Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on March 23, 2019, 05:10:43 PM
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A former player that always generates interesting debate. Came to us with some hype and bags of potential. Didn't really fulfil it and when you read this you forget he was young, in a foreign country with so much going on in his life at the time. But he did score some very good and very important goals for us, none more so than one of the greatest goals in a cup final ever vs Leeds. I really liked him as a player and that squad was really quite good and should have done much more. We say that about lots of old Villa sides though. Anyway here's the article from The Telegraph.
Savo Milosevic interview on Gareth Southgate's japes, spitting at Aston Villa fans and his grandfather shooting his father dead
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2019/03/23/TELEMMGLPICT000192118423_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq8KDtUF8RQS7a1sCeT6PY0aOmdfkq41R0GyK8ean0t0g.jpeg?imwidth=1400)
Savo Milosevic spoke no English when he became Aston Villa's record signing in 1995
Matt Law, football news correspondent
23 MARCH 2019 • 3:26PM
Gareth Southgate was one of the Aston Villa players roaring with laughter in the canteen at the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground as Savo Milosevic welcomed a newspaper reporter by telling him: “Your clothes. Go put them in the bin.”
Milosevic had been convinced that it was a traditional English greeting by his close group of Villa friends comprising Mark Bosnich, the late Ugo Ehiogu, Ian Taylor and Southgate.
Southgate held the distinction of being Villa’s record signing for just five days in the summer of 1995 before Milosevic, who spoke no English, joined for £3.5 million from Partizan Belgrade.
He scored 33 goals in 117 games at Villa Park before a successful career in Spain and Italy, and retirement in 2008. Milosevic made headlines in England again in 2011, when his father was shot and killed by his grandfather, also named Savo, after a family row.
“I cannot explain what happened,” says Milosevic. “But I believe in God and I believe things happen for a reason. It was a very difficult time for me and my family, but I have to trust in God and keep my faith. Fortunately, I have three wonderful children of my own and that helped me to get through it, but it was a big shock and a tough period of my life.”
Speaking from Belgrade, Milosevic is hoping to be in Podgorica on Monday night, when Southgate takes his England team to face Montenegro in Euro 2020 qualifying.
The first time the Three Lions visited Podgorica, in 2011, Milosevic was assistant to manager Branko Brnovic as Montenegro held Fabio Capello’s team 2-2, and Wayne Rooney was sent off. He also has close links to the current manager Ljubisa Tumbakovic, who gave him his big break at Partizan.
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2019/03/23/TELEMMGLPICT000192118422_1_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq_4lZL6XGyKd1IzVfh-3zqjsI6VOCrHLcSSEwCiYxhjE.jpeg?imwidth=1240)
Teams from Serbia and Montenegro were banned from Uefa competition because of the civil war over the break-up of Yugoslavia when Milosevic was put in a house in Sutton Coldfield by Villa and left to get on with it.
“The war was going on at home when I first came to England and that was difficult for me,” says Milosevic. “My father, brother and lots of my friends fought for Serbia and I was calling home every day to check everyone was OK and to see what was happening.
“I always tried to stay positive, but my focus should have just been on football and it couldn’t be. It was hard to explain to people in England what was happening at home, so I didn’t really talk about it.”
Milosevic and Southgate quickly became close at Villa. They made their debut together in a 3-1 victory over Manchester United, after which Alan Hansen famously declared “You can’t win anything with kids”, and later that season both played in the League Cup final victory over Leeds United in which the striker scored a spectacular long-range goal.
The pair last caught up on old times at the 2016 European Championship, during which they worked as technical observers for Uefa, and Milosevic is aiming to follow Southgate into full-time management.
“Gareth is a great guy, he was immediately very good to me and helped me a lot, on and off the pitch,” says Milosevic. “I was 21, I didn’t speak English and it was difficult to understand anyone. There was a little group of us, me, Gareth, Ugo Ehiogu, Ian Taylor and Bosnich. We spent a lot of time together.
