You really think we're going to sell both bale and modric if we get in the champions league? Seems more like wishful thinking.
Without Harry's mafia media protection it'll be a lot harder to keep them regardless of where you finish. Soon as he's gone the press will love tearing you apart. If Modric had his way he'd be playing for Chelsea right now and if Barca come in for Bale he'll want to go.
Yeah, that media protection really helped us out over Modric this summer.
The thing is, I agree with you over Harry leaving, but for different reasons. His style of management seems to be perfect for the players and team we have - VDV for one seems to revel in a freer, less tactically restricted role - and it's hard to see who could come in and do the same job. Adebayor will almost certainly leave with or without Harry, but it may just be that if we get into the CL we could negotiate a deal with Citeh that means an extended loan, with us paying more of his wages.
For argument's sake, if we get into the CL but Bale and Modric are off, then we're a team with CL football and an enormous amount of money available. That's not such a bad scenario - particularly if Bale is an overrated one-trick pony (which I have heard plenty of times on here). It's a tricky situation, but as you well know, unless you have insanely wealthy backers or a massive stadium (or both) then you're going to have to live on a bit of a knife edge.
Can't see City agreeing to an extended loan deal for Adebayor with them paying a large portion of his wages if you keep running them as close as you are for the rest of the season.