Safet Sušić

Safet Sušić
Personal information
Full name Safet Sušić
Date of birth (1955-04-13) 13 April 1955
Place of birth Zavidovići, FPR Yugoslavia
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Attacking midfielder
Second striker
Youth career
1971–1972 Krivaja
1972–1973 FK Sarajevo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1982 FK Sarajevo 221 (86)
1982–1991 Paris Saint-Germain 287 (67)
1991–1992 Red Star Saint-Ouen 17 (3)
Total 525 (155)
National team
1977–1990 Yugoslavia 54 (21)
1993 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 (0)
Teams managed
1994–1995 Cannes
1996–1998 İstanbulspor
2001 Al-Hilal Riyadh
2004–2005 Konyaspor
2005–2006 Ankaragücü
2006 Çaykur Rizespor
2008 Çaykur Rizespor
2008–2009 Ankaraspor
2009–2014 Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015–2016 Évian

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Safet Sušić (born 13 April 1955) is a Bosnian football manager and former player. Sušić was a gifted midfielder known for his dribbling skills and technical ability, and is strongly reputed to have been one of the finest European players of his generation. Sušić played for Yugoslavia in two FIFA World Cups, 1982 and 1990, and at UEFA Euro 1984. As manager he took the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Sušić played as an attacking midfielder, often in a role of trequartista or fantasista (i.e. a creative playmaker), or rarely as secondary striker for FK Sarajevo, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Saint-Ouen and internationally for Yugoslavia and, later, Bosnia and Herzegovina - later during his career he was utilized more in a role of deep-lying playmaker, both for club and national team. In 2010, France Football voted Sušić as Paris Saint-Germain's best player of all time and the best foreign player of Ligue 1 of all time.[1][2][3] As part of the UEFA Jubilee Awards in 2004, the Bosnian football association chose Sušić as the nation's greatest ever player.[4]

Following his retirement from playing, Sušić started working as a manager. He worked for a number of club sides: Cannes, İstanbulspor, Al-Hilal, Konyaspor, Ankaragücü, Çaykur Rizespor, Ankaraspor, Évian and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Club career

Early career

Sušić began his career with the football club Krivaja in his hometown Zavidovići. In 1973, he was transferred to FK Sarajevo. During the 1979–80 season, he was top scorer in the Yugoslav First League with 17 goals. In 1979, he was honoured as the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year, also being selected as the best athlete hailing from the republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Paris Saint-Germain

In 1982, Sušić signed with Paris Saint-Germain, where he became a star on the European stage. During his first season with the club, Sušić helped PSG to win the 1982–83 Coupe de France, scoring three goals over two legs in the semi-final against FC Tours, and once in 3-2 victory over FC Nantes in the final. During the 1985–86 season, Sušić scored ten goals as the Parisiens won their first ever national league title.[4]

Overall, Sušić scored 96 goals and make a record 61 assists for PSG between 1982 and 1991. He is third in the club's all-time appearance list with 343 appearances, the highest placed non-Frenchman. On 22 September 1984, in a 7–1 home drubbing of Bastia, he assisted on five of the side's goals. At 36, Sušić left the capital for a final year with Red Star Saint-Ouen.

International career

During Sušić's playing career, Bosnia and Herzegovina was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and thus he represented the Yugoslavia national football team at international level.

Between 1977 and 1990, Sušić appeared 54 times with Yugoslavia, scoring 21 times. He debuted for Yugoslavia in 1977 and scored his first goals for the team against Hungary in October of that year. A month later, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–4 defeat of Romania during 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification. However, this was Yugoslavia's only victory of their group and they failed to qualify for the tournament finals.

In June 1979, Sušić scored his second international hat-trick as Yugoslavia beat Italy 4–1 in a friendly match held in Zagreb. In September, he again scored three times in a 4–2 win over world champions Argentina.[4]

Sušić was a member of the Yugoslav team that qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, scoring once in a 5–0 defeat of Luxembourg.

Sušić was top scorer for Yugoslavia in qualification for UEFA Euro 1984. His two goals in a 3–2 win over Bulgaria in the final qualification fixture helping enable Yugoslavia to finish three points ahead of the Bulgarians and one point ahead of Wales and advance to the tournament finals. Yugoslavia ultimately finished bottom of their group in France, losing all three matches.

