Cestmír Vycpálek
Encyclopedia
Čestmír Vycpálek was a former Czech
football
player and manager. He was an uncle of noted football manager Zdeněk Zeman
.
from Slavia Prague
, and in 1947 to Palermo
, in Serie B
at the time, leading the team to an immediate promotion to the top division, and playing 143 times, with 23 goals, in five seasons for the rosanero. In the season 1952–1953, Vycpálek then signed for Parma
, where he played at Serie B and Serie C
level. Vycpálek abandoned his playing career in 1958, at the age of 37.
after the Prague Spring
. He then coached minor league teams such as Siracusa
, Valdagno
and Juve Bagheria.
In the early 1970s, however, after having been fired by Sicilian Serie D
team Mazara
, Vycpálek went back to Juventus, thanks also to his old friend Giampiero Boniperti
, who was a board member in that times, and became coach for the youth team. But, in 1971, after the sudden death of Armando Picchi
, Vycpálek was named new head coach of Juventus. It was the beginning of a successful period which led the team to two consecutive scudetti, in 1972 and 1973.
Vycpálek died on 5 May 2002 in Palermo, the same day of the Juventus' triumph in the 2001–2002 Serie A, and exactly thirty years after the death of his son Cestino in the Alitalia Flight 112
crash that happened in 1972.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and manager. He was an uncle of noted football manager Zdeněk Zeman
Zdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
.
Playing career
A good right winger, Vycpálek moved in 1946 to JuventusJuventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
from Slavia Prague
SK Slavia Praha
Sportovní Klub Slavia Praha is a Czech professional football club founded in 1892 in the city of Prague.They play in the Gambrinus liga—the highest competition in the Czech Republic. Alongside Sparta Prague, they are considered one of the top Czech clubs and the rivalry between the two clubs is...
, and in 1947 to Palermo
U.S. Città di Palermo
Unione Sportiva Città di Palermo is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian football. Formed in 1900 as Anglo Panormitan Athletic and Football Club, the club had various names before assuming its final form in 1987 and is currently...
, in Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
at the time, leading the team to an immediate promotion to the top division, and playing 143 times, with 23 goals, in five seasons for the rosanero. In the season 1952–1953, Vycpálek then signed for Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
, where he played at Serie B and Serie C
Serie C
The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico , commonly known as Lega Pro , is the governing body that runs the third and fourth highest football divisions in Italy, the Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione respectively. It also includes the sole professional club of San Marino...
level. Vycpálek abandoned his playing career in 1958, at the age of 37.
Coaching career
Before to enjoy some relevant success at the managing level, Vycpálek had several minor experiences, often not particularly lucky. He started his coaching career for Palermo, where he relocated with his family after Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Soviet Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
after the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. He then coached minor league teams such as Siracusa
U.S. Siracusa
Unione Sportiva Siracusa, commonly referred to as simply Siracusa or the abbreviation US Siracusa, is an Italian association football club located in Syracuse, Sicily. The club was founded in 1924 and for most of its history has played in the lower divisions of professional Italian football...
, Valdagno
A.C. Nuova Valdagno
Associazione Calcio Nuova Valdagno is an Italian association football club located in Valdagno, Veneto. It currently plays in Promozione. Its colors are light blue and white....
and Juve Bagheria.
In the early 1970s, however, after having been fired by Sicilian Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
team Mazara
G.S. Mazara 1946
Mazara Calcio A.S.D., formerly Gruppo Sportivo Mazara 1946, is an Italian football team from Mazara del Vallo, Sicily.It, in the season 2011-12 plays in Eccellenza Sicily.The official team colours are canary yellow and blue...
, Vycpálek went back to Juventus, thanks also to his old friend Giampiero Boniperti
Giampiero Boniperti
Giampiero Boniperti is an Italian former football player who played his entire career at Juventus between 1946 and 1961. He also played for the Italian national football team...
, who was a board member in that times, and became coach for the youth team. But, in 1971, after the sudden death of Armando Picchi
Armando Picchi
Armando Picchi was an Italian football player and coach. Regularly positioned as a sweeper, he captained the Internazionale side known as La Grande Inter.-Club career:...
, Vycpálek was named new head coach of Juventus. It was the beginning of a successful period which led the team to two consecutive scudetti, in 1972 and 1973.
Vycpálek died on 5 May 2002 in Palermo, the same day of the Juventus' triumph in the 2001–2002 Serie A, and exactly thirty years after the death of his son Cestino in the Alitalia Flight 112
Alitalia Flight 112
Alitalia Flight 112 was a scheduled flight from Leonardo da Vinci Airport, in Rome, Italy, to Palermo International Airport in Palermo, Italy, with 115 on board. On 5 May 1972, it crashed into Mount Longa, about 5 km south-west of Palermo while on approach...
crash that happened in 1972.