Luka Modric reckons his best is yet to come after joining Tottenham last summer with the presumption of being among Europe's best playmakers.
The Croatia international struggled to settle at White Hart Lane, however, and a niggling knee injury has hindered his cause.
Now, with Spurs having slumped to rock-bottom in the English top flight, the 23-year-old accepts he must raise his game.
"I am not satisfied with my performances. I have to do better and I can do better," Modric said.
"The problem has been a knee injury but now I hope I'm in the right road."
Terry out, Ferdinand captain
John Terry has been ruled out of England's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan with a back problem and Rio Ferdinand will take over the captaincy, manager Fabio Capello said yesterday.
Terry missed much of the week's training with a recurrence of the problem that has dogged him for months and will be replaced at Wembley by either Matthew Upson or Joleon Lescott.
Capello said he did not yet know whether the Chelsea centre-back would recover in time for next Wednesday's qualifier in Belarus.
"It depends on his back. If he can train a bit then maybe, but we have good replacements," Capello told a news conference.
Rosina set for comeback
There were some encouraging news from the medical clinic this week for struggling Torino as their most influential player last season, Alessandro Rosina, is poised to make a comeback after the international break.
Rosina hopes to be fully fit for his team's next Serie A match against Cagliari. The midfielder hasn't made a huge impression this season as he was hampered by injury problems.
"It's as if the season hasn't started yet for me," Rosina said.
"I got injured in the game against Lecce and the problem looked cured before the Reggina clash. But the pain increased and I couldn't run properly.
"Now I am feeling better and I will do everything to be ready for Cagliari but I need to be fully fit."
Mexico club linked to drug cartel
Mexican prosecutors are investigating a soccer club for links to drug gangs amid fierce turf wars that have killed more than 3,000 people this year.
Police suspect second division club Mapaches de Nueva Italia, based in the western state of Michoacan, could be financed by the ruthless Gulf cartel from the Gulf of Mexico or by an emerging gang called The Family, possibly for money laundering purposes.
"We have made seven arrests of club directors and players, all Mapaches," said a federal official who declined to be named.
The arrests followed a raid on the team after a game in Mexico City.
Ronaldo to practise next week
Brazilian striker Ronaldo has said he is recovering well from a career-threatening knee injury and should return to training next week.
The clubless 32-year-old has been undergoing a rehabilitation programme at Brazilian team Flamengo since August as he battles for fitness after rupturing a tendon in his left knee during a Serie A game for Milan against Livorno in February.
"The muscles are still weak and at the moment I don't have the power to do all I want," Ronaldo said. "But the knee isn't giving me any pain.
"It's highly probable that I'll return to training with Flamengo on Monday."
Game sustainable says Scudamore
English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said the structure of the game is sustainable despite the global financial crisis.
"People need to be realistic. We are entering interesting financial times. But football is very sustainable. Club names are very sustainable, they don't disappear," he said.
"I am not saying we won't at some time feel the wind of the consumer crunch, but generally we are not in such a bad condition."
Scudamore has moved to calm fears that a leading club could go bankrupt.
"Debt is neither good or bad, it is inevitable," he said.
"It depends on the value of the asset the debt is against, and some of our clubs are hugely valuable assets, certainly the biggest clubs."
Pazzini growing impatient
Giampaolo Pazzini told reporters he is becoming frustrated to get little action in the first team for Fiorentina so far this season.
Pazzini was looked at as Luca Toni's replacement in Florence but his nine goals last season were not enough as he is being overlooked and yet to start a match this term with Alberto Gilardino in fine form.
He said: "Obviously, nobody enjoys sitting on the bench, but I'm not the kind of person to cause a fuss because of it.
"It was different in the past and I would have some really miserable times, but now I am just motivated to work. Gilardino is doing great but my time will come."