Rale Rasic

Zvonimir "Rale" Rašić OAM (Serbian: Звонимир "Рале" Рашић; 26 December 1935 – 8 June 2023) was a Serbian-Australian association football player, coach and media personality.[1]

Rale Rašić
Рале Рашић
OAM
Personal information
Full name Zvonimir Rašić
Date of birth (1935-12-26)26 December 1935
Place of birth Dole, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Date of death 8 June 2023(2023-06-08) (aged 87)
Place of death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1952–1956 Proleter Zrenjanin 56 (0)
1957 Vojvodina 0 (0)
1957–1961 Spartak Subotica
1961–1962 Borac Banja Luka 2 (0)
1962–1969 Footscray JUST
International career
Yugoslavia U21
Managerial career
1969 Footscray JUST
1969–74 Australia
1970 Melbourne Hungaria
1971 St George
1972–73 Marconi Stallions
1974–75 Pan Hellenic
1977–78 Marconi Stallions
1979–80 Adelaide City
1981–82 Blacktown City
1983 South Melbourne FC
1987–88 A.P.I.A. Leichhardt
1992 Canterbury-Marrickville
1996 Rockdale Ilinden
1997 Fairfield Bulls
1997–99 Canberra Cosmos
2002–03 Marconi Stallions (Technical Director)
2018–23 Juventus Football Academy (Technical Director)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Born in Dole,[2] Littoral Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Rasic begin his career playing in Yugoslav clubs. Also known as Zvonko Rasic,[3] Zvonko being a usual diminutive for Zvonimir, he played with FK Proleter Zrenjanin,[3] FK Vojvodina,[4] FK Spartak Subotica[5] and FK Borac Banja Luka.[6] He migrated to Australia in 1962, but returned to Yugoslavia after 18 months to serve in the army. His obligations met, Rasic returned to Australia, and played football in the Victorian league.

Managerial career

Rasic revolutionised the game in Australia, he was appointed coach in 1970 at just 34 years of age, and in 1974, he led the Australia national team to the World Cup as coach.[7]

After the World Cup, the Australian Soccer Federation sacked Rasic, replacing him with Englishman Brian Green. Rasic and others believe that he was dumped because he was not seen as being a real "Aussie." He has stated, "They took from me something that I was doing better than anyone else. I was a true-blue Aussie and nobody can deny that. I taught the players how to sing the national anthem."

Rasic was a television presenter on SBS, during the Australian network's 2006 FIFA World Cup coverage. His biography, "The Rale Rasic Story," was published in 2006 by New Holland.

Death

Rasic died on 8 June 2023, at the age of 87.[8]

Honours

Rasic was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.[9] In 2001, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal and the Centenary Medal for "services to soccer", and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2004 Australia Day Honours for "service to soccer as a player, coach and administrator."[10][11]

References
  1. Marko Lopušina - Svi Srbi sveta: vodič kroz dijasporu 1998 -p 209 " играч и тренер Звонко Рале Рашић постао члан Галерие нарознатијпх Аустралианаца и власник Златног Оскара Аустралие и Медаље почасног Аустралианца."
  2. The Rale Rasic Story: The Socceroos First World Cup Coach, as told to Ray Gatt, New Holland Publishers, Frenchs Forest, NSW, 2006. ISBN 978-1-74110-464-6
  3. Klubovi at Football Association of Zrenjanin official website
  4. Rale Srbin „izmislio" fudbal u Australiji at Večernje novosti, 13 June 2011, Retrieved 13 November 2013 (in Serbian)
  5. Match report Hungary vs Spartak Subotica from 1958 at magyarfutball.hu, Retrieved 13 November 2013
  6. FK Borac Banja Luka stats 1946-91 at EX YU Fudbal
  7. "Rale Rasic, football pioneer who 'changed the game in Australia', dies aged 87". The Guardian. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  8. "'Shattering news': Iconic Socceroos coach dies". wwos.nine.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  9. "Rale Rasic". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  10. "Australian Honours". Australian Government. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  11. "Australia Day 2004 Honours List" (PDF). gg.gov.au. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
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