Helenio Herrera
Encyclopedia
Helenio Herrera Gavilán (10 April 1910 – 9 November 1997) was a Franco
-Argentine
football player and manager.
Although born in Argentina
, Herrera's parents were both Spanish, his father being a well-known Spanish anarchist in exile. He emigrated at age four with his parents to Casablanca
, Morocco where he adopted French citizenship.
The exact date of his birth is unknown, and it is alleged that in the 50s, he changed his year of birth from 1910 to 1916.
twice) and Excelsior Roubaix. During the war, he played for five years more in Red Star Paris
, Stade Français, EF Paris-Capitale and Puteaux, where he started his managing career in 1944 as a player-manager. He retired in 1945, and while his playing career was very short of notable successes, his managing career, coinciding with the early beginnings of UEFA
competitions, had a marked effect on the game's tactical definitions.
, Atlético Madrid, where he won the championship in 1950 and 1951, CD Málaga
, Deportivo de La Coruña
and Sevilla FC
, before entering a two year tenure with Lisbon
side CF Os Belenenses
. Later returning to Spain, he managed giants FC Barcelona
, but several problems, including disagreements between him and star player Ladislao Kubala
forced him to leave the club in 1960.
He immediately emigrated to Italy
and signed with Internazionale, winning two European Champions Cup
in his stay with the club, where he modified a 5–3–2 tactic known as the Verrou (door bolt) to include larger flexibility for counter attacks – and the Catenaccio
was born. During this time he was also coaching Spain
(between 1959 and 1962) and Italy
(1966–67).
In 1968, Herrera moved to AS Roma
where he became the highest paid manager in the world with a contract worth an estimated £150,000 per year. He won the Coppa Italia
in his first season but relations with club president Alvaro Marchini had already soured over the tragic death of his centre-forward Giuliano Taccola
in the team dressing room at an away game against Cagliari
. The following season, 1969–70, erratic results in the League gave Marchini the excuse to sack him.
He returned to management for a one year stint with Inter for the 1973–74 season. Herrera then suffered a heart attack, did not want to coach full time anymore and retired in Venice where he lived the rest of his life. While inactive between 1974 and 1978, Herrera returned briefly during the end of the decade, managing Rimini Calcio and finally ending his career with a return to FC Barcelona for two half seasons in 1980 and 1981.
He also enforced a strict discipline code, for the first time forbidding players to drink or smoke and controlling their diet – once in Inter he suspended a player after telling the press "we came to play in Rome" instead of "we came to win in Rome". He also sent club personnel to players' homes during the week to perform '"bed-checks". He introduced the ritiro, a pre-match remote country hotel retreat that started with the collection of players on Thursday to prepare for a Sunday game.
He was also one of the first managers to call the support of the "12th player" – the spectators. While indirectly, this led to the appearance of the first Ultras
movements in the late 60s. While defensive in nature, his take on the Catenaccio
was slightly different than that practiced by other Italian teams and the original Verrou, as he often used the full backs (particularly Giacinto Facchetti
) as wingbacks (defensively supported by the libero) to launch faster counter-attacks, a staple of Italian tactics – yet, he never denied the heart of his team relied on defense.
He was also the first manager to collect credit for his teams' performances. Up to that time managers were more marginal figures in a team. All teams were known for their headline-grabbing individual players, exampled by such a star like Di Stéfano's
Real Madrid
, whereas Inter FC during the 60s is still referred to as Herrera's Inter.
In 2004 Herrera's surviving widow Fiora Gandolfi released a book called Tacalabala. In it was collected sayings, sketches and notes from Herrera's notebooks and journals.
Helenio Herrera was the first to coach three separate national teams in his lifetime:
1946–1948: France
(as coach to the management of Gaston Barreau
)
1959–1962: Spain
(famously at the 1962 FIFA World Cup
)
1966–1968: Italy
(together with Ferruccio Valcareggi)
Since then, most prominently Henri Michel
, coaching Cameroon
, Morocco
two times, Tunisia
and Ivory Coast, Guus Hiddink
, coaching the Netherlands
, South Korea
, Australia
and Russia
as well as Bora Milutinović, coaching Mexico
, Costa Rica
, the United States
, Nigeria
, China
, Honduras
and Jamaica
have surpassed him, although with the exception of Hiddink's time managing Holland, none of these managed more than one regular in the top ten of the FIFA World Rankings
– all of Herrera's international appointments were at major international teams.
John Lambie Hall of Fame Inductee 2011
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
football player and manager.
Although born in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Herrera's parents were both Spanish, his father being a well-known Spanish anarchist in exile. He emigrated at age four with his parents to Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Morocco where he adopted French citizenship.
The exact date of his birth is unknown, and it is alleged that in the 50s, he changed his year of birth from 1910 to 1916.