(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2019/03/23/TELEMMGLPICT000192119336_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqPSGJeyftEP9WNF5nKPELKaEeqazUO1nR7BKQ8deH2lE.jpeg?imwidth=1240)
Milosevic is one of the Serbian FA's vice-presidents
“Gareth would give me advice about the English game and what I needed to do, and he would also help me with life off the pitch. We all ate together a lot and he would talk to me about English culture and also the English press. I will always be grateful.”
The moment at Villa that will always stand out for Milosevic is his 25-yard Wembley goal against Leeds that briefly silenced the critics who dubbed him “Miss-a-lot-evic” before his career in England was effectively ended when he spat at a section of travelling fans during a 5-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers in January 1998.
“The League Cup final was amazing,” says Milosevic, 45. “I had spoken to a few friends back at home and joked that we would win 3-0 and that I would score, and that’s what happened. I scored nearly 300 goals in my career, but that is in my top three. I still have pictures of all the celebrations afterwards.
“I knew about my nickname and it did upset me. I can laugh about it now because I’ve coped with much more difficult things. Maybe I didn’t score as many goals as everyone would have liked, but the team did well when I was at Villa and I scored some important goals and also made a lot of goals.
“The Blackburn game is still the most stupid thing I have done in my life. It was so stupid, I don’t know why I did it. It’s one of those things that happens and you can’t explain it. I still wish I didn’t do it. I was young and I learned from that, but it was a sad way for things to end for me at Villa because I love the club and the fans.”
It was not just the English greetings that got lost in translation during Milosevic’s early days at Villa. His arrival sparked a Brummie bandana craze after pictures emerged of him playing in the unusual headgear. “There was a misunderstanding when I arrived because I had played with a bandana for a few games with Partizan,” explains Milosevic. “That was because I had 12 stitches in my head and it was only temporary. By the time I joined Villa, they had made all these club bandanas and started to sell them, so I had to go along with it.
“I wore the bandana for a while, but it wasn’t ideal for heading the ball and eventually I stopped. I should have just told the club straight away that I don’t usually wear a bandana, but I didn’t feel like I could after they had all been made.”
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I loved him and still do.
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It’s easy to forget just how crap clubs used to be at integrating players from different cultures.
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Absolutely loved Savo. One of my favourite players and yes when he teed up for that shot at Wembley I knew it was going in.
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I thought he was decent.
Draper was far more of a disappointment.
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When we bought Savo, Gareth and Draperman I began to dream of 1981 all over again. It's the last time I have :(
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I thought he was decent.
Draper was far more of a disappointment.
Draper was superb in his first season, then turned into a crab.
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Who was better then, Savo or Angel?
Both had similar careers when you look at all the aspects e.g. problems intergrating and not being the most clinical of strikers but also many good moments.
Maybe an unfair comparison as Savo did play in a better team (JPA never had a strike partner of the quality of Yorke for instance).
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I thought he was decent.
Draper was far more of a disappointment.
Draper wasn't too bad for first two years, seemed to lose his way like so many from 1997. A hard working box to box midfielder. Biggest disappointment from that period is obviously Curcic and Collymore.
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Who was better then, Savo or Angel?
Both had similar careers when you look at all the aspects e.g. problems intergrating and not being the most clinical of strikers but also many good moments.
Maybe an unfair comparison as Savo did play in a better team (JPA never had a strike partner of the quality of Yorke for instance).
Angel.
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Who was better then, Savo or Angel?
Both had similar careers when you look at all the aspects e.g. problems intergrating and not being the most clinical of strikers but also many good moments.
Maybe an unfair comparison as Savo did play in a better team (JPA never had a strike partner of the quality of Yorke for instance).
Unless your comparing Bandannas, I would say Savo. Not solely for his time at Villa, but he got better and better when he went to Spain and Italy. We probably either sold him too soon or didn't play to his strengths. Angel was easier to watch tho'.
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Absolutely brilliant holding on to the ball .
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Who was better then, Savo or Angel?
Both had similar careers when you look at all the aspects e.g. problems intergrating and not being the most clinical of strikers but also many good moments.
