Disillusioned Cappa quits Argentina's Huracan

By Rex Gowar

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Angel Cappa, whose brilliant Huracan side narrowly missed out on the Argentine league title in July, quit on Tuesday disillusioned with the struggling club and his team one from bottom of the standings.

Cappa lost half a dozen players from the team that shone in the 2008/09 season's Clausura championship in the off-season. Some had been on loan to the impoverished club from a working class Parque Patricios district of Buenos Aires.

Others sought fresh pastures, like Argentina midfielder Matias Defederico who decided to follow Carlos Tevez's footsteps to Corinthians in Brazil.

"This is the worst ending but I'm leaving happy in the knowledge our identity is not dead," Cappa told reporters.

He said his team's 'Tiki tiki' quick-passing, possession game was "the best thing that's happened in Argentine football in the last 20 years."

Huracan did not have the money to replace the departed players with experienced replacements and Cappa tried to build another team capable of mounting a challenge in the 2009/10 season.

However, the 63-year-old's magic touch failed and he leaves them in 19th place in the Apertura championship after two wins and 10 points in 15 matches. His assistant Francisco Russo will take charge as caretaker.

Cappa had said last week that he would stay until the championship ended next month but brought his departure forward after Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by bitter area rivals San Lorenzo.