"I did my best, giving everything of myself to the cause. Now I have one thing in mind, to improve. If you don't set yourself that goal you don't go anywhere," he said.
Cuesta recalled the uncertainty of his early days in charge.
"I was very afraid, and I still am today. It helps you stay alert and not underestimate what's happening, otherwise I'd be irresponsible. I know my Parma has significant room for improvement. And I stayed because I saw the possibility of progress, I agree with the club's project and with the people who have to put it into practice."
Asked whether he had other offers on the table, Cuesta was evasive.
"What I'll say is that I had the will to stay here in Parma. In this city there is a fundamental bond between team, club and fans that has to be nurtured every day. Because in football, if everything works, one plus one makes three."
Looking ahead, Cuesta set out his ambitions for the coming season.
"I'd like a compact and aggressive team like last year, and I'd like us to dominate the pitch more. As long as we don't lose what has set us apart. Catenaccio? Everyone can have their own opinion, I know what we did and the Parma at the end of the season wasn't the same as the one at the start, there was an evolution. The objective? Improve, full stop," he said.
Turning to the World Cup, Cuesta echoed sentiments similar to those expressed by Antonio Conte in recent weeks.
"The tournament shows that national teams are defending with a medium or low block. I've seen little high pressing but a lot of organisation. I think of my Spain, and they reached the final through organisation, technique and the intelligence of the players," he said.
Away from the first team, Parma have also completed a heart-warming addition to their Primavera squad. The club have registered the contract of Abdelaziz Madiq, an 18-year-old midfielder signed permanently from amateur side Biellese, with Lega Serie A.
The move represents a significant step up for Madiq, who makes the jump straight from the amateur ranks into one of Italian football's top academy set-ups, a rare and rewarding path for a player who only recently would have had little expectation of a route into professional football at Serie A level.