http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/Redknapp-Niko-can-be-Premier.4353391.jp

Redknapp: Niko can be Premier legend

The cultured Croat is poised to enter his third season in English top-flight football.

And Pompey's boss is convinced it will be the one to establish Kranjcar as one of the league's greatest performers.

Such is Redknapp's admiration for the 23-year-old, he turned down a £12m bid from Monaco for the midfielder's services this summer.

Now he's looking forward to the former Hajduk Split man once again taking his game on to another level.

He said: 'I think Niko got fitter last season and he'll be back this year fitter again.

'I feel he can get better as well. He's a real class act. He's still only young and improving all the time.

'He can keep going on and become one of the best players in the Premier League if he keeps improving. I really, really think he can.

'Niko had to adjust to the English game and what was expected of him in the team.

'Like anybody, you need to be very, very fit to be in the Premier League. He's done that now.

'He's one of our most creative players, for sure. He can do something special, he can beat someone and put a ball in. Niko has got that excellent ability.

'He did all right in the European Championships.

'When Croatia got in front and the manager wanted to tighten things up at times they brought on a more defensive-minded player. I thought he did well, though.

'Now he's back with us and I think he's got the capability to be a full force in the Premier League.

'I don't want to sell him, I've no intention. This is a player who can be absolutely massive for us.'

Kranjcar was granted an additional two weeks off over the summer following his European Championship exertions.
And Redknapp believes Pompey can reap the rewards of that extra time resting.

He added: 'Niko and Lassana (Diarra) played in the European Champion-ships and needed an extra couple of weeks.

'Our players had less time off than the other Premier League teams anyway because of the FA Cup.

'Niko and Lassana went straight from winning the Cup at Wembley to training every day for the European Championships – they had no breaks at all.

'You need a break and a holiday. You really need to get away for a couple of weeks.

'Let's remember these are two big players for us. They've come back looking refreshed and ready for the season.'

 

Niko je cijelu tekmu proveo motajuci se oko centra, cinio se totalno nezainteresiran. Doslovno se trudio da NE dobije loptu, a kad bi ju i dobio vratio bi ju natrag odakle je došla u expresnom roku.

Ja neznam sta je s njim, ali nakon sto sam ogledo utakmicu u nedjelju došlo mi je da se smijem pri samoj pomisli da je on bio spominjan u kontekstu transfera u Arsenal. 

 

Igro je tako loše da bi ga i u Hajduku izvadili iz igre!

Zamjenjen je u 60-toj minuti jer je Redknap procijenio da je vrijeme da počne igrat sa 11 igrača na terenu.

 

 

 

i mene lagano hvata nostalgija za onim vremenima...

Bilo je puno sjajanih komentara na ovom topicu, posebno za vrijeme i prije Eura.

 

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