| 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 | ||
| Total | 58 | (0) | |
| 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 | ||
| 1987–88 | APIA 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 | |||
Zvonimir "Rale" RašićOAM (Serbian:Звонимир "Рале" Рашић; 26 December 1935 – 8 June 2023) was a Serbian-Australianassociation football player, coach and media personality.[1]
Born inDole,[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 withFK Proleter Zrenjanin,[3]FK Vojvodina,[4]FK Spartak Subotica[5] andFK 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 theVictorian league.[citation needed]
Rasic revolutionised the game in Australia[citation needed], he was appointed coach in 1970 at just 34 years of age, and in 1974, he led theAustralia national team to theWorld Cup as coach.[7]
After the World Cup, the Australian Soccer Federation sacked Rasic, replacing him with EnglishmanBrian 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]
Rasic was a television presenter onSBS, during the Australian network's2006 FIFA World Cup coverage. His biography, "The Rale Rasic Story," was published in 2006 by New Holland.[citation needed]
Rasic died on 8 June 2023, at the age of 87.[8]
Rasic was inducted into theSport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.[9] In 2001, he was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal and theCentenary Medal for "services to soccer", and was awarded theMedal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the2004 Australia Day Honours for "service to soccer as a player, coach and administrator."[10][11]
