Midfielder Balazs Toth looks back on a successful period for Videoton FC
"I was very happy and delighted to return to Videoton last autumn. I can honestly say that in my most deepest dream, I would not have dared to have thought, that almost one year later, the team would produce such a fantastic display on the international stage. When I returned back to Hungary, I quickly saw that I could not compare the surroundings to that which I saw in the first part of 2000 with Videoton. I am not only talking about the Sostoi stadium and the Felcsut centre, but also the whole team. The current squad have matured on the international stage, and they have confirmed this. One of the secrets of the team's success is the great atmosphere inside the dressing room. Despite the fact that there are players from several different countries, there are no cliques, which is very important. There is another big factor, which is equally important, and that is that each player has a massive desire to win, which is mainly down to the coaching staff. We really go out in each game to be successful, and play with discipline, and we try to carry out even the smallest tactical requirement."
"I have played in several foreign championships over the last few years, and have seen at close hand big European sides. Now that I am here at home, I can confidently say that Videoton has grown into a European side on all fronts. You simply cannot compare the Videoton of today to the one 8-10 years ago. The whole structure of the club, as well as the organization is very high in standard in the first division. The team are also very target orientated. I felt that the biggest game during the autumn season was the home match with Trabzonspor. The entire game was played out in a magical atmosphere, and I still have goose pimples when I think back to that penalty shootout. I also felt that the supporters were of a European level during the autumn, and we can have no complaints about them whatsoever. I also remember that they were firmly behind the team, even when we did not celebrate so many great successes. The fans will always back us to the maximum whatever happens."
"I will spend the majority of the winter break at home around the family. I need to relax, as I attended school throughout the autumn season, as well as playing. I had lessons every Monday, so I was unable to spend my one free day together with my family. They have backed me 100% with this. I am studying sports management, and I have started to plan for what happens once I finish my playing career. I would like to remain in the world of football, so I need the diploma for this. I had several exams in December, so I had to study a lot on top of playing football." - said midfielder Balazs Toth.
Author: David Rechnitzer