Rale Rasic

{{Short description|Australian footballer and manager (1935–2023)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| image =

| name = Rale Rašić
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|OAM}}}}

| full_name = Zvonimir Rašić

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1935|12|26}}

| birth_place = Dole, Kingdom of Yugoslavia

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|06|08|1935|12|26}}

| death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

| position =

| years1 = 1952–1956

| clubs1 = Proleter Zrenjanin

| caps1 = 56

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1957

| clubs2 = Vojvodina

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1957–1961

| clubs3 = Spartak Subotica

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1961–1962

| clubs4 = Borac Banja Luka

| caps4 = 2

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1962–1969

| clubs5 = Footscray JUST

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| totalcaps = 58

| totalgoals = 0

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = Yugoslavia U21

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| manageryears1 = 1969

| managerclubs1 = Footscray JUST

| manageryears2 = 1969–74

| managerclubs2 = Australia

| manageryears3 = 1970

| managerclubs3 = Melbourne Hungaria

| manageryears4 = 1971

| managerclubs4 = St George

| manageryears5 = 1972–73

| managerclubs5 = Marconi Stallions

| manageryears6 = 1974–75

| managerclubs6 = Pan Hellenic

| manageryears7 = 1977–78

| managerclubs7 = Marconi Stallions

| manageryears8 = 1979–80

| managerclubs8 = Adelaide City

| manageryears9 = 1981–82

| managerclubs9 = Blacktown City

| manageryears10 = 1983

| managerclubs10 = South Melbourne

| manageryears11 = 1987–88

| managerclubs11 = APIA Leichhardt

| manageryears12 = 1992

| managerclubs12 = Canterbury-Marrickville

| manageryears13 = 1996

| managerclubs13 = Rockdale Ilinden

| manageryears14 = 1997

| managerclubs14 = Fairfield Bulls

| manageryears15 = 1997–99

| managerclubs15 = Canberra Cosmos

| manageryears16 = 2002–03

| managerclubs16 = Marconi Stallions (technical director)

| manageryears17 = 2018–23

| managerclubs17 = Juventus Football Academy (technical director)

}}

Zvonimir "Rale" Rašić OAM ({{Langx|sr|Звонимир "Рале" Рашић}}; 26 December 1935 – 8 June 2023) was a Serbian-Australian association football player, coach and media personality.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."

Playing career

Born in Dole,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}} Littoral Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Rasic begin his career playing in Yugoslav clubs. Also known as Zvonko Rasic, Zvonko being a usual diminutive for Zvonimir, he played with FK Proleter Zrenjanin,[http://www.fsgzrenjanin.com/klubovi.html Klubovi] at Football Association of Zrenjanin official website FK Vojvodina,[http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/sport.72.html%3A334107-Rale-Srbin-izmislio-fudbal-u-Australiji Rale Srbin „izmislio" fudbal u Australiji] at Večernje novosti, 13 June 2011, Retrieved 13 November 2013 {{in lang|sr}} FK Spartak Subotica[http://www.magyarfutball.hu/hu/merkozes/3449 Match report Hungary vs Spartak Subotica from 1958] at magyarfutball.hu, Retrieved 13 November 2013 and FK Borac Banja Luka.[http://www.parapsihopatologija.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1130&st=2370 FK Borac Banja Luka stats 1946-91] at EX YU Fudbal 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.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Managerial career

Rasic revolutionised the game in Australia{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}, 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.{{cite news |title=Rale Rasic, football pioneer who 'changed the game in Australia', dies aged 87 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/08/rale-rasic-dies-aged-87-australia-football-pioneer-socceroos-coach |access-date=8 June 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=8 June 2023}}

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."{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

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.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

Death

Rasic died on 8 June 2023, at the age of 87.{{Cite web |title='Shattering news': Iconic Socceroos coach dies |url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/football/news-2023-former-socceroos-coach-1974-world-cup-rale-rasic-dies/462c2b8c-f613-4784-9f3a-324a7861b738 |access-date=8 June 2023 |website=wwos.nine.com.au |language=en}}

Honours

Rasic was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/rale-rasic/|title=Rale Rasic|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=25 September 2020}} 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."{{cite web | url = http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au | title = Australian Honours | access-date = 27 June 2010 | publisher = Australian Government}}{{cite web|title=Australia Day 2004 Honours List|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD04.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020002347/http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD04.pdf|archive-date=2018-10-20|access-date=23 August 2018|website=gg.gov.au}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20071009172011/http://www.theworldgame.com.au/aussiesabroad/index.php?pid=st&cid=69925 Rasic snubs Kewell and Viduka] theworldgame.com.au
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060820150731/http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=adrenalin&spg=alliknow/alliknow_rale_rasic.htm Inside Sport]
[https://archive.today/20121231052221/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalksback/stories/2006/1657496.htm Australia Talksback Stories]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100121013841/http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/worldcup/video.php?section=rasic Interview with Ralé Rašić, 1974 Socceroos' coach]
[http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/R/RB.html Australian Player Database]

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Category:1935 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:Footballers from Mostar

Category:Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Australian people of Serbian descent

Category:Yugoslav emigrants to Australia

Category:Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to Australia

Category:Men's association football defenders