From last Monday, Ádám Száraz will take over as the strength and conditioning coach of our first team, and we spoke to the former DVSC coach after his first week at Vidi.

What was your path to becoming the fitness coach of MOL Fehérvár FC?

I graduated from the University of Nyíregyháza with a degree in Physical Education and Biology, and in my last year of university, in 2015, I started working at the Debrecen Football Academy, where I worked in the youth team until January 2020. I obtained my C licence during my university studies, in 2017 I completed the MLSZ strength and conditioning coaching course, two years ago I completed my B licence and in January 2022 I graduated as a football coach at the University of Physical Education. In Debrecen, I worked as an assistant coach at the academy with the U16 and U17 teams, I was the head coach of the U13 and U12 teams, and then I was the strength and conditioning coach of the U16 and U17 teams. After that, I worked with the first team from January 2020, we didn't manage to avoid relegation in the first half of the year, but then we did manage to get promoted straight back.

Debrecen was actually your training ground as a coach, what made you decide to say yes to Vidi?

The club was also attractive, Vidi was definitely a professional step forward in my career, but the most decisive was Szabi Huszti, with whom we had already worked together in Debrecen and where we could work very well as a team.

You mentioned that you have worked in the youth team as both head coach and assistant coach. Have you now realised that it's the work as a strength and conditioning coach that motivates you the most in the long term?

When I was doing my first degree, I thought I wanted to be a head coach, but as time went on and I got my strength and conditioning qualification, I realised that I wanted to be a strength and conditioning coach in the long term.

Apart from the wins and successes, what gives you a sense of accomplishment and success as a fitness coach?

Having as many players as possible from the squad available to the staff. If there are 28 players in the squad there are 30 players, my goal is to make sure that all the players can train as much as possible, with no injuries.

What are your first impressions after a week at Vidi?

Very positive, I already knew Szabi Huszti and Gábor Toldi, but the whole staff has welcomed me very well. There are very professional conditions, the coaches, the masseurs, the physiotherapists, the players, everyone welcomed me well. I can't say a bad word after the first week, everyone worked hard.

Due to the World Cup, the team will have two parts of winter preparation. How challenging is that for you?

It's a new situation, perhaps the first and last time we've had a long break due to the World Cup. The players had a three-week break after the end of the autumn season, but during that time they have been doing individual exercises at home, and now we will train at team level for two and a half weeks in December. We have eight weeks of preparation, which is quite long, and the focus is now on endurance work. In between the two holidays, everyone will have an individual programme at home, and then from 2nd January we will continue with what is already the usual preparation: four weeks until the first league match. It's a slightly different style and approach, but we try to make the most of it.

You are currently attending the FC Barcelona strength and conditioning training course. What can you tell us about this?

It's a year-long online course with a module every month, including practical and online exams. It lasts until March 2023, it's very interesting, but there are a lot of similarities with the MLSZ strength and conditioning coach training, which I think is positive, because there is a similar level of training in Hungary and similar ideas, overlaps, but positive that there are similar ideas.