Bela Guttmann was Hungarian footballer and later also
coach. He was a lot successful as coach then as a player. He played on a
midfileder position and spent his career in: Hungary, Austria and USA. He also
had several caps for national team.
Bela Guttmann in Hungary jersey
In football world he will be remembered for his uncompromising,
many removals from one club to another and his coaching ingeniousness with
which this Hungarian Jew conquered Europe and the world. During his 40 years of
career he was 2 times European cup winner, several league titles and also some
small trophies. He spent in Benfica 3 seasons, otherwise he was known as “roving
coach“. Rarely where he stayed for more than season or two. He once said:
-Third season is alway “fatal“. That third season was fatal for him as Benfica
coach when he after defend the European cup, todays Champions League, asked for
a raise from the club.
Except his coaching abilities he was famous for his
conflicts with journalists, players and boards. He was not afraid of conflict
with legendary Puskas.
As Milan coach in 1955 he had a hughe advance in front of
other league teams but soon he conflict with the board of the club and got
sacked in the mid-season. After he god fired he said: - I have been sacked even
though I am neither a criminal nor a homosexual. Goodbye.
Except in Europe he also coached in South America. There
with Sao Paulo he won “Paulista“. There he introduced 4-2-4 formation with
which Brazil won World Cup trophy in 1958.
Sticker from 1965/66
Before he took Benfica he was coach of Porto. With Porto
h won his first from three Portugal league titles. After just one season he
took Benfica where he experienced the greatest moments of his coaching career. With
Benfica he won 5 main trophies in total (2 league titles, cup and 2 European
cup). First day as Benfica coach he sacked several important players and gave
chance to younger players. Same season he won league title and the next one
Champions League. That was first time that Real wasn't champion. From
Mozambique they signed Eusebio. With his great plays Eusebio helped Benfica to
defend the title of European champion. After that second European cup trophy
Bela asked for bonus for all this domestic and European titles. Board rejected
him with words that that wasn't predicted with contract. After that Bela left
club with words: - Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be
European champion. In that time nobody bothered with that but today it describes
as a „The curse of Bela Guttmann“. Since than Benfica played 8 finals of
European cups and lose all of them. 5 times they were in Champions League final
and 3 in UEFA Cup/European League. Before 1990 final, which was played in
Vienna, where Guttmann was buried, Eusébio prayed at his grave and
asked for the curse to be broken.
Eusebio, Guttmann and Mario Esteves Coluna
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