Michael Curcija
Encyclopedia
Michael Dragan Curcija is an Australia
n football striker. He currently plays for Oakleigh Cannons in the Victorian Premier League
.
. Curcija made his NSL debut in a 1–0 home loss to Adelaide City
in 1994. Another substitute appearance followed before he transferred to rivals South Melbourne
the following season.
It was at South Melbourne that Curcija established himself as one of Australia's most prolific young strikers. He helped the club to successive championships in 1998 and 1999, and scored a personal best of 19 goals in the 1999–2000 season. His career highlight for South Melbourne was representing the club in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
in Brazil
.
At the age of 23, Curcija secured a dream move to Serbia
n giants FK Partizan
, but he struggled to settle or win a first team spot, and after three months, moved to Portugal where he signed a contract with the ambitious SC Braga in the Portuguese Liga
. His first season was restricted to bench appearances as the club finished fourth, but he secured his first starts with the senior squad along with his debut goal the following year. However, throughout his time at the club, he was largely a feature of the club's reserves team who competed in the Portuguese Third Tier.
Curcija ultimately returned to South Melbourne
for what was the final NSL season in 2003–04, picking up where he left off in domestic football, scoring 13 goals in 25 appearances. With the league disbanded, Curcija returned to the Victorian Premier League
, playing with Essendon Royals in 2004, where he scored at better than a goal a game. His form in 2005 was just as impressive, playing every match of the season for 15 goals.
Despite his pedigree, he failed to land a contract in the inaugural A-League
season, and signed for newly promoted Kingston City
in 2006, where another prolific season followed. In 2007 he transferred to Altona Magic, playing in successive championships in 2008 and 2009, before moving to Oakleigh Cannons
for the 2010 season.
in the National Soccer League
, Curcija was selected by Les Scheinflug
in the Oceania Qualifying tournament for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
. He scored a brace in his first match against Fiji
, and featured against New Zealand in the group phase and final. The finals were staged in Malaysia, and featured several players who would go onto become senior Socceroos, including Brett Emerton
, Lucas Neill
, Vince Grella
and Mark Bresciano
. Curcija featured in all of Australia's matches in the tournament, but failed to trouble the score sheet.
Curcija's performances at Under 20 level were rewarded with selection in the Olyroos squad for the 2000 Summer Olympics
which were staged in Sydney
, Australia
. Raul Blanco
played him in a striking role alongside Mark Viduka
in all of Australia's matches against Italy
, Nigeria
and Honduras
, but he did not score as the Olyroos failed to progress beyond the group phase.
He earned his first Socceroos cap under Frank Farina
later that year in an away friendly against Kuwait
, coming on as a substitute for goalscorer John Aloisi
in the 60th-minute. He replaced Aloisi again three days later in a match against South Korea
, which the Socceroos lost 4–2 after blowing a 2–0 lead. Despite playing in a top European league at the time, he failed to impress the national selectors, and these matches remain his only full international caps.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football striker. He currently plays for Oakleigh Cannons in the Victorian Premier League
Victorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
.
Club career
Curcija's first taste of senior football came in the lower levels of the Victorian State League, where as a 16-year-old, he made his debut for Diamond Valley United, scoring in three matches before securing a move to Heidelberg United in the National Soccer LeagueNational Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
. Curcija made his NSL debut in a 1–0 home loss to Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
in 1994. Another substitute appearance followed before he transferred to rivals South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
the following season.
It was at South Melbourne that Curcija established himself as one of Australia's most prolific young strikers. He helped the club to successive championships in 1998 and 1999, and scored a personal best of 19 goals in the 1999–2000 season. His career highlight for South Melbourne was representing the club in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
2000 FIFA Club World Championship
The 2000 FIFA Club World Championship was the pilot edition of the FIFA Club World Championship held in Brazil from 5 January to 14 January 2000...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
At the age of 23, Curcija secured a dream move to Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n giants FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
, but he struggled to settle or win a first team spot, and after three months, moved to Portugal where he signed a contract with the ambitious SC Braga in the Portuguese Liga
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
. His first season was restricted to bench appearances as the club finished fourth, but he secured his first starts with the senior squad along with his debut goal the following year. However, throughout his time at the club, he was largely a feature of the club's reserves team who competed in the Portuguese Third Tier.
