Carlos Cuesta, the head coach of Parma, has shared his insights into the experiences that have shaped his coaching career. In a comprehensive interview with the Spanish newspaper AS, Cuesta described his time at Juventus as his “master’s degree” and his tenure at Arsenal as his “doctorate.”
Cuesta began his coaching journey at the young age of 15 in his hometown of Mallorca, recognizing early on that his path in football would be as a coach rather than a player.
“I lacked the quality to play, which is why I started so early,” Cuesta stated, as quoted by TuttoMercatoWeb. “Leaving football at such a young age to focus entirely on coaching was an unusual choice, but my passion was the game. I wasn’t very skilled at playing, but I loved understanding it.”
Before taking his first senior managerial role, Cuesta served on the coaching staffs of Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and Arsenal. He views each of these experiences as a distinct phase in his professional growth.
“Four years at Atletico Madrid were like university,” he explained. “Then I completed my master’s at Juventus. And then my doctorate at Arsenal, over five incredible years.”
Cuesta spoke highly of his time in Turin: “I learned so much at Juventus in a high-caliber environment, with a strong work ethic, highly experienced professionals, and an exceptional concentration of talent. This was evident not only among the coaches and players but also in their scouting of players from across the country and their ability to attract top standards.”
The impact of these elite experiences across three different countries is evident in Cuesta’s coaching methods at Parma. He has been credited with instilling a strong culture and discipline within a squad that was initially considered one of the league’s most vulnerable. Despite some critics labeling their playing style as ‘boring,’ Cuesta’s approach has led to praise.
