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Stefano Cusin (born October 28, 1968) is an Italian football manager and former player, who gained international prominence as coach in Europe Italy, Bulgaria, in Africa: Cameroon, Congo and Libya, In Asia: Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. (1-/ link reference)

He speaks Italian, French, English.

Cusin had, from the beginning, a varied managerial career. In Italy he trained for 7 years a young players Teams, winning lots of championships. Soon after he moved to Cameroon. In 2003, in fact, the Cameroon Football Federation of Africa invited him to organize a workshop for coaches and to train the under 17 and Under 20 soccer players teams. He believed that in a country known for its big athletic potential, a right tactic plan could make it more competitive. He first selected players with high athletic qualities, taught them different technical tactics, and then he worked on their winning positive feelings.(2-/ link reference)

Playing career
Cusin had, from the beginning, a varied managerial career. In Italy he trained for 7 years a young players Teams, winning lots of championships. Soon after he moved to Cameroon. In 2003, in fact, the Cameroon Football Federation of Africa invited him to organize a workshop for coaches and to train the under 17 and Under 20 soccer players teams. He believed that in a country known for its big athletic potential, a right tactic plan could make it more competitive. He first selected players with high athletic qualities, taught them different technical tactics, and then he worked on their winning positive feelings.(2-/ link reference)

The first experience was a real success and Mr Henry Njalla Quan the Chairman of The Njalla Quan Sports Academy (Acada Sports) based in Limbé asked him to keep on working as the Technical Director of Cameroon for the following three years, in joint venture with one of the best Club in Italy for the youth programe ,Empoli F.C. His team was one of the different National Teams taking part to the different international competitions, Torneo di Viareggio ( Italy) - the best tournament in the world for the under 21, in 2004 (Team Cameroon) and 2005 (Acada Sports).The 11 February 2004  Team Cameroon start the tournament with a remarquable draw against the strong Fiorentina 0-0, and 5 days later against Modena 1-1.the 27 February 2005 Acada Sports win against the Bulgarian Team Naftex Burgas 3-1,for the first time one team from Africa win in this important tournament and in 29 February 2005 draw against Italian giants Inter Milan, played a very amazing game.

During the Viareggio tournament some players of his team have been contacted by different agents. They then decided to leave the team in order to play in different Italian professional clubs like Maa boumsong (Inter Milan ), Matute ( Udinese); Bayang bang (Bellinzona, Swizerland), Etogo (Greece) and  Mapoka (TP 47 in Finland).

During the “ Tournoi de l’Amitié 2006” under 21 in Cotonou (Bénin) his team reached the semi-final against Ghana, after having beaten Togo (1-0), Nigeria( 4-0), Ivory Cost(2-1) and drawn with Congo(1-1). He was then contacted by the vice President of the Congo Football Federation and some months later the tournament, where his team played a real good football, the Congo Football Federation proposed him the role of Technical Director for all National teams.

In occasion of the World Cup in Germany 2006, he was filmed by the ARD the Deuch T.V. His Africa story became the little movie “Kick to Goal”.

His best friend in Cameroon is Rigobert Song the ex Captain of the “Lions of Cameroon”.

National Team of Congo
In 2007 he signed a two years contract as the National Technical Director of the National Team of Congo. He was responsible of all the National Teams (under 17 to Olympique Team); in 2007 the Congo Team won the under 20 Africa Cup with coach Hudansky and play the World Cup under 20 in Canada. In March 2008 he left Congo because the Federation wasn’t paying his salary.

Bulgaria Premier League Team
In 2008 he moved to Bulgaria to train the Bulgaria Premier League Team, Botev Plovdiv for a 6 month contract. It was a remarkable experience, Botev played 4-3-3. The Team played a pretty good football during the camp in Italy against important teams of the Italian Serie A (Catania, Siena, Empoli, Foggia). During the game Botev Plovdiv – Catania, played in Assisi on July 24, 2008, he met “the legend of Inter” Walter Zenga, the former Head Coach of Catania Team.

Late 2008s
In November 2008 he signed a year contract for Al Ittihad Team, Tripoli Libya. The Team Chairman gave him 100% “carte blanche”. When he arrived in November, the Team was only 5th classed. Minus 9 from the first …..eight months later: Al Ittihad won the championship, the National Cup and the Libya super Cup…and no defeats at all.In his first official match in the Libyan league he win 5-1 against Al Whada, making more goal in one match that in all games from the start of the season  before is become manager. One of his best match was the derby played on January 21, 2009 against Al Alhy with an audience of 80 000 fan’s. Al Ittihad won 2-1 at the last minute playing in ten (Snani took a red card at the 70’). The day after the newspaper article he reported: “For the rest of my life I will never forget this match, my players played like “Old Gladiators” in the Arena and won; thanks to the fan’s we didn’t feel like playing in 10 players but in 12 instead! ”.

What really made him happy was that 12 players of his team were then part of the Libyan National Team in March 2009 during the CHAN ( African Cup of Nation) in Ivory Cost.

Al Ittihad played 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 a very fast and extraordinary football….they used to score goals thanks to one touch actions. They did it even against Al Akdar winning 3-0. It was tactically and technically a great match. He also managed the team during the “Arabic Champion Cup” in the semi-final against Club African from Tunisia and the African Champion’s League. The Italian newspaper “Corriere dello Sport” selected Stefano Cusin as one of the Italian top Coach in the world, on 2 October 2009.

The international Magazine “soccer coaching international” from Holland dedicated him an article 6 page long about his style of work in November 2009.

Walter Zenga and Stefano Cusin
As a result of his brilliant experience in the Arabic Countries, Stefano Cusin receive many proposals from Arabic Country and Africa. He was contacted by Walter Zenga, “the Inter legend” in order to train over the Gulf countries. He accepted to be Walter Zenga’s assistant to co-work in Saudi for two years.

In Saudi Arabia, with Al Nassr Riyadh he worked from June to December 2010.He started the season on 14 August 2010 wining 1-0 in Najran and beating Al Fateh 7 days after 4-2.Al Nassr played a great football, one of the best match was on December 2010 against Al Ittihad Jeddah; Al Ittihad was first and Al Nassr second only 2 points behind, the final result was 2-2. When he left the club, the Team was second classed; with the best attack of the league and losing only one game.

Appointment and first years
In January 2011, Walter Zenga and Stefano Cusin moved to Dubai to train the Al Nasr Dubai Team.

The 5 June 2011,winning in Kalba against Ittihad Kalba 2-1 and after winning the last 4 match in the league Following a great work, the Team qualified for the Asian Champion’s League 2012 for the first time. In May 2011, he extended the contract to another year, until June 2012.

From 6 June to 15 July 2011,Stefano Cusin and Roberto Baggio was a teammate during the Training course in Coverciano, Italian federation and become good friend.

In November 2011 he played in Dubai the “all star” match. A benefit match for the Libyan’s Children; part of his team were Materazzi, Zanetti, Madjer, Koller, Muntasser, Nedved, Pires, Fadiga, Zwey, Aboud and Zenga. On 23 December 2011, during the derby of Dubai against Al wasl, Cusin met the Argentin Football Legend Diego Maradona ( Coach of Al Wasl), the match finish 2-2.

On 27 January 2012, after beating the team leader Al Ain 2-0, Al Nasr was second in the Emirates Pro league, only few points from the first position.

In January 2012, During the African Cup of Nation 2012 he worked as the “expert of the African Football” for the famous Italian Calciomercato.com. At the beginning of the competition he declared that the Zambia national team was the serious outsider for the title; Zambia won the African Champion in February 2012.