanted to focus on the commentary and 'punditry'.

It's appalling these days.