Ralé Rasic
Encyclopedia
Zvonimir "Ralé" Rašić OAM
(born 26 December 1935 in Mostar
, Littoral Banovina
, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
(now Bosnia and Herzegovina
) is a Serbian
-Australian former football
player, coach and media personality.
Rasic 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. He 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 football team to the World Cup
as coach.
After the World Cup, the Australian Soccer Federation dumped him as national coach, 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."
These days, as the first coach to take Australia to the World Cup finals, Rale Rasic is widely respected in Australian football.
He 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.
and the Centenary Medal
for "services to soccer" and in 2004 the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to soccer as a player, coach and administrator."
FIFA World Cup
coverage and in other media, Rasic has named his "Greatest Socceroos side" - a team of Australia
n players who he deems the best Australia
has to offer. The team is:
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 26 December 1935 in Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, Littoral Banovina
Littoral Banovina
The Littoral Banovina or Littoral Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1939. This province consisted of much of the historical region of Dalmatia, now in Croatia, and parts of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina and was named for its coastal location...
, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
(now Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
) is a Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
-Australian former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, coach and media personality.
Rasic 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
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
league. He 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 football team to the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
as coach.
After the World Cup, the Australian Soccer Federation dumped him as national coach, replacing him with Englishman Brian Green
Brian Green (footballer)
Brian Geoffrey Green is a former football coach and player. As a player he competed in the Football League as a forward in the 1950s and 1960s for Rochdale, Southport, Barrow, Exeter City and Chesterfield....
. 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."
These days, as the first coach to take Australia to the World Cup finals, Rale Rasic is widely respected in Australian football.
He was a television presenter on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
, during the Australian network's 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
coverage. His biography, "The Rale Rasic Story," was published in 2006 by New Holland.
Honours
In 2001 Rašić was awarded the Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
and the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for "services to soccer" and in 2004 the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to soccer as a player, coach and administrator."
Greatest Socceroos side
During the broadcasting of the SBSSpecial Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
coverage and in other media, Rasic has named his "Greatest Socceroos side" - a team of 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...
n players who he deems the best 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...
has to offer. The team is:
- Goalkeeper: Mark BosnichMark BosnichMark Bosnich is a retired Australian football player and football pundit. He represented Australia 17 times and played for English Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Manchester United and Chelsea.-Manchester United :...
- Defenders: Doug UtjesenovicDoug UtjesenovicDragan "Doug" Utjesenović is a former Serbian Australian football defender. He was a member of the Australian 1974 FIFA World Cup squad in West Germany...
, Colin CurranColin CurranColin John Curran is a former football defender. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany and represented Australia 34 times between 1970 and 1979.-See also:...
, Peter Wilson (captain), Milan IvanovicMilan IvanovicMilan Ivanović is a former Serbian Australian football player... - Midfielders: Ray Richards, Jimmy RooneyJimmy RooneyJames "Jimmy" Rooney is a former football player. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany....
, Jimmy MackayJimmy MackayJames Birrell "Jimmy" Mackay is a former football player. He was a member of the Australian 1974 World Cup squad in West Germany.... - Forwards: Ray BaartzRay BaartzRay Baartz was an Australian football player. He is a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.Ray was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and spent his early years playing for Adamstown. At 17 he joined Manchester United and after 6 months signed on a two year contract...
, Adrian AlstonAdrian AlstonAdrian Alston is an English-born Australian former professional football player. His brother Alex was also a professional footballer.-Career:...
, John KosminaJohn KosminaAlexander John Kosmina , known as John Kosmina, is a former Australian football player and manager of Polish Australian ethnicity. He was most recently the manager of Sydney FC... - Bench: Johnny WarrenJohnny WarrenJohn Norman Warren, MBE, OAM was an Australian football player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster. He was known as Captain Socceroo for his passionate work to promote the game in Australia...
, Johnny WatkissJohnny WatkissJohn "Johnny" Watkiss is a former football defender. He was a member of the Australian 1974 FIFA World Cup squad in West Germany and represented Australia 31 times between 1965 to 1974 scoring 4 times....
, Robert ZabicaRobert ZabicaRobert Zabica is an Australian former football player of Croatian descent. Zabica played as a goalkeeper...
, Attila AbonyiAttila AbonyiAttila Abonyi is a Hungarian-born Australian football manager and former player.Born in Hungary, he took up soccer after emigrating to Australia at age 10. Attila played started playing professional club football for Melbourne Hungaria between 1962 and 1968, St...
, Zarko OdzakovŽarko OdžakovŽarko Odžakov is a retired footballer who represented Australia 13 times in full international matches. Former Australia coach Ralé Rašić in 2006 picked Odžakov in his greatest Socceroo team.-FK Vardar:...
, Alan DavidsonAlan Edward DavidsonAlan Edward Davidson was an Australian football player. His mother is Japanese.-Club career:Davidson began his domestic senior football career in 1976 and 1977, playing for Altona City SC which had been his junior club...
.
See also
- http://www.theworldgame.com.au/aussiesabroad/index.php?pid=st&cid=69925
- http://www.insidesport.com.au/is/index?pg=adrenalin&spg=alliknow/alliknow_rale_rasic.htm
- http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalksback/stories/2006/1657496.htm
- Interview with Ralé Rašić, 1974 Socceroos' coach
- http://www.mvrfc.com/rr.htm
- http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/R/RB.html