4
Sep, 2015
Rade Martinovic comes to us with more than 20 years coaching experience following a successful 17 years professional playing career in Europe and 4 years in US. He is arguably the most successful Coach in state of Illinois with 20 State Cup Championship games, 3 Midwest Regional and 2 National Finals where he won the 2011 USYS National Championship, 8 State Cups and was named the 2011 Illinois YearYouth Soccer Girls Coach of the Year.Throughout his career he has put more than 163 girls into Division 1 Colleges.
As Ajax we are proud to have Rade Martinovic on our Coaching Staff for our Girls.
Rade's Bio Prior his Coaching in USA
Rade began his professional soccer career in 1969. At the age of 16 he signed with FK Radnicki in Kragujevac, Yugoslavia his homeland. He played there for 10 years until 1979. During this time Rade continued his education and received a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering from Kragujevac Tech. He also has a Soccer Coaching Degree from the University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Prior to and during Rades professional career playing in the Yugoslav Federal Football League, he was also a member of the Yugoslavia Junior National Team, Yugoslavia U-21 National Team and the Yugoslavia Olympic National Team. In 1967, his Junior National team won a Silver Medal in the UEFA Cup played in Istanbul, Turkey. His U-21 National team won a Gold Medal in the European Cup played in Rijeka, Croatia in 1971. Rade played 42 games representing his country.
Rade came to the USA in 1979 and signed with the Philadelphia Fury playing in the North American Soccer League ( click here for pictures - NASL) and Metro Indoor Soccer League (MISL). From 1981 to 1983 he played with the Montreal Manic (later changed to Montreal Impact). They were also in the NASL and MISL. During his professional career Rade played in over 1000 games. He competed with and against some of the greatest soccer players, including Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Gerd Muller, Johan Cruyff, Alan Ball and George Best.
From 1984 to 1993 Rade coached at his former club FK Radnicki. During this time he coached the Junior League team to the U-14 Yugoslavia National Cup and was also the Head Coach of the Professional League Team. Rade also coached for the Yugoslavia Football Association. He was a National Soccer Camp Instructor, Part of the National Youth Team Coaching Staff and a National Youth Team Selector. 1994 brought Rade back to the USA where he has since been coaching youth soccer in the Chicago suburbs.
Rade currently holds a FIFA Coaching License, UEFA International Youth Coaching License and a USSF National Coaching License.