Maybe an unfair comparison as Savo did play in a better team (JPA never had a strike partner of the quality of Yorke for instance).
Angel.
Savo for me.
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Who was better then, Savo or Angel?
Both had similar careers when you look at all the aspects e.g. problems intergrating and not being the most clinical of strikers but also many good moments.
Maybe an unfair comparison as Savo did play in a better team (JPA never had a strike partner of the quality of Yorke for instance).
Angel.
Savo for me.
Doing a quick wiki on their respective careers I suppose you're right but I just felt JPA in his Villa pomp was superior.
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Boom boom
Let me hear you say
Savo Savo
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Savo was a wonderful player who was beginning to show what he could do and forming a great partnership with Yorke.
Then along came Colleymore!! Good player, yes, but, we didn't need him. For me he was a Doug ego buy
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Angel was far superior in every single department to Milosevic, its not even close.
Put Angel in that team Savo had around him and see the difference.
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As a 12 year old at the time, I adored the bloke! I adored Angel, too.
I think Milosevic was a better all round player than Angel.
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I bet if you ask Deight he'd speak very complimentary about Savo. Did a lit of donkey work and weighed in with assists.
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Loved Savo. And he scored a fabulous goal in winning a trophy. Angel was better in the air but I remember Savo far more fondly.
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Savo played in a much better team than JPA. Both very talented players but JPA delivered far more in a Villa shirt until an ankle injury finished him.
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I think it's the anniversary of the League Cup win today.
Did Savo actually wear the bandana in games for us? I don't remember that.
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No, the bandanna thing came before us as he’d suffered a head injury from memory and he scored a few while wearing it. It was just a marketing gimmick. Doug bullshitting to shift a few cheap head scarfs hey....who’d a thunk it.
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Absolutely brilliant holding on to the ball .
That was not always a good thing. I remember breaking at speed, the ball going to Savo for him to hold it up and slow the play down...frustraited the he'll out of me.
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I bet if you ask Deight he'd speak very complimentary about Savo. Did a lit of donkey work and weighed in with assists.
Thank you officer Crabtree.
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Loved Savo, the goal at Blackburn, that hat trick at home to Cov and of course his strike at Wembley (not Brian Moore's finest hour),
Beginning of the end when we signed Collymore and there seemed to be a contest at times as to who could sulk more during a game.
Strangely, and I don't do it regularly, when that Boro player headed a mile wide last week at Villa Park, I shouted SAVO, SAVO. Always there at the back of the brain....
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Remember meeting him outside selhurst park after we had lost to Wimbledon. Got his autograph and within a few days Little had gone if I remember correctly.
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A member of my favourite Villa team. Great memories.
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No, the bandanna thing came before us as he’d suffered a head injury from memory and he scored a few while wearing it. It was just a marketing gimmick. Doug bullshitting to shift a few cheap head scarfs hey....who’d a thunk it.
I think he ran out wearing it for the first game and chucked it in the crowd? Certainly can't remember him playing in it.
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Absolutely loved Savo. One of my favourite players and yes when he teed up for that shot at Wembley I knew it was going in.
Sums up my feelings. He was very good with the ball at his feet. Went to Real Zaragoza I think and won the golden boot IIRC.
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Am I right in thinking he played for three different national teams? Wikipedia says he won 102 caps (37 goals) for Serbia. But I think he played for Yugoslavia, then Serbia & Montenegro and then Serbia.
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Am I right in thinking he played for three different national teams? Wikipedia says he won 102 caps (37 goals) for Serbia. But I think he played for Yugoslavia, then Serbia & Montenegro and then Serbia.
He played for Yugoslavia at Euro 2000 and was joint top scorer. Then it was Serbia and Montenegro for 2006 WC.
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I liked him a lot.
Was at Blackburn and was outraged but looking back we were giving the team all sorts of shit as they were losing 5-0. I'll cut him some slack.
Just loved him as an icon, quirky, someone with a cult following.
Boom boom boom....
