Joe Raduka
Encyclopedia
Joe Raduka (born January 18, 1954 in Bastaji
, Yugoslavia
) is a former Yugoslav-American soccer player who began his career with Red Star Belgrade
before spending time with indoor and outdoor teams in the U.S., Canada and Belgium. He currently runs a youth soccer club in Cleveland, Ohio
.
club Red Star Belgrade
. On February 9, 1978, Raduka signed a two year contract with the Oakland Stompers
of the North American Soccer League
(NASL). At the end of the 1978 season, the Stompers relocated to Edmonton, Canada where they were renamed the Edmonton Drillers
. Raduka played four seasons in Edmonton. Additionally, he spent the 1979-1980 NASL off-season with Belgian club Namur
. The loan came about as a result of fellow Serb Milan Mandarić
who owned the San Jose Earthquakes as well as part ownership of Namur.
While the Drillers performed poorly outdoors, they did gain an NASL indoor title in 1981. However, the team folded at the end of the 1982 outdoor season and Raduka moved to the Golden Bay Earthquakes. The Earthquakes, an NASL team, was spending the 1982-1983 indoor season with the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL). In 1983, he spent the outdoor season with the Edmonton Eagles of the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL). That league lasted only one season before collapsing and Raduka returned to the U.S. to rejoin the MISL. However, the Earthquakes had returned to the NASL so Raduka joined the Cleveland Force. He would spend the next four seasons with the Force until the team folded in 1987.
of MISL in 1989-1990.
Bastaji
Bastaji , is a village in Kneževo municipality, Bosnia and Herzegovina.- Ethnic composition, 1991 census :- References :...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
) is a former Yugoslav-American soccer player who began his career with Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
before spending time with indoor and outdoor teams in the U.S., Canada and Belgium. He currently runs a youth soccer club in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Professional
Raduka began his professional career with Yugoslav First LeagueYugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
club Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
. On February 9, 1978, Raduka signed a two year contract with the Oakland Stompers
Oakland Stompers
The Oakland Stompers were a soccer team in the North American Soccer League which played the 1978 season in the NASL. The Stompers played in the Western Division of the American Conference and finished the year with a 12-18 record...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL). At the end of the 1978 season, the Stompers relocated to Edmonton, Canada where they were renamed the Edmonton Drillers
Edmonton Drillers
The Edmonton Drillers were a North American Soccer League team that played both outdoors and indoors from 1979 to 1982, at the peak of the league's success. The team was brought to Edmonton by local entrepreneur and Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, after witnessing the strong support for...
. Raduka played four seasons in Edmonton. Additionally, he spent the 1979-1980 NASL off-season with Belgian club Namur
Union Royale Namur
Union Royale Namur is a Belgian football club from the city of Namur. It currently plays in the second national division. The media simply refer to them as "Les merles".- Current squad : - Staff :...
. The loan came about as a result of fellow Serb Milan Mandarić
Milan Mandaric
Milan Mandarić is a Serbian-American business tycoon who has owned a string of successful businesses and football clubs including Portsmouth, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. He currently is the chairman of Sheffield Wednesday...
who owned the San Jose Earthquakes as well as part ownership of Namur.
While the Drillers performed poorly outdoors, they did gain an NASL indoor title in 1981. However, the team folded at the end of the 1982 outdoor season and Raduka moved to the Golden Bay Earthquakes. The Earthquakes, an NASL team, was spending the 1982-1983 indoor season with the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
(MISL). In 1983, he spent the outdoor season with the Edmonton Eagles of the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL). That league lasted only one season before collapsing and Raduka returned to the U.S. to rejoin the MISL. However, the Earthquakes had returned to the NASL so Raduka joined the Cleveland Force. He would spend the next four seasons with the Force until the team folded in 1987.
Coach
When the Force folded, Raduka retired from playing professionally and began his coaching career. He first coached a local German club (Danubschauben) team in Olmsted Falls. Many of the players that played for him found their way onto Cleveland All-Star teams. He founded a Cleveland soccer club, Cleveland United, where he has remained as director and coach. In addition to coaching youth teams, Raduka was an assistant coach with the Cleveland CrunchCleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
of MISL in 1989-1990.