Playing career
Playing as a defender, in 1932 he earned a transfer from RC Casablanca to mainland France – CASG Paris. Before World War II, Herrera (or H.H. as he was known) played in Stade Français, FCO Charleville (where he was called up for the national teamFrance national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
twice) and Excelsior Roubaix. During the war, he played for five years more in Red Star Paris
Red Star Saint-Ouen
Red Star Football Club 93 is a French association football club based in Saint-Ouen located in the northern suburbs of Paris. The club was founded in 1897 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third level of French football...
, Stade Français, EF Paris-Capitale and Puteaux, where he started his managing career in 1944 as a player-manager. He retired in 1945, and while his playing career was very short of notable successes, his managing career, coinciding with the early beginnings of UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
competitions, had a marked effect on the game's tactical definitions.
Managing career
After his first season in Puteaux, Herrera rejoined Stade Français for a third time now as manager. After three seasons with no trophies collected, the club's president opted to sell the club. Herrera moved to Spain, where he spent the next six years with Real ValladolidReal Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
, Atlético Madrid, where he won the championship in 1950 and 1951, CD Málaga
CD Málaga
Club Deportivo Málaga was a Spanish football club based in Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It played twenty seasons in La Liga, before being dissolved in 1992....
, Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
and Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, before entering a two year tenure with Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
side CF Os Belenenses
CF Os Belenenses
Clube de Futebol Os Belenenses, commonly known simply as Belenenses or Belenenses Lisbon, founded in 1919, is one of the oldest Portuguese sports clubs. It is based in the Belém quarter of Lisbon, hence the club name, which translates as "The ones from Belém."-History:The main activities of the...
. Later returning to Spain, he managed giants FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, but several problems, including disagreements between him and star player Ladislao Kubala
Ladislao Kubala
László Kubala Stecz , also referred to as Ladislav Kubala, Ladislao Kubala, was a footballer, who played as a forward with, among others, Ferencvárosi TC, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. He also played for three different national teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and...
forced him to leave the club in 1960.
He immediately emigrated to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and signed with Internazionale, winning two European Champions Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
in his stay with the club, where he modified a 5–3–2 tactic known as the Verrou (door bolt) to include larger flexibility for counter attacks – and the Catenaccio
Catenaccio
Catenaccio is a tactical system in football with an emphasis on defence. In Italian, catenaccio means "door-bolt", implying a highly organized and effective backline defense which is intended to prevent goals.-History:...
was born. During this time he was also coaching Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
(between 1959 and 1962) and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
(1966–67).
In 1968, Herrera moved to AS Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
where he became the highest paid manager in the world with a contract worth an estimated £150,000 per year. He won the Coppa Italia
Coppa Italia
The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13...
in his first season but relations with club president Alvaro Marchini had already soured over the tragic death of his centre-forward Giuliano Taccola
Giuliano Taccola
Giuliano Taccola was an Italian professional football player.He played for 2 seasons in the Serie A for A.S. Roma....
in the team dressing room at an away game against Cagliari
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
. The following season, 1969–70, erratic results in the League gave Marchini the excuse to sack him.
He returned to management for a one year stint with Inter for the 1973–74 season. Herrera then suffered a heart attack, did not want to coach full time anymore and retired in Venice where he lived the rest of his life. While inactive between 1974 and 1978, Herrera returned briefly during the end of the decade, managing Rimini Calcio and finally ending his career with a return to FC Barcelona for two half seasons in 1980 and 1981.
Influence
He pioneered the use of psychological motivating skills – his pep-talk phrases are still quoted today, e.g. "who doesn't give it all, gives nothing", "with 10 our team plays better than with 11" (after his team had to face the second half of a game with only 10 players on the field) and "Class + Preparation + Intelligence + Athleticism = Championships. These slogans were often plastered on billboards around the ground and chanted by players during training sessions.He also enforced a strict discipline code, for the first time forbidding players to drink or smoke and controlling their diet – once in Inter he suspended a player after telling the press "we came to play in Rome" instead of "we came to win in Rome". He also sent club personnel to players' homes during the week to perform '"bed-checks". He introduced the ritiro, a pre-match remote country hotel retreat that started with the collection of players on Thursday to prepare for a Sunday game.
He was also one of the first managers to call the support of the "12th player" – the spectators. While indirectly, this led to the appearance of the first Ultras
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...
movements in the late 60s. While defensive in nature, his take on the Catenaccio
Catenaccio
Catenaccio is a tactical system in football with an emphasis on defence. In Italian, catenaccio means "door-bolt", implying a highly organized and effective backline defense which is intended to prevent goals.-History:...
was slightly different than that practiced by other Italian teams and the original Verrou, as he often used the full backs (particularly Giacinto Facchetti
Giacinto Facchetti
Giacinto Facchetti was an Italian football player. From January 2004 until his death, he was President of Internazionale, the club for which he played for his whole career during the 1960s and 1970s, playing 634 official games and scoring 75 goals. He played for the Internazionale team remembered...
