Salute to a legend

There was a time in the 1970s when a strength and conditioning coach was known simply as a physical trainer. That was how Juan Cutillas was called. It was his specialty to put athletes, particularly in football and basketball, in condition to excel in competition.

Cutillas, born in Barcelona, was one of four Spanish footballers recruited by Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation president Felipe Monserrat to upgrade the local standards of the sport as imports in 1963. He married a Filipina mestiza, Tessy da Silva, a year later then returned to Spain to finish his medical studies and earn an international coaching license. In 1968, Cutillas was back in Manila to coach the national team. He migrated to Australia with his wife and two daughters in 1985 then moved back to Manila in 1996 to coach the national squad for another four years. Cutillas relocated back to Australia in 2000 and in 2007, returned to Manila. In 2013, Cutillas settled down for good in Benalmadena, a town in Andalusia, 12 kilometers west of Malaga on southern Spain’s Costa del Sol. In 2022, his wife passed and last Monday, Cutillas died of a lingering illness at home. He was 83.

On the football homefront, Cutillas coached San Miguel Beer to five championships and San Beda to three NCAA titles. He also piloted clubs Pachanga Diliman and Kaya in the domestic league. In Australia, Cutillas was cited by the Queensland Football Federation as Coach of the Year for steering Brisbane to the Grand Final title. Beyond football, Cutillas was involved in basketball as trainer of Toyota and the national team at the 1972 Olympics, 1973 FIBA Asia Championships and 1974 FIBA World Cup. Cutillas once named Robert Jaworski and Bogs Adornado as two of the best basketball players he’d ever worked with. Because of his glowing reputation, Cutillas was in demand for commercial endorsements, pitching for Grosby shoes and Strive energy drink.

One of Cutillas’ feats was piloting the Philippine football team to a 1-0 win over Chinese-Taipei in the prelude to the main event featuring Pele’s New York Cosmos against Team Honda of Japan to celebrate the inauguration of the Aloha Stadium in Hawaii in 1976. Striker Pepito Genato booted in the winning goal from 35 yards in the first half. Genato’s teammates were Danny and Mike Moran, Tonio Gutierrez, Bert Honasan, Vic and Robs Delfino, Inaki Alvarez, Ike Monserrat, Monchu Caballero, Tony Araneta, Eric Gutierrez, Rey Ferraren, Oliver Gay and Mario Guison.

“Cuto was a serious coach and funny at the same time,” recalled Genato. “He usually picked on Tonio because he ran so fast that he would leave the ball behind while dribbling. During games, if the referee didn’t call an obvious foul, he’d be pacing the bench and swearing in Spanish. All the years we were playing, I would say he was the finest coach and basically made us good soccer players. He’ll be fondly remembered and missed.”

A few years ago, Cutillas came to Manila on what turned out to be his farewell visit in a reunion organized by former Philippine Football Federation president Nonong Araneta and Gutierrez. More on Cutillas in tomorrow’s column.