Source: SKY_Sports
Gold slams Modric accusations
Birmingham City chairman David Gold says claims that Lee Bowyer deliberately fouled Croatia playmaker Luka Modric are 'absolutely ridiculous'.
Modric suffered a fractured fibula after a challenge from Bowyer in Tottenham's 2-1 win over Birmingham at the weekend.
The gifted 23-year-old is facing six weeks on the sidelines and will miss Croatia's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and England.
The president of the Croatian federation, Vlatko Markovic, has been left wondering whether Croatia's top stars are being deliberately targetb"ed for rough treatment in the Premier League.
The blow to Modric follows on from an even more severe injury suffered by Arsenal striker Eduardo - also against Birmingham - in February 2008 which meant he was unavailable when England and Croatia met in the reverse fixture in Zagreb last September.
A joke
Markovic said: "First Eduardo, now Luka Modric. This is horrible. I can only ask myself if it was really an accident.
"I'm close to thinking it was done to us deliberately before the England match. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what happened to Luka. He is irreplaceable."
But City chairman Gold said: "It's quite unbelievable. I had to check it wasn't 1st April, I thought it was a joke.
"To suggest a conspiracy is nonsense. To suggest it was a deliberate act by English players to weaken the Croatia squad is absolutely ridiculous.
"Maybe the problem is the statement by the Croatian official has completely been lost in translation?"
