Soccer talent impresses coach

Ben Drewe

HE guided Australia to its first World Cup in 1974 and has coached more than 1.2 million players and coaches during his illustrious soccer career.

And now Rale Rasic says he was impressed by the talent of some of the Toowoomba juniors on show at a coaching clinic earlier this week.

Rasic was the guest coach at the four-day clinic, which was attended by 76 juniors from the area.

The 75-year-old was able to keep up with the enthusiastic juniors and discovered a few players he feels will reach great heights in the game.

Rasic will return to the Garden City in June as part of his role as patron of Toowoomba’s Festival of Football.

The festival will resume in June with a number of competitions and a dinner at Rumours on June 4, which will feature Rasic as key note speaker.

The festival is being staged to coincide with the World Cup in South Africa and the Socceroos’ appearance at its second World Cup finals in a row.

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2010/04/01/he-guided-australia-to-its-first-world-cup-in-1974/