Curcija ultimately returned to South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
for what was the final NSL season in 2003–04, picking up where he left off in domestic football, scoring 13 goals in 25 appearances. With the league disbanded, Curcija returned to the Victorian Premier League
Victorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
, playing with Essendon Royals in 2004, where he scored at better than a goal a game. His form in 2005 was just as impressive, playing every match of the season for 15 goals.
Despite his pedigree, he failed to land a contract in the inaugural A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
season, and signed for newly promoted Kingston City
Kingston City FC
Kingston City Football Club is an Australian Association football club from Clayton South, Victoria, a suburb within the municipality of Kingston, Victoria. They are currently managed by Con Nitsikas . The club won the Victorian State League Division 3 South East in 2011...
in 2006, where another prolific season followed. In 2007 he transferred to Altona Magic, playing in successive championships in 2008 and 2009, before moving to Oakleigh Cannons
Oakleigh Cannons
Oakleigh Cannons Football Club is a football club based in the south-east Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia. The club was formed in 1972 as the South Oakleigh Soccer Club by members of Oakleigh's Greek Australian community...
for the 2010 season.
International career
Having established himself as a first team regular for South MelbourneSouth Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
in the National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
, Curcija was selected by Les Scheinflug
Les Scheinflug
Ladislav 'Les' Scheinflug is a former football player and coach.Arriving in Australia in the early 1950s he lived as a youth at Villawood Migrant Hostel and played for the hostel soccer team He was picked to play in the Southern Districts representative soccer team during these yearsScheinflug...
in the Oceania Qualifying tournament for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
1997 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship was the 11th staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship. It was held from June 16 to July 5, 1997 in Malaysia.-Venues:-Qualification:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship...
. He scored a brace in his first match against Fiji
Fiji national football team
The Fiji national football team is the national team of Fiji and is controlled by the Fiji Football Association. Their best finish in the OFC Nations Cup was third in 1998 and 2008.-World Cup record:*1930 to 1978 - Did not enter...
, and featured against New Zealand in the group phase and final. The finals were staged in Malaysia, and featured several players who would go onto become senior Socceroos, including Brett Emerton
Brett Emerton
Brett Michael Emerton is an Australian football player who plays for Sydney FC and the Australia national team...
, Lucas Neill
Lucas Neill
Lucas Edward Neill is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira. He is a full back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South...
, Vince Grella
Vince Grella
Vincenzo "Vince" Grella is an Australian football player, who plays as a midfielder for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League...
and Mark Bresciano
Mark Bresciano
Mark "Marco" Bresciano is an Australian football player who is currently playing for UAE Pro-League side Al Nasr SC as a midfielder. He represented Australia at all youth levels, including appearances at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship and 2000 Olympic Games...
. Curcija featured in all of Australia's matches in the tournament, but failed to trouble the score sheet.
Curcija's performances at Under 20 level were rewarded with selection in the Olyroos squad for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
which were staged in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Raul Blanco
Raul Blanco
Raul Blanco is an Argentine-born Australia Association football coach. He is well known for coaching the Socceroos from March 1998 to June 1999. He was also coaching the Olyroos at the same time, and coached them during the 2000 Summer Olympics...
played him in a striking role alongside Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka
Mark Anthony Viduka is a former Australian soccer player who played as a centre forward. He captained the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany to the last 16.-Melbourne Croatia:...
in all of Australia's matches against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
and Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
, but he did not score as the Olyroos failed to progress beyond the group phase.
He earned his first Socceroos cap under Frank Farina
Frank Farina
Frank Farina OAM is a retired Australian football player. He most currently coaches the Papua New Guinea national football team....
later that year in an away friendly against Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
, coming on as a substitute for goalscorer John Aloisi
John Aloisi
John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
in the 60th-minute. He replaced Aloisi again three days later in a match against South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
, which the Socceroos lost 4–2 after blowing a 2–0 lead. Despite playing in a top European league at the time, he failed to impress the national selectors, and these matches remain his only full international caps.
External links
- OzFootball profile
- Michael Curcija at ForaDeJogo.net