Remembering Kranjcar's purple patch
The club has confirmed the transfer of Niko Kranjcar to Dynamo Kiev, and Spurs Odyssey understands that the fee was in the region of £5.75 million, which represents profit and shrewd business for the club.
Kranjcar was widely regarded as the bargain of the 2009-10 season, when he arrived from financially ailing Portsmouth in the August transfer window. Niko has not had enough games for Spurs in the last two seasons, but he did make a very early impression in the Autumn of 2009, especially when Luka Modric was out injured.
In November 2009, Niko was voted the Spurs Odyssey player of the month, which was remarkable in a month when Spurs beat Wigan 9-1, and Jermain Defoe scored that phenomenal five goals. Niko got one too, and played a prominent part in the game as well as Defoe.
In the Spursometer review of November 2009's three matches, I wrote the following:-
"Both Gomes and Lennon were contenders for the player of the month, but Jermain Defoe has to come into the reckoning for his stunning five-goal show against a humiliated Wigan side. Defoe was officially just the third Spurs player to score five league goals in a game.
There have been plenty of good performances by a number of players, but the Spurs Odyssey player of the month award goes to Niko Kranjcar who really came to the fore in all three games. Against Sunderland, he replaced Robbie Keane after 63 minutes, and Spurs suddenly looked more balanced and threatening. Kranjcar is tall and upright, with speed, strength and plenty of skill.
Niko wins his tackles, wafts through challenges, makes telling and accurate passes, and has a cracking shot to cap all that skill! His goal against Wigan is testimony to the power of his shot. In that famous Wigan game, Kranjcar was a star as well as Aaron Lennon (scorer and provider), and of course Defoe.
Kranjcar was also voted the Spurs man of the match against Aston Villa, and Harry Redknapp has a real dilemma on his hands when Luka Modric is soon ready to return."
Well, Luka came back of course, but Kranjcar's part in the side diminished progressively by the end of that first season, and then drastically in the last two seasons.
I like to remember him by that purple patch in his first season, and wish him well in his new team.
Niko Kranjcar's playing record at Tottenham:-
Premier League
P (S) Goals
2009-10 19 5 6
2010-11 2 (11) 2
2011-12 9 (3) 1
European & Cup Matches
2009-10 5 (3) 2
2010-11 2 (1) 0
2011-12 4 (2) 0
