The pre-season has started

Everybody was on board once again in the Dunaújváros Arena. Before the training the new executive director, Zsolt Nyakacska introduced himself to the team and then the work has started which aims of course to get to the best shape for the first league match of the season on the 2nd September.

László György, head coach shared his thoughts about the tasks that need to be done during the summer.

"Our preparation will be similar to the ones we done in the previous years. Sure thing that to reach the necessary level of condition will be a key, it is good that there are several players with whom we have done the preparation together, they already have the basics that can be further developed. In the afternoons improvement of coordination, technique and tactics will be part of the programme. In the past two weeks everyone received individual training tasks as well. We want to build it up step by step, on Friday the players will have the opportunity to hold handball in their hand as well.

Like in each year there were some changes in the team, yet we get into the season with the same expectations. Our vision is to have a stable defense. This year I would like it to be more vivid, I see now that it has more to offer, like more options, variations. About our new players; I truly believe that for Kyra Csapó it will not cause any difficulties, to return to the squad, she is definitely more experienced now as she was before joining Metz Handball. With Katarina Tomasevic they will make a good pair, but we should not forget, that Ramóna Vártok, our young goalkeeper is eager to get some match time as well. It is very unfortunate that Ildikó Erdősi cannot start the preparation with us as she had a shoulder surgery two weeks ago, so her recovery will take months. It will be the job of Anita Kazai and our young player Csenge Braun to replace her in the left wing. In pivot position we have a newcomer, Szederke Sirián, who can get the job done both in offense and defense. Of course beside her we can count on Luca Dombi and Anita Cifra as well. Fruzsina Ferenczy returns to us as well, she can help to assist Babett Szalai, she showed some great fighting skills in Siófok whenever she got the opportunity to play. Fruzsina Bouti is finally ready to play, but it might take a while until she will be fully fit, while Orsolya Monori's recovery is going well too, but she needs to wait until November to return.

I am extremely excited about the new players and it is always interesting to see how their contribution completes the puzzle. Together with Ákos Vártok, youth coordinator and Árpád Takács, fitness coach we have worked out the programmes and methods. Of course the players will be constantly monitored and we tend to keep in front of our eye the players needs and wishes, how tired they are, what are the things in which they want to see progress. We will play at least twelve pre-season friendly matches, but this number can also grow to fifteen. This amount of matches shall be enough to get ready tactically as well. This year, in the middle of the preparation we also travel to Viborg, Denmark for a week."

Beside the new players there is another old-new face on the trainings as we can warmly welcome back Vilmos Imre in the management, who successfully managed and trained youth players already, many of them are already part of the national squads. He also explained to us more about his role in the Academy.

" I will be a contact point between the club management and the professional direction, will keep in touch with the Hungarian Handball Association, with the media and of course, I would be glad to assist the work of László György as a coach. This is the first time that I have an office as well during my career, I will see how it will turn out. It was a pleasure for me to return to Dunaújváros, as I feel home here, it's been eight years now that I left the city and started working in the National Handball Academy (NEKA), and it is never easy to be away from my family. I came back to Dunaújváros to help the Academy with my knowledge and experience to become more successful. I would like to state it now that it is a long-term project; to train more young Hungarian players will be our priority, we will do our best to scout and find talented youngsters and persuade them to join our community. So everybody who expects the announcement of big names, stars here might be disappointed. With the boys together with László György we already experienced what is it like to build-up youngsters, and I know that the local sport friends and fans are open to this. We want something similar here in Dunaújváros as well, I see that things already go to a good direction here. I truly hope we can welcome a lots of supporters in the Arena during the time of each match."

Front picture by dunaujvaros.com (photo of Judit Sándor)