Oscar Fulloné

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fulloné and the second or maternal family name is Arce.

Oscar Fulloné
Personal information
Full name Luis Oscar Fulloné Arce
Date of birth (1939-04-04)4 April 1939
Place of birth La Plata, Argentina
Date of death 22 May 2017(2017-05-22) (aged 78)
Place of death Casablanca, Morocco
Position Midfielder[1]
Youth career
Estudiantes de La Plata
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
? Independiente Medellín
1962 Orión 1 (0)
1963–1964 Real Oviedo 0 (0)
1968–1969 Aston Villa 0 (0)
Managerial career
1980–1981 FC Sion
?–1998 ASEC Mimosas
1998–2000 Raja Casablanca
2000 Al-Ahly (Tripoli)
2000 Al Ain
2000–2001 Al-Masry
2001–2002 Burkina Faso
2002–2003 Wydad Casablanca
2003 Mamelodi Sundowns
2004 Espérance Sportive de Tunis
?–2006 Raja Casablanca
2007 Maghreb Fez
2007 Al-Ittihad (Aleppo)
2008 Wydad Casablanca
2008–2009 USM Alger
2009–2010 KAC Kenitra
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luis Oscar Fulloné Arce, better known as Oscar Fulloné (4 April 1939 – 22 May 2017) was an Argentine football coach and player. He played as a midfielder for Independiente Medellín and Real Oviedo before moving to England to play for Aston Villa in 1967. Known as Oscar Arce during his time in England he remained in the country following his retirement from playing and was a coach for both Sheffield United and Sunderland. He became manager of Swiss side FC Sion in 1980 before going on to become one of the most successful African club managers.

Playing career

Born in La Plata,[2] Fulloné started his career with Estudiantes in Argentina,[3] then Independiente Medellín in Colombia, before travelling to play for Orión in Costa Rica.[4] He arrived in a sickly state and played only one game in September 1962, being sent-off after 20 minutes. He was subsequently sacked and deported for agitation and proselytizing for the Costa Rican Communist Party. The circumstances made him the most expensive signing in Costa Rican history.[3][5][6][7]

He had married a Scottish girl who was on holiday in South America and they had a child.[8] While out of contract he trained with Peñarol before setting off for Spain in 1963. He was lucky to survive when his transport, the S.S. Ciudad de Asunción, was shipwrecked in Mar del Plata leaving him hours in the water clinging to the wreckage. He reached Spain in the summer of 1963 and, through agent Alfonso Aparicio, joined Real Oviedo under Enrique Orizaola. The club had been experiencing financial difficulties and had recently lost key players Sánchez Lage, Paquito García and José María.[3]

Fulloné was selected for the opening game before a large crowd at San Gregorio field but withdrew before the match claiming a pulled semitendinosus muscle. The physio was not convinced instead blaming the trauma of the sinking. The weeks became a month. Fulloné recovered but was not being selected. Aware of his Costa Rican activities, the repressive regime of Franco's Spain would ensure he never would be. They "unofficially" refused the Spanish Football Federation permission to register the player. Despite there being a valid two-year contract for 200,000 pesetas annually, the club reneged on paying Fulloné.[3]

In 1966, he was to join Australian club APIA. The Australian media reported that his arrival had been delayed due to his wife requiring a visa to travel to Australia however he never ended up arriving.[9][10] He claimed to be playing for AS Monaco but Soccer World fact-checked the team-sheets to confirm this was inaccurate.[11]

Fulloné moved to the UK with his family.[8] In 1967, he was briefly on the books of the Scottish club Albion Rovers,[12] and had a pre-season trial with Waterford of the Republic of Ireland.[13] In the match, against Leeds United, Fullone fouled Billy Bremner to concede a penalty, allowing Johnny Giles to score his second goal before half-time. The Argentinian was substituted at the break. The Waterford News & Star surmised "Fullone proved something of an upset, certainly more to his own players than to the opposition."[2]

In July 1968, he joined Aston Villa of England.[14] He reportedly contacted Aston Villa "out of the blue" and joined them upon the completion of a two-year UK residential qualification.[8] An article about his signing in the Sports Argus newspaper described him as a "wizard at ball control and "banana" type free kicks".[8] He made his debut during pre-season alongside his younger brother, Hector, who played as an amateur while on a visit to England.[15][16] After an injury-hit eight months with the club, during which he played nine times for the reserve team but never for the first team, he was released from his contract in January 1969.[17] It was reported the following month that he had relocated to Scotland in the hope of signing with a club there.[17]

Coaching and managerial career

After retiring as a player, Fulloné became a football coach. He was appointed as youth team manager at Millwall in September 1977, reportedly turning down the opportunity to manage El Salvador at the 1977 CONCACAF Championship.[18] He was on the staff at Sheffield United between 1978 and 1979 when the club tried to sign Argentinian international Diego Maradona but ultimately ended up signing Alejandro Sabella instead.[19] Fulloné was also involved in the transfer of Argentinian World Cup winners Ricardo Villa and Osvaldo Ardiles to Tottenham Hotspur.[19]

