The Warlord That Won a Football League
Serbia, a footballing nation renowned for hooliganism and die-hard fans, you would have seen Champions League and Europa League games on the screen from the country and the first thing you would see is, more than likely, pyrotechnics and a hostile crowd. Often described as the most dangerous place to travel for an away fan, Serbian football has a dark secret hidden away. This is the story of how a warlord dictated the league system and won.
Ask a friend if they know any Serbian football clubs, more often than not they will answer with FK Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) or FK Partizan (Partizan Belgrade). There is good reasoning to why these are the most likely to be mentioned. Since 1992 when the league transitioned from the Yugoslav First League into the First League of Federal Republic Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro only three teams have lifted the title, the aforementioned two above and FK Obilić. Who are FK Obilić and how did they come out of obscurity to beat Red Star and Partizan to the title, and how did this Champions League team fade back into obscurity?
The history of the club is troubled and even the early years were shrouded in controversy, formed in 1924 in Belgrade the club were a decent side competing well with the other alumni of their respective division. The start of the Yugoslav era threw up the first hurdle with the club’s name being questioned for being ‘too Serbian.’ If you were to look for the club’s early history don’t be surprised to find FK Čuburac up until 1952 when they returned to their original name. FK Obilić started to rise through the leagues and become a force in football when the league transitioned in 1992.
1996 the fortunes of the club really accelerated, in stepped Željko Ražnatović, otherwise known as Arkan, a notorious warlord from the region with a plan to dominate. Arkan oversaw his club win promotion from the second division in front of a crowd of just 4,000 people. The 1997/1998 season produced the biggest shock in the nations footballing history with FK Obilić lifting the title, but was this really a shock?
Stories and reports from the time suggest that becoming champions was not out of hard work or ability but instead of threats and intimidation used by Arkan himself. There are famous stories told by former referees coming forward and expressing how Arkan himself would burst into their half time dressing room and threaten the officials with guns and death if decisions weren’t made to benefit his side coming out victorious. The threats weren’t just left for the referees with opposing players also being threatened with death if they dare score against Arkan’s side.
These are the stories in regard to Arkan’s football expedition, a look at the other aspects of his life really paints a picture of a monster. During the 1970’s and 1980’s Arkan was on Interpol’s most wanted list for murders and atrocities in countless countries across Europe. Arkan was backed by his ‘Army’, a Serbian paramilitary force, better known as the ‘Arkan Tigers’, eventually becoming indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for crimes against humanity.
The title winning warlord club through their ‘successes’ had qualified for the Champions League qualification rounds, something UEFA was not too fond towards. Then president Lennart Johansson planned on excluding the club from the competition with the appearance of Obilić in the Champions League a major safety risk for all other clubs and supporters. Arkan being the man that he is set out to ensure this was not to happen, hiring hitmen to find Johansson with a planned assassination, the lack of a clean shot prevented the death of Johansson, but the message was clear and Obilić participated in the qualifying rounds. Not too much success followed thankfully for the rest of Europe. Beating Icelandic outfit Ípróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja (IBV) in the first round before falling to defeat against Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, a game in which Arkan was refused entry to. The club then entered into the old format of the UEFA Cup but again found the challenge too much with defeat to Atlético Madrid.
This season of ‘success’ however would be the anomaly among the league, FK Obilić swiftly lost all momentum and cracks quickly started to show. They went the following season undefeated, however fell short finishing two points behind Partizan, and this was then followed by a third placed finish. The club would never be the same from here on out, amongst all the controversy, whether it be football or politically related Arkan stepped down from his position at Obilić, he remained part of the picture though as he handed the presidency of the club over to his wife, Serbian popstar Ceca. The short reign of Ceca, similarly to Arkan’s, wouldn’t be forgotten, for different reasons. Any spectator that would visit on matchday, regularly had the pleasure of seeing Ceca in expensive and glamorous attire, perhaps a different angle of distraction for players and spectators, a sight not often seen on the benches at a professional football game.
What happened to Arkan though? His fate was sealed in a hotel room in Belgrade, the year 2000 on January 15th Arkan was assassinated, four men in tracksuits entered the Intercontinental Hotel and sprayed Arkan with bullets. This sealed not only his fate but the fate of the football club. A decline ever since has seen the club relegated multiple times up until they reached the 8th tier of Serbian football. As of today, the club is in shatters, no longer a men’s outfit, only a women’s team represent the club, with the stadium often being used for European club qualifying rounds with many not being up to UEFA standards in the country.
Post the death of Arkan and the absence of his wife Ceca after her exit from the club, financial statements were discovered and revealed the disarray the club was left in. Millions of dollars were embezzled through transfer funds. With Arkan no longer around Ceca was made to answer. Eventually going on trial in 2011 Ceca pleaded guilty to multiple offences of possession of a firearm and also confessed to the embezzlement. The guilty plea was part of a plea bargain and Ceca only received eight months house arrest; the maximum sentence could have been up to twelve years behind bars.
Ceca is now clear of house arrest and continues to make music, her last album release, ’Autogram’, came in 2016 with the themes of the album described as ‘women’s perspectives’ and ‘the pain and suffering that often come with love’. An almost hypocritical view on the world after Ceca and her husband Arkan inflicted pain and suffering to those involved within their football club and those that come into contact with them. To this day you can go see the grave of Željko Ražnatović in Belgrade.
The football league has since returned to its original state with the two big Belgrade clubs winning every title since the decline of FK Obilić, as an outsider looking in the league doesn’t appear exciting with only two clubs likely to win but for people who follow their clubs in Serbia it is now better than going to watch football with the risk of death. The warlord that murdered many, dictated a club, dictated a league, threatened to take over European football, embezzled millions alongside his popstar wife, and eventually leading to an early grave. This is the story of FK Obilić and their leader, Željko Ražnatović, head of the Arkan Tigers, gone, and all but forgotten, to the relief of Serbian football and the rest of Europe.
Written and Researched by BSc Cavan Campbell
