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By Simon Baskett
MADRID, July 16 - Real Betis coach Hector Cuper
said he was aiming to ensure there would be no repetition of
last season's struggle against relegation when he took charge of
the Primera Liga side on Monday.
"I'll be working hard to ensure we don't experience any
difficulties and to ensure that we can construct a team with
personality that will win games," the former Inter Milan and
Valencia coach told a news conference.
"Our first target is to get 40 points and then we can start
setting new objectives."
The 51-year-old Argentine, whose last coaching job was at
Real Mallorca, has signed a one-year contract with the troubled
Andalucian club.
Betis announced that Cuper's appointment would be followed
by the recruitment of several new players as they bid to
strengthen a team that only just avoided the drop last season.
Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo, Chile winger Mark Gonzalez,
Argentine forward Mariano Pavone and Croatia midfielder Marko
Babic are all due to be presented to the media on Tuesday.
"I'm pleased with the new signings," said Cuper. "Ricardo is
a keeper with a great character, Pavone is experienced and has
scored a lot of goals in Argentina and Mark Gonzalez has a great
future ahead of him..."
POOR START
Betis had a poor start to their last campaign with coach
Javier Irureta throwing in the towel in December as the team
failed to live up to expectations.
Former French international Luis Fernandez stepped into the
breach but left after a humiliating 5-0 home defeat by Osasuna
in the penultimate game of the season.
Reserve team coach Paco Chaparro took charge and managed to
steer them to safety with a win in their final game.
Cuper quit as coach of Mallorca in February last year,
bringing to end his second spell with the islanders.
He was first in charge of Mallorca from 1997 to 1999, taking
them to the finals of the King's Cup and European Cup Winners'
Cup as well as a club record third-place finish in the league.
He moved to Valencia in 1999 and took a side with little
pedigree in Europe to successive Champions League finals in 2000
and 2001.
The Argentine replaced Marco Tardelli at Inter in 2001 and
almost won the Serie A title the following season, falling at
the final hurdle by losing the last match to Lazio.
Inter finished second again in 2003 but Cuper was sacked in
October that year after his side went four successive Serie A
matches without a win.