Oscar Fulloné

Born in La Plata, Fulloné started his career with Estudiantes in Argentina, then Independiente Medellín in Colombia, before travelling to play for Orión in Costa Rica. 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. He had married a Scottish girl who was on holiday in South America and they had a child. 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 clinging to the wreckage for hours. 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. 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 refused the Spanish Football Federation…

After retiring as a player, Fulloné became a football coach. He returned to Argentina working at Estudiantes before returning to Europe to manage the Norwegian club, Sogndal Fotball. 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. He was youth-team coach at Sheffield United between May 1978 and 1979 when the club tried to sign Argentinian international Diego Maradona but ultimately ended up signing Alejandro Sabella instead. Fulloné was also involved in the transfer of Argentinian World Cup winners Ricardo Villa and Osvaldo Ardiles to Tottenham Hotspur. In October 1979 Fulloné was dramatically sacked as Sunderland chief scout by manager Ken Knighton. Brazilian forward Alves Gil was supposed to guest for the Rokermen but had been left stranded in London.

Early managerial career

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

Success in Africa

Fulloné returned to Mimosas in 1997 and won the CAF Champions League in 1998. In 1998, Fulloné joined Raja Casablanca of Morocco, winning the CAF Champions League in 1999, although he did…

In his final years, he worked as a radio commentator in Morocco. He died in May 2017, at the age of 78, in Morocco.

Manager

ASEC Mimosas

Coupe de Côte d'Ivoire: 1983, 1997 Coupe Houphouët-Boigny: 1983 Ligue 1: 1997 CAF Champions League: 1998 Raja Casablanca

CAF Champions League: 1999 Wydad Casablanca

African Cup Winners' Cup: 2002