Cuper resigns as Real Mallorca coach
MADRID, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Hector Cuper has quit as coach of Real
Mallorca following the club's slide to the bottom of the Primera
Liga.
'My resignation was necessary to change the dynamic of the team,'
Cuper told a news conference on Tuesday. 'There are 15 games left
and 45 points to play for so there is still time to produce the
change the team needs.
'I would like to thank the fans for the support they have always
shown me in my two spells here. I would like to have left them more
satisfied but it wasn't possible.' Mallorca president Vicente
Grande said: 'I would like to tell the people who are pleased to
see him go that we are losing a man who loved Mallorca. His work
here has not been judged fairly.
'It has been an honour to have had him as our coach. I have spoken
to him and he is very upset but he hopes that by leaving now it
will help the club avoid relegation.'
Damia Amer and Toni Servera, members of the backroom staff, have
been put in charge of first-team training until a decision is made
on a replacement.
The islanders slipped to the foot of the table on Sunday after a
1-1 draw at home to Getafe extended their winless streak to nine
matches.
Cuper, 50, took charge of Mallorca for the second time in November
2004.
He replaced Benito Floro, who was dismissed after picking up five
points from the first nine games of the campaign.
The club spent much of last season in the relegation zone before
saving their top-flight status on the final day.
Mallorca made a similarly poor start this season and, despite
making several signings in the January transfer window, results
failed to improve.
Cuper was first in charge of Mallorca between 1997 and 1999, taking
them to the final of the King's Cup, the final of the European Cup
Winners' Cup and a club record third-place finish in the
league.
He moved to Valencia in 1999 following the departure of Claudio
Ranieri and took a side with little pedigree in Europe to two
successive Champions League finals, losing to Real Madrid in 2000
and Bayern Munich, on penalties, a year later.
Cuper then replaced Marco Tardelli at Inter Milan in 2001 and
almost won the Serie A title the following season, falling at the
final hurdle by losing the last match to Lazio.
Inter finished second again in 2003 but Cuper was sacked in October
the same year after his side went four successive Serie A matches
without a win.
