Who remembers Sasa Curcic?
Tuesday, 17 June 08, 08:27 AM
Sasa Curcic has the fortunate privilege of being named as the 16th worst Premiership signing of all time. Perhaps not the greatest achievement for the Serbian’s CV, but at least it is a privilege in the sense that he managed to beat Titus Bramble by over 25 positions.
The Times article uses Curcic’s fallings out with Brian Little and a reported — and admitted - wild personal life as the criteria for his high position in the listing.
But there was surely a flair within the multi-million pound signing that warrants an investigation on how good he actually was, rather than delving into off-the-pitch business.
Curcic played for OFK Beograd and Partizan Belgrade in the early 90s, but hit the Premiership by storm helping Bolton overcome an extensive losing-streak in their first ever season, standing out as a talented attacking midfielder despite Wanderers’ relegation to the second-tier.
Many will remember this goal he scored during his first season in English football: he certainly had talent on the ball and a keen eye for goal.
Then, Aston Villa manager Brian Little signed the Yugoslavian international for £4 million in August 1996, where he joined national and former Partizan team-mate Savo Milosevic. Curcic made 22 league matches for the club during the 1996/97 season, but without scoring. Playing in central midfield alongside the likes of Mark Draper and Villa legend Ian Taylor, Curcic’s performances seemed to peter out after his move to the Midlands.
So will Sasa Curcic’s time at Villa be remembered for anything other than his off-the-pitch performances as the Times suggests? Curcic was a cult figure at Bolton, but he was a big fish in a small pond in a team which was miserably relegated.
However, there were glimpses of memorable performances in a Villa shirt during his first season in B6; his performance against Leeds in October 1996 highlighted this with some brilliant carving runs and incisive passing from a player who really could have, with the right attitude, made something of himself at Villa Park.
I wouldn't sign for any another club, not even if I was offered 15 million dollars. However, it would be different if they were to instead offer me 15 different women from all around the world. I would tell the club chairman: Please let me make these women happy - I will satisfy them like they have never been satisfied before.
Sasa certainly had a grasp of metaphor. The move to Birmingham turned out to be a rocky one: Curcic’s sudden fame left him susceptible to the trappings of drug use and out-of-control partying which he has admitted to in interviews since he left Villa Park.
Neither too did Little and Curcic really see eye to eye; by the start of his second season at Villa their tense relations turned into a full blown feud manifested in the midfielder making only 7 league appearances, mostly as a sub, before Little was sacked and he was sold on to Crystal Palace for £1 million.
Curcic played in America, Scotland and his native Serbia before retiring in 2001.
So what was the post-retirement plan? It is often a difficult decision for Premiership veterans to decide between coaching and punditry, or to set up a business to relax for the rest of one’s life after years of intense pressure and physical exertion.
But Curcic was never one to do things by halves and decided to go a different route all together: Celebrity Big Brother.
Incidentally, he won. Lasting for a month in the Balkans equivalent of the reality television programme, Sasa fended off fellow ‘celebrities’ including singers and models for a prize of €50,000. He was remembered most notably for eye-bleedingly cringey interpretation of MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This, with full baggy pants and spaghetti-leg dancing that Bruce Grobbelaar would be proud of.
It seems Curcic had a great amount of footwork than Brian Little could never seem to get out of him. A great talent, a bad attitude and a wasted opportunity. But if Curcic was bad, just wait until I get my laughing gear around Bosko Balaban!
Comments (15)
He was outstanding for about ten games. Sasa and Savo = Super Serbs. Then he went mental. Such a shame, really.
I remember Curcic as being one of the signings I got most excited about. Villa at the time were good but lacked flair. Taylor tended to play a holding role and Draper just seemed to have lost his ability to pass forward. With a strong defence, Yorke up front and Milosevic always looking like he could be great if he could be bothered, Curcic just seemed to be the catalyst to make us genuine contenders.
Terrible shame
he had a big nose and thought every girl fancied him, but he was fantastic for bolton and not so good for the villa but that was the story of quite a few villa signings in the late nintees
edited: please no more capitals jace the ace
i think this article would be best suited for the forum.
remember him vaguely! I thought he was ok, just brian little was a bit of a c*ck! We've got quite a few on that list, The Famous Bosko Balaban, Super Stanley Collymore, Milan Baros, i can think of a few more too, Alpay, Mathieu Berson, The Djemba Twins, Zat Knight
he reminded me of kinkladze at city in terms of ability.
he use to live around by mine,
he had a nose job while he was with the villa, one memory is him with a bandaged nose and two eyes that looked like hed gone 4 rounds with frank bruno. haha
also the poor sod had no concept of money so at halloween trick or treating his house was a must. instant profit!
He was signed to replace Tommy Johnson who was playing behind the strikers in a 5:3:2 formation. Basically Brian Little came up with a nice side that depended a lot on Johnson's immense workrate.
Collymore and Curcic were supposed to take us to the next level unfortunately they were both very bad signings that showed what happens WHEN YOU DON'T THOROUGHLY ASSESS A PLAYER'S CHARACTER BEFORE YOU SIGN HIM!!!! Anyone ever wonder why MON takes his time?
is i just me who finds it strange that alot of these players either had or have gone on to have great careers after these transfers?
john dahl tomasson, ismael, veron - even boulahrouz looks immense at the euros, must just be something about the prem!
I remember him vaguely, I was young though. Alpay on the other hand was fantastic until the problems, was always a favourite of mine.
The last comment is spot on - Well how many players seem to do well once they leave B6
But on the other hand MON does seem to make average players good.
The Serbs .... Didn't like them - Apart from the goal Savo got at Wembley
We call him Djani in Serbia. The guy is ultimate idiot, once extremely talented football but with crazy head on his shoulders that took him in the bad direction. Still, he said in one interview here that at one moment he did not want to play football anymore. He was playing with the passion, and once passion gone he was lost for the game. He gave lot of interviews after winning VIP BB in Serbia and not once he mentioned football, Aston Villa, Bolton...all he speaks is about girls, hanging out with Denis Rodman, drugs, parties in London...
Here are couple of videos of him making crazy stuff...
Driving tractor in the Belgrade downtown
LINK
Dancing naked on the street (winter, with snow everywhere)
LINK
Dancing with some chick
LINK
Djani at Guca (Serbian trumpet festival)
LINK
please correct me if im wrong but im almost certain he scored a good goal in a 1-1 draw with forest
Did you notice that 9 of the 50 were signed by Newcastle-when you add the misfits and brawlers they have had over the past 10 years is it any wonder they have been consistently awful? I'm amazed that their fans have stuck by them after all the on [and off] field leeches that have been sucking money out of the club, but after all Geordies would buy S*** if it came wrapped in black and white.
I loved it when we signed him, shame he was a let down, we seem to have alot of them. Luc Nilis? pardon my spelling, he looked great for 2 games then his season and career got ended, but cant recall what keeper it was. Nil Lamptey, great prospect, did he even get in first team? Balaban.. now iam upsetting myself must stop.