Three league titles, three cup wins and 31 international caps to his name. This is how Jozsef Varga arrived to Videoton from Debrecen in the summer. The 28 year old midfielder, who sat out Saturday's win over Paks, with a slight muscle pain, sat down to talk with us.

- How did you become a professional footballer, and why did you choose this sport at a young age?

Taking the words from my mother, I was already kicking a ball inside her stomach before I was born (laughter). I was six years old when I first started to take football seriously. I went to training in my school and learned about the various special movements involved in the sport. I then later joined the Debrecen Italian football school and remained there for several years. I played in a tournament organised by Debrecen FC and managed to perform to the level that ended with me continuing my career with them. 

- Who was your role model as a child, and is there any footballer that you look up to even today?

Just as with most children, I started playing as a forward in the early stages of my career. My role model was Brazilian player Ronaldo. I admired him and enjoyed watching him play and he meant everything to me back then. My parents bought me a signed Ronaldo shirt. I do not have a role model today, but would rather say that I take notice of those footballers who play in the same position as I do. 

- You had only ever played for Debrecen in Hungary until the age of 28. When did you first start to think about joining another Hungarian club and how difficult was the decision to make?

I will never forget and have so much to thank Debrecen for. I got a lot from that football club. I became a first division player then and always went out onto the pitch to perform to my maximum. I managed to give back a lot to Debrecen in my time there. It was a very hard decision to leave as I had so many emotional ties to the club. I felt that I could no longer give a performance that I am capable of. I needed a change of environment. I spoke to the management at that club and my contract was due to expire in the following summer. It would not have been fair to that club to end up moving on a free transfer. I have a lot to thank them for. However, the time for change had arrived and I was ready for it. I was aware that Videoton had tracked me for several years, which is why it was never a question about moving to Szekesfehervar if the time would arrive for me to leave. I was impressed by their plans for the future and the way the management sat down and described them. I also took into consideration the clubs past when I sat down to make the decision. I consider myself to be a football with a mentality of giving my best, whether that is in training or in the matches itself. I am clear with this and I felt this in return from the supporters. I did not feel that I could rejuvenate myself at Debrecen and I did not really want to trick anyone or myself. I spoke in great detail about this with my partner, family and also seeked the opinion of certain people whose words mean a lot to me. I could have chosen the easier path and remain with Debrecen until the end of my career. However, I feel that I made the right choice. 

- What have your experiences been so far at Vidi, the club and also Szekesfehervar?

I arrived to Szekesfehervar with great motivation as I wanted to prove that I have more in me and am a better footballer than my performances in the past. Everything is in place at Videoton to just concentrate solely on playing football. I can shut out all exterior events and focus on what I have to do. Training sessions are good and the professional work with the coaches is also good. I feel that I had no problems adjusting and that is also thankful to the fact that I knew some of the players here. I am not the type of person to be quiet or withdrawn. Adam Bodi and I helped each other, but it would not have been a problem had I arrived alone from Debrecen. The club is professional in all areas. The people that work at the football club all understand what they are doing, which was noticeable from the first day here. I can only say good things about the coaching team here and the serious work that takes place each day. I am hopeful that we will have good successes ahead and end up celebrating in the future. Szekesfehervar is a quiet place and a peaceful city. I really like the city centre and the fact that it is not that crowded. It is easy to get around quickly. I got married in the summer and my wife was quick to join me here in Szekesfehervar. The people here are friendly and polite so there have been no problems adjusting. 

- You have also experienced playing abroad. You have played in the Bundesliga and also in the Championship in England. How much did those periods away help you and what did you learn?

Perhaps the most important thing that I experienced is the professional mentality of the players abroad and their attitude. I could feel that difference between footballers in the NB1 and the Bundesliga or Championship. Hungarian players are also very talented and a Hungarian player is capable of performing as a German or English player. 

- Do you still have plans to play abroad again?

Well, football is a game that is unpredictable so I do not want to be naive or think that I am certain to sign again for a club abroad in the future. This is not even my job at the moment to deal with these issues. My role is to perform to the best of my ability for Videoton and help win the league title and Cup success. I am only concentrating on that as it would affect my performance to think about anything else. I have to prove to the supporters here that I can perform and also give back the backing I have received from the management here. I also have to prove it to myself as well. There are serious targets in place and we have to achieve these as a team and not individually. I am thinking here about becoming league champions with Vidi and also making it to the group stage in the Champions League. We are all focusing just on this. 

- You mainly worked with Hungarian coaches in Debrecen, and now you have a foreign manager here at Vidi. How have you adapted to the philosophy of Henning Berg? 

I like his perception and his personality that Henning Berg brings to football. He is not at all that different to myself. It is especially important for me that Henning Berg insisted throughout that I should sign for Vidi. It would have been a totally different situation if the club would have wanted me but not the manager. It is important that he cares whether I come or not. I can easily identify with what he expects and asks of me. I did not think that I could learn anything new about football at the age of 28. The past month or so has shown me that it is possible. I know that there is still the potential to develop within me, and I am getting all the help I need from the coaching staff to achieve my potential. I can feel that Henning Berg and the other coaches are doing everything to rectify the aspects that I am still lacking. That could make me into an ever better footballer as a result.

- Have you managed to achieve those targets that you set when you were a youngster?

Yes, I feel that I have over achieved those aims that I had set for myself as a teenager. It is still clear as I remember back to when I was a youth player at Debrecen, and the main aim was to one day make it into the first team. Andras Herczeg back then made that possible for me. My debut came in an away league match at Kaposvar and I played well. (He was actually chosen as man of the match by the media). I never had the target of becoming an international player or playing abroad. It is true that the appetite does tend to grow over the years. My dreams became more and more bolder as the years went by. I have achieved the majority of what I had set myself. I won the league and then the Hungarian cup. I played in the Champions League group stage, and also for the international side. I am proud of what I have achieved in Hungary. Perhaps I could have moved abroad at a younger age. I will never know just what a career I could have had if I had done that earlier. Winning the domestic league title, Hungarian cup and playing in European competition made up for all of that. 

- You participated in the qualification games for the 2016 European Championships. However, you did not make the final squad for the finals in France. Was it a disappointment for you?

It is hard to describe but I was disappointed to have not been given the chance. I could not prove what I was capable of in either a squad get together or friendly international. I do know that the international manager chose his players based on their league performances. I am clear within myself that I have not been at my best on the pitch over the last year or two. However, I still felt deep within that I deserved the chance to show what I can do. Sadly I was not given that chance but perhaps on the other hand, I did not deserve it. There is no point dealing with the past. I would like to show what I am capable of here at Videoton. Not to the international manager, but to the team and Henning Berg, as well as the Vidi supporters. Maybe I will perform to the level that will earn me another chance in the national team. 

- Have you started to think about your career after football? Do you plan to stay within the game or work in a totally different field?

Until the age of 24-25, I did not really feel that I wanted to remain in the game after my career comes to an end. That has changed over the last year and a half. I now feel that the experience that I have picked up and will continue to do over the rest of my career, can gain interest and allow me to put it back in to the younger players. I do not have a concrete thought but I would never shut that possibility that I would one day become a manager. I have still not planned anything 100% but there is a chance.