THE UNLIKELY LADS

ROBERT PROSINECKI PORTSMOUTH ( 2001- 02)

CREDENTIALS The chain- smoking Croatian was a European Cup winner with Red Star Belgrade in 1991, finishing fifth in the Ballon d’or standings before joining Real Madrid. Injuries and nicotine habits plagued his time at the Bernabeu, and would continue after Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona snapped him up on a free transfer in 1995. “I know smoking is not good for an athlete, but it relaxes me,” he once said. Prosinecki’s brilliant performances steered Croatia to third place at France 98, then Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric used his powers of persuasion to lure a 32- year- old great to the second tier in 2001...

HOW’D IT GO? Team- mates were initially unimpressed ( Gary O’neil claimed “it was like playing football with your dad”), as Prosinecki’s fitness issues gave the impression of a player well past his best. “He’d smoke before kick- off, at half- time in the showers and after the game as well,” chuckled Peter Crouch. The playmaker’s genius soon won them around, his nine league goals – including a legendary hat- trick in a 4- 4 draw with Barnsley – helping Pompey to beat the drop. He would feature in most fans’ all- time XIS.

THEN WHAT? After just one cult season, the blond maestro joined Slovenian outfit Olimpija Ljubljana, ending his playing days in Croatia. Prosinecki is currently a ( jobless) manager, having left Turkish club Denizlispor in November last year.