Early managerial career

Fulloné's managerial career began in Switzerland where he served as manager of Swiss side FC Sion between 1980 and 1981.[20]

Fulloné moved to the Ivory Coast as a technical adviser to the national team before joining ASEC Mimosas in 1982. During his time at the club, Mimosas won the Coupe de Côte d'Ivoire and Coupe Houphouët-Boigny in 1983. He left Mimosas in 1984.[21][22][23]

Success in Africa

Fulloné returned to Mimosas in 1997 and won the CAF Champions League in 1998.[24][25]

In 1998, Fulloné joined Raja Casablanca of Morocco, winning the CAF Champions League in 1999, although he did not travel to the final due to illness.[25][26] He left the club in 2000.[27]

Later career

After he left Raja, Fulloné's subsequent career consisted of a series of very brief spells managing different teams. In June 2000, he joined Emirati club Al Ain, leaving in October 2000 after a defeat by Persepolis in the Asian Club Championship.[28][29][30] He also managed Libyan team Al-Ahly, where he was assisted by fellow Argentine Miguel Ángel Gamondi.[31][32]

Fulloné was appointed manager of the Burkina Faso national team in September 2001, but after his wife was hospitalised with cancer he went back to France the following month and never returned.[33] He was still officially in the post until a week out from the 2002 African Cup of Nations when the Burkinabé information minister announced that Fulloné was no longer in charge of the national team.[33][34][35]

Fulloné next joined Wydad Casablanca in September 2002, where he won the African Cup Winners' Cup in 2002.[36][37] He was nominated by CAF for Africa-based coach of the year but lost out to Bruno Metsu.[38] He left Wydad in February 2003.[39]

In May 2003, Fulloné was signed by Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa with the club president Patrice Motsepe personally funding Fulloné's contract.[40][41] In September he threatened to resign if his team did not improve.[42] After a poor start to the season, he was replaced and moved to a technical director role.[43]

In January 2004, he was appointed manager of Espérance Sportive de Tunis in Tunisia.[37][44] He was sacked in September 2004 after Espérance lost their opening two matches of the 2004–05 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1.[45]

He returned for a second spell with Raja Casablanca in December 2005.[46] He was sacked in November 2006.[47]

He took over as manager of Maghreb Fez in Morocco in August 2007.[48] A short stint with Al Ittihad in Syria ended in December 2007, when he was sacked.[49] He later had another spell in charge of Wydad Casablanca, leaving the club in June 2008.[50] He moved on to USM Alger in Algeria, but was sacked again in January 2009 after the team were knocked out of the Algerian Cup by a lower division team.[51]

Fulloné's final role in management was with Kénitra AC, where he was in charge from December 2009 until December 2010 when he left the club by mutual agreement.[27][52][53]

Later life

In his final years, he worked as a radio commentator in Morocco.[24][54]

He died in May 2017, at the age of 78, in Morocco.[55][56]

