Cúper as a Parma coach in 2008 |
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Héctor Raúl Cúper | ||
Date of birth | 16 November 1955 | ||
Place of birth | Chabás, Santa Fe, Argentina | ||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Playing position | Centre back | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Orduspor | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1976–1977 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 5 | (0) |
1977–1978 | Independiente Rivadavia | 6 | (2) |
1978–1988 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 424 | (24) |
1988–1992 | Huracán | 132 | (8) |
Total | 567 | (34) | |
National team | |||
1984–1986 | Argentina | 5 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
1993–1995 | Huracán | ||
1995–1997 | Lanús | ||
1997–1999 | Mallorca | ||
1999–2001 | Valencia | ||
2001–2003 | Internazionale | ||
2004–2006 | Mallorca | ||
2007 | Betis | ||
2008 | Parma | ||
2008–2009 | Georgia | ||
2009–2011 | Aris Thessaloniki | ||
2011 | Racing Santander | ||
2011– | Orduspor | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
Héctor Raúl Cúper (born 16 November 1955 in Chabás, Santa Fe Province, Argentina) is an Argentinean former football defender and now a manager who currently manages Orduspor in Turkish Süper Lig.
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Cúper started his coaching career in Huracán, a year and a half after his retirement. After three years he moved to Club Atlético Lanús, and two years later he made the jump to Europe. In 1997 he was hired by RCD Mallorca, and in the very first season he drove the modest club to the final of the Copa del Rey, which he would lose against FC Barcelona. The following season the team reached the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, beating Heart of Midlothian on the way, losing to S.S. Lazio. However, in the same season the team had its revenge against Barcelona, winning the Supercopa de España in 1998. That season RCD Mallorca also recorded their best historical position at the end of the league with a 3rd place, allowing the team to play in the UEFA Champions League.
Cúper moved to the Valencia in 1999, where he maintained his bad luck in finals, losing the final of the Champions League two consecutive times; in 2000 against Real Madrid, and in 2001 against Bayern Munich on penalty shootout.
In 2001, Cúper was hired by Italian club Internazionale, where he reached the third and second place of the championship in successive seasons. In the Champions League his team lost the semi-finals of the 2002–03 competition to city rivals Milan on away goals. Continuing his bad luck run in "finals", Inter under his command infamously lost what could have been the club's first scudetto since 1989 on the 5th of May 2002 to Lazio 4–2 and handed the scudetto over to fierce rivals Juventus on the last day of the league season. He was fired from the club after six matches of the 2003–04 season, when the team was in the 8th place.
After a year off work, due to a contractual argument with Inter, Cúper managed Mallorca again during the 2004–05 season, when the team was already in a relegation position after 10 matches, saving the team from relegation in the last match of the season. Suffering bad results in spite of his many signings, Cúper decided to leave the team in February 2006, with the team at the bottom of the division.
He started the 2007–08 season at the helm of Real Betis, but was sacked on 2 December 2007 following his side's loss against Atlético Madrid. On March 11, 2008 he was unveiled as new boss of relegation-battling Serie A team Parma, replacing Domenico Di Carlo at the helm of the gialloblù. He was then sacked 2 months later before the final game of the season after winning only 2 in 10 matches as manager, this eventually leading to Parma's relegation to Serie B.
On 1 August 2008 Cúper became the head coach of the Georgia national team. Due to his failure to win a single match as Georgia's head coach, he didn't prolong the contract which expired in December 2009.
On 3 November 2009 Cúper agreed to continue his managerial career with Greek club Aris Thessaloniki till the end of the 2009–10 season. On 15 December 2009 Cuper extended his contract with Aris until June 2011. On 24 April Cúper lost another final, this time in the Greek Football Cup against Panathinaikos, continuing his negative streak in finals.
In 2010–2011 season, Cúper lead Aris in its first participation in the Round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League, taking the 2nd place in Group B with 10 points, after two surprise wins against Atlético Madrid.
On 18 January 2011 after some bad results in Greece, Héctor decided to step down from his managerial position.
On 29 June 2011 Cúper moved to Racing Santander signing for one season. However, after 5 months he resigned from his position due to the poor performance of the team, which was placed at the last position in the BBVA league. He was signed a contract with Süper Lig side Orduspor on 19 December 2011.
Argentina national team | ||
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Year | Apps | Goals |
1984 | 3 | 0 |
Total | 3 | 0 |
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