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That goal by Savo and the rest in a wonderful victory
https://twitter.com/avfchistory/status/1109829517152043015?s=12
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I'd take Savo over Angel, but they were similar while with us, record signings, bags of talent, at times unplayable, other times they looked like they'd never score again.
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That goal by Savo and the rest in a wonderful victory
https://twitter.com/avfchistory/status/1109829517152043015?s=12
Brilliant. Just brilliant I thought we were gonna conquer the world during that period.
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t
Boom boom
Let me hear you say
Savo Savo
You missed a boom.
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Savo's entire career was summed up in microcosm by his his international farewell game. He scored twice, missed two penalties and was substituted after half an hour in a 6-1 win for Serbia.
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I was a young lad at this game and i refused to wear anything other than the full villa kit (no coat). To this day its one of the coldest moments of my life
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I liked Savo but preferred Vesna.
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No, the bandanna thing came before us as he’d suffered a head injury from memory and he scored a few while wearing it. It was just a marketing gimmick. Doug bullshitting to shift a few cheap head scarfs hey....who’d a thunk it.
I think he ran out wearing it for the first game and chucked it in the crowd? Certainly can't remember him playing in it.
Pretty sure the FA stopped him from wearing it....ludicrously.
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I liked him a lot.
Was at Blackburn and was outraged but looking back we were giving the team all sorts of shit as they were losing 5-0. I'll cut him some slack.
Just loved him as an icon, quirky, someone with a cult following.
Boom boom boom....
Same here, I remember the team getting loads of shit that day which was understandable to a degree. I think Savo was literally spitting mad at the way the game was going and the subsequent response from the away support. He shouldn't have done it but you could see he'd lost the plot. I look back on him fondly and I always laugh when I think of the cretinous Olbiyun fans sneering about him when he was clearly on a different planet to their heroes Don Goodman and Bob Taylor. He won a league cup, scoring the opener in the final and was first choice in a team that finished 4th and then 5th in the PL. They could only dream of that then and still now.
I think I'd sit on the fence over him vs JPA, different sorts of player but both very good, I'd have them level pegging. I liked JPA a lot. I think they'd have made a good pair up front actually if supported by plenty of pace out wide and a good midfielder supporting.
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I'd take Savo over Angel, but they were similar while with us, record signings, bags of talent, at times unplayable, other times they looked like they'd never score again.
Same I think. Savo was the better all round player. What didn't get noticed with him was the amount of good work he did around the area for the other players. Angel was the better out-and-out striker, at his best.
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I'd take Savo over Angel, but they were similar while with us, record signings, bags of talent, at times unplayable, other times they looked like they'd never score again.
Same I think. Savo was the better all round player. What didn't get noticed with him was the amount of good work he did around the area for the other players. Angel was the better out-and-out striker, at his best.
I agree with this. I remember quoting a lengthy article many moons ago extolling Savo's hold-up play. He was one of those players who became more determined the more he was kicked. He liked a battle.
JPA was an exceptional player, but he did not relish the physical side of the game and would often balk at rushing in where angels fear to tread. In Ronglish (an allusion to a caricature of Ron Atkinson, for the information of younger posters) he would sometimes take up a cheating position, if you will.
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24 years ago today Savo joined Villa.
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24 years ago today Savo joined Villa.
Bloody hell I feel old!!
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I loved him and still do.
Me too.
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Happy memories of those on the Holte flinging themselves to the ground every time he lined up a shot.
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Missed more than he scored, but he worked very well with Yorke. Unforgivable for what he did at Ewood Park though.
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I loved him and still do.
Me too.
And me
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I managed to get tickets from Paul McGrath ( a long story which would include lots of name dropping) for me and Alex Alex Cropley to the players' lounge after a home game against Chelsea and we met Savo and several other players. He looked quite lonely, wasn't mixing with any of the other players, sat on his own, nursing his drink. I felt quite sorry for him
I was also at Ewood park but thankfully we were so shit that we'd long gone before his spitting outburst. I prefer to remember him for chucking his bandanna into the crowd than for spitting at them.