At the age of 35, Sušić made his second appearance at a World Cup finals as a member of Yugoslavia's squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. He scored his only World Cup goal in the team's 4–1 win against the United Arab Emirates during the group stage. He played 61 minutes before being substituted for Dejan Savićević in the penalty shootout loss to eventual runners-up Argentina at the quarter-final stage.[5]

In 2004, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.[6][7]

His former international teammate, the Macedonian Darko Pančev declared:

"It's well known how much I valued and still do value Safet Sušić. For me he's unsurpassable, the best Yugoslavia had. Probably one of the best in the world. I was often known to say that us other players should have to pay to play in the same team as Pape. At least I always talked and thought like that. Pape was a treasure for every forward. His crosses were unbelievable. Sometimes his ball would hit me without me even being aware of it. A wonderful player."[8]

On 5 February 2010, France Football chose Sušić as the best player in the history of Paris Saint-Germain, ahead of players such as Carlos Bianchi, Mustapha Dahleb, Ronaldinho, George Weah, Joël Bats, Raí and Luis Fernández.[9][10]

He scored three international hat-tricks for Yugoslavia, in victories against Romania, Italy, and Argentina in the late 1970s,[11] and was voted, as part of the UEFA Jubilee Awards, the greatest ever player from Bosnia.

Managerial career

Safet Sušić portrait.

Sušić coached Cannes, where he retired as a player, briefly in 1994–95. Between 1997–1999, he managed İstanbulspor during 2003–04, with Konyaspor, and in the first half of 2006–07, taking charge of Çaykur Rizespor (12 matches). After he was sacked by Rizespor, another Turkish side, in February 2008,[12] Sušić was hired by Ankaraspor in March.[13]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 28 December 2009, Sušić was named coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.[14] His debut was a friendly match against Ghana in Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina won the game 2–1 after goals from Vedad Ibišević and Miralem Pjanić. After only 2 wins in Sušić's 6 first matches in charge of the national team, including an important 2–0 loss to France in the qualification for Euro 2012, Sušić came under a lot of criticism from several journalists and columnists who called for his head.[15][16] Sušić recorded a 1–1 draw with France during a second game in Paris and ensured Bosnia qualified for their second consecutive qualification play-off birth for EURO 2012 to be played against Portugal in November.[17][18]

2014 FIFA World Cup with Bosnia

From August 2012 to August 2013, Sušić's Bosnia national football side was on a nine-game unbeaten streak run. On 8 August 2013, the Bosnian national team achieved their highest ever FIFA ranking, the 13th place.[19] On 15 October 2013, Bosnia qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, their first major tournament in their history as an independent nation.[20] Sušić's side fared well in their first World Cup match against Argentina despite losing 2-1. An unlucky own goal and some brilliance from football legend Lionel Messi saw them to a defeat. However, highs taken from the match were the good play the team demonstrated and the materialisation of their first World Cup goal scored by Vedad Ibišević. The team however controversially exited the competition at the group stage of the tournament after their second game against Nigeria having an equaliser scored by Edin Džeko wrongly disallowed for offside. This revitalised the calls for reformation of the FIFA governing body and the replacement of linesmen with technology so as to remove human error from lines decisions. Bosnia won their last game in the competition against Iran with a healthy 3–1 victory which would've seen them through instead of Nigeria, who incidentally failed to defeat Iran, to a round of 16 match with France. In July 2014, Sušić signed a two-year contract to continue as coach, after he removed his resignation.[21]

On 17 November 2014, Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Safet Sušić parted ways after poor showing of the national team in the first 4 games of the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.[22][23][24][25][26]

Évian

On 13 July 2015, Safet Sušić was named manager of 2nd tier French club Évian. On his debut he registered a draw. After first four rounds, his new side registered 4 drawn games.[27]

On 11 January 2016 Safet Sušić was sacked by Évian due to run of poor results at the club. After 20 rounds, Sušić's Évian was placed 13th on the table and were eliminated from French cup at third round.ref. He was replaced by Romain Revelli.

