4 days ago
19
Peter Raskopoulos’ bequest is 1 etched into the very cloth of Australian football, remaining to this time the Socceroos’ youngest skipper astatine 19, and the fable had a accidental to bespeak connected his past and look to the aboriginal done the Australian Championship.
The Greek Australian icon spoke to Neos Kosmos connected his vocation arsenic well arsenic the caller competition, which is shining a airy erstwhile much connected the older clubs that were staples of Australia’s top formation during his playing days.
Captaining Australia astatine 19
Raskopoulos has the favoritism of being Australia’s youngest ever captain, having led the team successful his A-International debut against Indonesia connected 30 August 1981 successful Jakarta arsenic a 19-year-old.
He would spell connected to pb his state again some months aboriginal for the opening crippled of the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship held successful Australia.
“Captaining successful Australia was large for me,” Raskopoulos said.
The icon remarked that the tournament stood retired greatly to him, peculiarly that archetypal lucifer wherein they defeated Argentina 2-1.
“I think it was the archetypal clip that an Australian shot team bushed what’s called a world-class nation.”
Their awesome tally besides saw them clasp England to a gully and beforehand to the quarter-finals where they mislaid 1-0 to West Germany, the eventual winners of the tournament.
“I think of that arsenic a large play of my career, but I had galore large periods astatine Sydney Olympic, and I ever had the passion, and particularly playing successful beforehand of the Greek fans.”
The 15-time Socceroo was 1 of galore legends invited arsenic guests of honour for the Marconi Stallions-Heidelberg United clash successful the 4th matchday of the Australian Championship connected 31 October.
The fable expressed large appreciation successful being honoured by Marconi, whom helium played for backmost successful 1980 successful betwixt two stints with his beloved Olympic (the nine successful which helium sits arsenic its 4th highest quality shaper and is portion of its Hall of Fame).
“As a player, Marconi was very bully to me,” helium said.
“Obviously, I spent a batch much years astatine Olympic. I ever tell radical Olympic is portion of my family, portion of my life, due to the fact that I spent galore years and it gave maine large opportunities down the track.”
Australian Championship – a starting point
The Marconi-Heidelberg lucifer was Raskopoulos’ archetypal taste of the Australian Championship, a contention helium believes tin beryllium a stepping stone to an eventual fully-fledged 2nd part arsenic initially envisioned.
“It’s a starting point. It’s a starting constituent for a B league oregon whatever you want to evidently telephone it,” helium said.
“I think it’s important that it’s successful, but we’ll spot successful the adjacent 12 oregon 18 months however successful it tin be.”
He stressed his view that the competition’s top strength will beryllium successful giving opportunities to younger players, peculiarly those who bash not get sufficient chances successful the A-League.
“There’s some talented youngsters that astir apt aren’t getting an accidental which they astir apt could deserve,” Raskopoulos said.
The fable remarked that the contention tin besides service arsenic a stepping stone for players to beforehand their careers and amusement they are susceptible successful the A-League and beyond.
“Everyone’s extremity is to play overseas due to the fact that whichever way we want to overgarment it, overseas is simply a higher standard and, arsenic successful immoderate profession, you want to scope the top,” helium said.
“The A-League is still a stepping stone for overseas and that’s where the young players tin aspire to.”
Greek (GR) · 
English (US) ·