Honours

Manager

ASEC Mimosas

Raja Casablanca

Wydad Casablanca

References

  1. ^ Oscar Fulloné at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b Manning, Cian (23 October 2020). "The Deise to Diego: Louis Fulloné at Waterford". Póg Mo Goal. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d Corcuera, José Ignacio (2023). "Fútbol y política (3)". Cuadernos de Fútbol (in Spanish). ISSN 1989-6379. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Luis Óscar Fullone Arce juega con Orión en 1962". Diario Extra (in Spanish). 27 April 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Oscar Fullone debuta con Orión ante Saprissa el próximo 16". La República. San José, Costa Rica. 6 September 1962. p. 19. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via Prensa CR.
  6. ^ "Fullone en España a prueba con el Oviedo". La Prensa Libre. San José, Costa Rica. 8 August 1963. p. 5. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via Prensa CR.
  7. ^ "Ex orionista Fullone al Real Oviedo". La Nacion. 22 July 1963. p. 34. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  8. ^ a b c d "The men on their books". Sports Argus. 20 July 1968. p. 15. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Sydney club patrol". Soccer World. 8 April 1966. p. 7. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Eire didn't want Fullone". Soccer World. 8 December 1967. p. 6. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Arce farce". Soccer World. 10 March 1967. p. 7. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  12. ^ Foulger, Neville (30 August 1968). "Oscar busy on training plan". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 39. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Leeds Utd. excel at Waterford". Irish Independent. 8 August 1967. p. 12. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Shaw, Dennis (28 September 1968). "Edwards leads Villa line". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 11. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Sheppard, Bryan (2012). "1968 Bedford". Aston Villa Friendlies, Tours and Testimonials. Yore Publications. pp. 69–71. ISBN 9780956984876.
  16. ^ Duckworth, Tom (29 July 1968). "Problem start all round". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 42. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Oscar wants Scottish club". Sports Argus. 22 February 1969. p. 6. Retrieved 19 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Club scene". Aston Villa News & Record. Vol. 35, no. 4 (Aston Villa v Fenerbahce ed.). Aston Villa F.C. 14 September 1977. p. 7. Retrieved 25 February 2026 – via AVFC History.
  19. ^ a b Clarebrough and Kirkham (1999). A Complete Record of Sheffield United Football Club 1889–1999. Hallamshire Press. p. 255. ISBN 0-9508588-2-X.
  20. ^ "Switzerland - Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs". RSSSF.
  21. ^ a b c "Les légendes de l'ASEC Mimosas". ASEC Mimosas. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  22. ^ a b c d "Oscar Fulloné, le coach qui a donné la Ligue des Champions à l'ASEC Mimosas (portrait)". Mondialsport.ci (in French). 14 November 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  23. ^ Iglesias, Analía (26 May 2017). "El fútbol africano llora a Oscar Fullone, 'El brujo blanco'". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  24. ^ a b c Amri, Amine El (22 May 2017). "Oscar Fullone tire sa révérence". Le Matin.ma (in French). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  25. ^ a b "Raja Casablanca: Men who did it again". BBC News. 20 December 1999. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Penalties fine for Raja". 29 November 2002 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  27. ^ a b "L'ex-coach du Raja et du WAC, l'Argentin Oscar Fullone n'est plus". Le Desk (in French). Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  28. ^ "العين يتعاقد مع المدرب الأرجنتيني أوسكار". Al Jazirah. Riyadh. 29 June 2000. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  29. ^ "العين يقيل الارجنتيني فولوني". Ad-Diyar. Beirut. 15 November 2000. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  30. ^ "Radiografía del Al Ain, rival de River en el Mundial de Clubes". Mendoza Post (in Spanish). 17 December 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  31. ^ Omary, Majuto (7 June 2024). "Revealed: Gamondi extends contract with Yanga for one year". The Citizen. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  32. ^ Alfred, Luke (11 November 2006). "They were crazy, crazy people, those Libyans". Sunday Times. Johannesburg.
  33. ^ a b "Soccer board resigns after failure in Mali". 7 February 2002. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  34. ^ "Burkina Faso name their 22". BBC Sport. 9 January 2002. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  35. ^ "Stallions fire coach". Sunday Times. Johannesburg. 13 January 2002.
  36. ^ "Oscar Fullone au WAC". Le Matin.ma (in French). 18 September 2002. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  37. ^ a b "Enyimba start defence". BBC Sport. 9 April 2004. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  38. ^ CAF NEWS 77. Confederation of African Football. April 2003.
  39. ^ "Fullone quitte le WAC". Aujourd'hui le Maroc (in French). 9 February 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  40. ^ Isaacson, David (4 May 2003). "Ambitious Sundowns president invests in a 'Rolls-Royce' coach". Sunday Times. Johannesburg.
  41. ^ "Arendse joins Sundowns". BBC Sport. 25 July 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  42. ^ "African leagues review: 5–8 Sept". BBC Sport. 9 September 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  43. ^ "African leagues review: 17-20 Oct". BBC Sport. 21 October 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  44. ^ "New Esperance boss". BBC Sport. 7 January 2004. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  45. ^ "Esperance coach sacked". The World Game. 14 September 2004. Archived from the original on 16 December 2004. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  46. ^ "Oscar Fullone est enfin arrivé !". Le Matin.ma (in French). 17 December 2005. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  47. ^ "Raja sack coach Fullone". BBC Sport. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  48. ^ "Round-up-Cardozo resigns as Olimpia coach". Reuters. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  49. ^ "Fullone loses Al Ittihad job". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. PA Sport. 12 December 2007. Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  50. ^ "Briefs 3-Panathinaikos tell South African Morris he can leave". Reuters. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  51. ^ "L'Espérance se porte bien !". L'Equipe (in French). 19 January 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  52. ^ "Oscar Fullone débarque dans le Gharb". Le Matin.ma (in French). 10 December 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  53. ^ "Séparation «à l'amiable» entre le KAC et Oscar Fullone". Aujourd'hui le Maroc (in French). 30 December 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  54. ^ de Bankolé, Iris (22 May 2017). "Oscar Fullone décède au Maroc". Sport-ivoire.ci (in French). Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  55. ^ "Veteran coach Fullone dies aged 78". BBC Sport. 23 May 2017.
  56. ^ "Disparition: la légende Oscar Fulloné, ancien entraîneur du Raja et du WAC, n'est plus". Le360 Sport (in French). 22 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  57. ^ "Le WAC remporte la Coupe des vainqueurs de Coupe". Le Matin.ma (in French). 8 December 2002. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.