Statistics

Player statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1973–74FK SarajevoYugoslav First League1020020122
1974–75331110–3411
1975–7616200–162
1976–7728933–3112
1977–7833820–358
1978–79301510–3115
1979–80341741–3818
1980–8172002294
1981–82171100–1711
1982–8313922622113
Paris Saint-GermainFrench Division 1188????188
1983–84388???1389
1984–853410???23412
1985–863710??-3710
1986–87293??20313
1987–88243??-243
1988–89347??-347
1989–90367???1368
1990–913710??-3710
1991–92Red Star ParisDivision 2173??-173
1973–82FK Sarajevo Total2218613610424496
1983–91PSG Total28767?14?434585
1991–92Red Star Paris Total173??00173
Career Total525155?20?8606184

National team

National teamYearAppsGoals
Yugoslavia 197745
197840
197956
198063
198120
198240
198353
198452
198500
198600
198700
198821
198970
1990101
Total5421

Managerial statistics

Team Tenure M W D L Win % Points per game[28] Achievements
 France Cannes  1994–1995 42 17 10 15 40.5% 1.45
 Turkey İstanbulspor  1996–1998 62 33 9 20 53.2% 1.74
 Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal  2001 3 1 1 1 33.3% 1.33
 Turkey Konyaspor  2004–2005 1 1 0 0 100% 3.00
 Turkey Ankaragücü  2005–2006 2 2 0 0 100% 3.00
 Turkey Çaykur Rizespor  2006–2008 17 6 3 8 35.3% 1.24
 Turkey Ankaraspor  2008–2009 10 5 2 3 50.0% 1.70
 Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia-Herzegovina  2009–2014 50 23 9 18 44.0% 1.50 2014 FIFA World Cup Group stage
 France Évian  2015–2016 20 5 6 9 25.0% 1.05
Totals 207 93 44 69

Table correct as at 9 January 2016 (after Évian tenure).

International goals

Scores and results table. Yugoslavia's goal tally first:

Honours

Club

Paris Saint-Germain

Individual

Personal life

Sušić comes from a sporting family; as Sead Sušić, is a former footballer, is Safet's older brother. Safet's nephew, Tino-Sven Sušić, is also a footballer, currently a player in the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team who also alongside Safet appeared at 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mondo.rs/s160052/Sport/Fudbal/Pape_Susic_najbolji_igrac_u_istoriji_PSZ-a.html
  2. ↑ http://sportin.ba/vijesti.aspx?id=32780
  3. ↑ http://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/susic-velika-cast-za-mene-i-bih-halilhodzic-potpuno-zasluzeno/120829122
  4. 1 2 3 "Sušić a safe bet for goals". UEFA. 21 January 2011.
  5. ↑ "ARGENTINA - YUGOSLAVIA". Planet World Cup. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  6. ↑ Golden players take center stage; UEFA.com, 29 November 2003
  7. ↑ uefa.com (30 January 2013). "Sušić hoping for Bosnian breakthrough". uefa.com. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Pančev interview on Sportin (Bosnian), 24 February 2008
  9. ↑ http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/licnost-dana/parizani-mu-se-i-danas-klanjaju
  10. ↑ http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2010/20100202_114950_susic-joueur-de-l-histoire-du-psg.html
  11. ↑ http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bih/news/newsid=141549.html
  12. ↑ "Sušić pays for Rizespor slump". UEFA.com. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  13. ↑ "Ankaraspor turn to Sušić". UEFA.com. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  14. ↑ "Safet Sušić named new Bosnia football coach". USA Today. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  15. ↑ http://www.sarajevo-x.com/sport/nogomet/euro2012/clanak/100908109
  16. ↑ http://scsport.ba/bs/tekst.php?ID=7571
  17. ↑ UEFA.com (13 October 2011). "Draw for the UEFA EURO 2012 play-offs".
  18. ↑ Piotr Kozminski (13 October 2011). "Sušić and Bento expect to be pushed all the way".
  19. ↑ http://www.sport.ba/istaknuto/hrvati-upozoravaju-zmajevi-sve-blize-vatrenima/
  20. ↑ World Cup 2014: Dzeko & Begovic in Bosnia-Hercegovina squad, BBC Sport.
  21. ↑ Bosnia-Hercegovina coach Safet Susic signs two-year deal, BBC Sport.
  22. ↑ http://www.klix.ba/sport/nogomet/safet-susic-smijenjen/141116107
  23. ↑ http://sportsport.ba/bh_fudbal/susic-vise-nije-selektor/145694
  24. ↑ http://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/bih-trazi-novog-izbornika-safet-susic-dobio-otkaz-/784666.aspx
  25. ↑ http://www.avaz.ba/clanak/146807/safet-susic-dobio-otkaz
  26. ↑ http://bhdragons.com/safet-susic-fired-bosnia-herzegovina-coach/
  27. ↑ "Safet Sušić: BiH mora dobiti Belgiju za direktan plasman na Europsko prvenstvo". reprezentacija.ba. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  28. ↑ Calculated by multiplying wins by three, plus draws, divided by games played.
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