In the spring of 2013 I was asked by the Hungarian Football Federation to take over the leadership and management of their coach education. Based on the plans I was supposed to do the handover with the former leader during the summer but he left the post unexpectedly. Because of that I found myself leading the Hungarian coach education in March well ahead of the expected start date.
My goal was to modernize and redesign the complete training structure and to put into place a knowledge and competence based system including the review of the enrollment criteria of the program. Of course, not everybody welcomed these changes and the new circumstances, especially those who were used to the easy advancements without any expectations. Despite the strong attacks against me in the media, I started the restructuring process.
I redesigned the methodolody of the application process to be able to select more thoroughly those people who are capable of persuing a coach career. We developed new presentations, materials and workbooks. After carefully analyzing the training processes of successful football nations as well as the basic values of the Hungarian football, we prepared methodologies and training guides for youth development. I started a regular education program for coaches and established a coach licencing program based on gathering credit points and completing e-learning tests.
Pál Dárdai graduated with us.
The initial negative voices slowly changed to satisfied and acknowleding ones. The coaches, especially the intelligent ones, realized that these changes and new programs contributed to their own development. They liked attending our training days and programs and they learned efficiently and in a good mood in our courses.
In 2016 this process unfortunately was broken due to the personal needs and intercession of a German professional who was at that time the Sport Director and Headcoach of the National Team. So, I left the HFF and the area of the Hungarian coach development with sorrow.
