Vale Rale Rasic: A Socceroos pioneer

Staff Writer
Rale Rasic
Image via Football Australia

Soccerscene is saddened by the passing of Rale Rasic.

Aged 87, he is regarded as a much-loved figure of Australian football, while he is also a Football Australia Hall of Fame member.

Originally from Bosnia, Rasic arrived in Australia in 1962 and and joined up with Footscray JUST, securing the State League championship and Dockerty Cup as a taste for what was to come.

From 1969 his coaching career took off, highlighted by a Victorian State League championship and a national Under-16 title. In August 1970, he was appointed as the national coach of the Socceroos, where theey achieved a 12-match unbeaten streak during their 1972 world tour, remaining undefeated during their tour of Asia.

Rasic was the catalyst behind Australia’s first-ever appearance in the FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany. This achievement saw him named the inaugural National Soccer League Coach of the Year with Marconi Fairfield in 1977 and got the same honour again in 1987 with Apia Leichhardt. Additionally, Rasic won the national league championship and the NSL Cup, proving that he was one of Australian football’s most influential figures.

His efforts were then rewarded once more – in 2001, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal and the Centenary Medal for his exceptional “services to soccer.” In 2004, Rasic was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his outstanding contributions to soccer as a player, coach, and administrator.

Rasic was a popular member of the football community, often sharing stories from what was a half-century involvement in the game and we are all grateful for his contributions.

Football Australia Chairman Chris Nikou expressed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of Football Australia and the entire Australian football community.

“Today, we mourn the passing of a giant of Australian football in Rale Rasic,” said Nikou. “His dedication to representing Australia and his remarkable achievements as a player, coach, and administrator will forever be etched in our nation’s football history. Rale’s influence extended beyond the game, shaping the careers of numerous players, and leaving an indelible mark on the sport he loved,” he said via press release.

Current Socceroos’ head coach Graham Arnold expressed his devastation of the news.

“Rale changed the game in Australia in 1974, qualifying Australia for the first World Cup ever,” Arnold said.

“The amount of passion and love that Rale had for football has never drifted too far away from myself and he has been a great inspiration for me over the years.

“He was such a great man, he loved a chat, and loved a story, and he always kept those stories going and that motivated a lot of people in life.

“I never had the privilege of playing underneath him, but I have no doubt there are a lot of guys that played under him that would be devastated today to hear this news,” concluded Arnold.

Soccerscene wishes to extend its condolences to family members and close connections of Rale.

In memory of Rale Rasic, the Socceroos will wear black armbands during their upcoming match against Argentina in Beijing, China.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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