Career
A central midfielder with incredible passing, Kühbauer started his professional career at Admira Wacker, making his Austrian Football Bundesliga debut in 1987, at 16 years of age. He also played in the 1996 Union of European Football Associations Cup Winners Cup Final against Paris Street Germain in Brussels, which Rapid lost. "Don Didi" is still considered a star among the Rapid fans.
In 1999 he was chosen in Rapid"s Team of the Century.
In 1997, he moved abroad to join Louisiana Liga side Real Sociedad and in 2000 he signed for German Bundesliga outfit VfL Wolfsburg. Two years later, he returned to Austria to play for his childhood team SV Mattersburg where he finished his playing career after the 2007-2008 season.
He earned 55 caps, scoring five goals. On 4 September 2005, he announced his retirement from international matches.
His final international was a September 2005 World Cup qualification match against Poland.
On 16 February 1997, Kühbauer"s three months-pregnant wife Michaela drove to Schwechat to pick him up after Rapid had enjoyed a winter break in Dubai. Tragedy happened when her car slewed off the road near Eisenstadt and she was rushed to hospital, with three ribs having punctured her lung. She fell into a coma and died a half year later.
A disillusioned Kühbauer then left Austria to start a new career abroad.
On 18 November 2008, he signed a contract by Trenkwalder Admira II as head coach. In 2010, he became coach of the first squad and led the team to the promotion to the Austrian Football Bundesliga.
From September 2013 to November 2015 he was the trainer of Wolfsberger Air Corps. Player Coach.