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I'm not sure what's worse actually, spitting at fans or wearing a bandana.
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It’s unfair of me considering the shite we’ve had since, but if I or anyone I know misses throwing something, for example into a bin I still say ‘Savo, Savo’
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It’s unfair of me considering the shite we’ve had since, but if I or anyone I know misses throwing something, for example into a bin I still say ‘Savo, Savo’
I remember when Yorke returned for the first time with Utd, he missed a chance and the Holte started singing ' Savo Savo '.
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Absolutely brilliant holding on to the ball .
That was not always a good thing. I remember breaking at speed, the ball going to Savo for him to hold it up and slow the play down...frustraited the he'll out of me.
Often not pass it when he should and did not do much to get the ball back, a frustrating player who had some moments.
Angel was class, brilliant touch and hold up play.
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I'm not sure what's worse actually, spitting at fans or wearing a bandana.
I would rather be shat on than talk to a man in a bandana.
And I love men in bandanas.
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Aside from the obvious in 1996, I remember one bit of skill when we played QPR at home shortly before that.
A Zidane-esque flick and drag back in the corner by the Holte and Trinity, which took him past about four of their players.
A player of his ilk would be more appreciated now.
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I always liked Savo and cut my teeth on the art of arguing about football in the pub long before I was of an age to drink on arguments about him!
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One-footed, but a great foot nonetheless. Could never quite work out whether he’d just beaten three men by outrageous trickery or by them being flummoxed by him nearly falling over his own feet.
Nevertheless, a reminder of more positive times. And some great moments from him.
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I always thought Savo was 'alright'. Occasionally brilliant, more often not.
Hard to compare him to Angel as Savo played in a far far better Villa side than Juan Pablo did.
We could've achieved things if we'd have Angel instead of Savo for those years IMHO.
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He was a better player than Angel. Miles better.
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Was great in our Uefa cup run in 97/98 aswell.
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He was a better player than Angel. Miles better.
I'd say that his best, JPA was a better striker, but Savo was a better all round player. Savo's link up play in and around the box was brilliant.
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He was a better player than Angel. Miles better.
I'd say that his best, JPA was a better striker, but Savo was a better all round player. Savo's link up play in and around the box was brilliant.
I'd accept that.
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Savo was great at holding the ball up under pressure as well.
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90 games, 28 goals. Had him on the back of my shirt as a 12 year old boy but hard to remember him now by anything other than Misalotevic.
And that fucking bandana.
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As somebody who spent 10 years in a relationship with a Herzegovian I can surely back up that nobody from the region could have lived unaffected from that horrible shit storm. I have seen first hand the horrendous attorcities that were commited by all sides, it must have been the most terrifying time to be seperated from your family... I will never forget that 20 yard stormer in the final. Football is one of the few things that brings us together as a single global nation, and that is why it should be celebrated. We are united by our love of this game, it breaks boundaries and offers us a chance to share without prejudice.... unless you are a small heath fan obviously... Boom Boom Boom....
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90 games, 28 goals. Had him on the back of my shirt as a 12 year old boy but hard to remember him now by anything other than Misalotevic.
And that fucking bandana.
His corker at Wembley to set us on our way will always be the first thing I think of when it comes to Savo. Especially as the only silverware we've won since are the unholy trinity of the Intertoto, Peace Cup and Play-Offs.
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90 games, 28 goals. Had him on the back of my shirt as a 12 year old boy but hard to remember him now by anything other than Misalotevic.
And that fucking bandana.
His corker at Wembley to set us on our way will always be the first thing I think of when it comes to Savo. Especially as the only silverware we've won since are the unholy trinity of the Intertoto, Peace Cup and Play-Offs.
I've never quite forgiven him for spitting at us tbh. Probably the worst thing you can do as a player towards your own fans imo. I'd rather he'd aimed a middle finger in the direction of the stands... or anything else.
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I'd cut him slack over it, it was a one-off and a reaction to getting abuse from the fans and he was probably as pissed off with how the game/season was going as they were.