Biography of Hector Cuper
Snake bite
November 16, 1955Hector Raul Cuper was born on November 16, 1955 to Chabas, small town in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. He began his career as an excellent centre back (the Chronicles of the time bring him back as a very gifted technically athlete), spending most of his career in the ranks of Velez Sarsfield but especially of the Ferrocarril Oeste (1978-1989), training led by the legendary Carlos Timoteo Griguol. With this team, perhaps little known in Europe but of noble tradition, Cuper was awarded the title of continental champion in 1982 and 1984, arriving then at Cesar Menotti national with whom he had the honour to compete in eight competitive matches. At the end of his career as a professional footballer Cuper was purchased from Huracan, team maybe lackluster but that allowed him to end his career with dignity.
On the other hand, this experience was crucial, it wasn't for the fact that the colors of the Huracan were for him a springboard toward the next coaching career. Cuper in fact remained as coach of the club from 1993 to 1995, accumulating enough experience to attempt the jump, rising to Atletico Lanus. With his new team works for two seasons and won the title of champion in 1996 in the Copa Conmebol, deserving the attention of Spaniards of Majorca, pressing to have him with them. Hector Cuper decided to tackle this challenge, signs the contract and with the formation of the island dispute two Championships in La Liga, winning the Spanish Super Cup in 1998 and reached the final of the European Cup Winners Cup the following year (lost to Lazio).
In 1999, he moved to Valencia, leading the team to the second consecutive statement in Spain Super Cup twice and reaching the Champions League final, and emerged however defeated in both cases (lost in 2000 against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in 2001). The rest of the professional evolution of this hard and unyielding coach is well known by us. Landed in Italy with the difficult task of restoring the fortunes of Inter, companies in crisis for some time, we succeeded to a degree, obtaining good results mixed bag but never exciting.
The title eludes him by hand twice. In the season 2001-02, the date of May 5, 2002 is fatal: after a great League that saw inter in command, on the last day of Hector Cuper's team loses against Lazio finishing even third (winning would have won the League title). In the next year begins with some sort of scandal that sees the champion Ronaldo left the team Milan in favour of Real Madrid (explain the Brazilian world champion) for the bad relationship he has with the coach. At the end of the season inter will come second behind Juventus Marcello Lippi and eliminated by cousins of Milan in the prestigious derby-Champions League semi-final. After the nth disappointment 2003-2004 championship season starts, inter President Massimo Moratti has decided to replace him with Alberto Zaccheroni.
The controversy on the work of Hector Cuper were very heated and equally divided, as always happens in these cases, between supporters (there are those who would want to give him other opportunities) and severe critics. Cuper was consoled with the wonderful family established by his wife and two children. He returned then to Majorca with which in season 2004-2005 gets a salvation initially unexpected; the following year the situation worsens and in March of 2006 resigns. Back in Italy in March 2008 to take up the plight of Parma, named to replace the fired Domenico Di Carlo: after a few games, a day after the end of the Championship, is dismissed.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.