) as wingbacks (defensively supported by the libero) to launch faster counter-attacks, a staple of Italian tactics – yet, he never denied the heart of his team relied on defense.
He was also the first manager to collect credit for his teams' performances. Up to that time managers were more marginal figures in a team. All teams were known for their headline-grabbing individual players, exampled by such a star like Di Stéfano's
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
, whereas Inter FC during the 60s is still referred to as Herrera's Inter.
In 2004 Herrera's surviving widow Fiora Gandolfi released a book called Tacalabala. In it was collected sayings, sketches and notes from Herrera's notebooks and journals.
Titles
Altogether Helenio Herrera won 16 major titles in his coaching career. Here is an overview:| Atlético de Madrid | 1950 – Championship 1951 – Championship |
| FC Barcelona | 1959 – Championship 1959 – Spanish Cup 1960 – Championship 1960 – Inter City Fairs Cup (UEFA Cup) 1981 – Spanish Cup |
| Internazionale FC | 1963 – Championship 1964 – European Champions Cup 1964 – Intercontinental Cup 1965 – Championship 1965 – European Champions Cup 1965 – Intercontinental Cup 1966 – Championship |
| AS Roma | 1969 – Italian Cup |
Helenio Herrera was the first to coach three separate national teams in his lifetime:
1946–1948: France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
(as coach to the management of Gaston Barreau
Gaston Barreau
Gaston Barreau was a French football player and coach.-References:*...
)
1959–1962: Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
(famously at the 1962 FIFA World Cup
1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
)
1966–1968: Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
(together with Ferruccio Valcareggi)
Since then, most prominently Henri Michel
Henri Michel
-External links:...
, coaching Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
, Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
two times, Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
and Ivory Coast, Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink
Guus Hiddink is a Dutch football manager and former player. He was the most recently manager of the Turkish national football team. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and was the best-paid coach in international football in 2009...
, coaching the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
, Australia
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...
and Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
as well as Bora Milutinović, coaching Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
, the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
, China
China national football team
The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...
, Honduras
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
and Jamaica
Jamaica national football team
The Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
have surpassed him, although with the exception of Hiddink's time managing Holland, none of these managed more than one regular in the top ten of the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
– all of Herrera's international appointments were at major international teams.
Managerial stats
| Nat | Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | GF | GA | +/- | ||||
 |
Stade Français | 1946 | 1948 | 72 | 34 | 16 | 22 | % | 140 | 116 | |
 |
Real Valladolid Real Valladolid Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived.... |
1948 | 1949 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 14 | % | 38 | 59 | |
| |
Atlético Madrid | 1949 | 1952 | 86 | 48 | 14 | 24 | % | 238 | 158 | |
| |
CD Málaga CD Málaga Club Deportivo Málaga was a Spanish football club based in Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It played twenty seasons in La Liga, before being dissolved in 1992.... |
1952 | 1952 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | % | 20 | 17 | |
| |
Sevilla FC Sevilla FC Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA... |
1953 | 1956 | 90 | 47 | 8 | 35 | % | 206 | 151 | |
 |
CF Os Belenenses CF Os Belenenses Clube de Futebol Os Belenenses, commonly known simply as Belenenses or Belenenses Lisbon, founded in 1919, is one of the oldest Portuguese sports clubs. It is based in the Belém quarter of Lisbon, hence the club name, which translates as "The ones from Belém."-History:The main activities of the... |
1956 | 1958 | 52 | 25 | 11 | 16 | % | 128 | 92 | |
| |
F.C. Barcelona | 1958 | 1960 | 60 | 46 | 5 | 9 | % | 182 | 54 | |
 |
F.C. Inter F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
1960 | 1968 | 268 | 153 | 74 | 41 | % | 485 | 224 | |
| |
AS Roma A.S. Roma Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s... |
1968 | 1973 | 150 | 44 | 61 | 45 | % | 154 | 155 | |
| |
F.C. Inter F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
1973 | 1974 | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | % | 47 | 33 | |
| |
Rimini Rimini Calcio F.C. Associazione Calcio Rimini 1912 is an Italian association football club based in Rimini, Emilia-Romagna.... |
1978 | 1979 | 38 | 3 | 18 | 17 | % | 17 | 39 | |
| |
F.C. Barcelona | 1979 | 1981 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 6 | % | 57 | 28 | |
| Total Career | 908 | 441 | 226 | 241 | % | 1712 | 1126 | +586 | |||
John Lambie Hall of Fame Inductee 2011
Trivia
Helenio Herrera was nicknamed il Mago (the Wizard) and H.H. (from the initials of his name) by Italian sports journalists (who recognized him as one of the finest coaches in Italian football history) because on occasion he would provocatively announce the results of Sunday's games and often his prediction turned out to be correct. He is unrelated with the less famous Heriberto Herrera, another football coach who directed Juventus and Inter in the same years.External links
- La Liga manager stats Futbol Factory profile (Archived)