In 2013 from the national team and in 2015 he retired from Briancon, this week he turned the big 4-0 and he answered some questions for icehockey.hu for this weeks Weekend Read.
Do you feel 40 years old?
Sometimes a bit more than normally, I don’t really like it when I get celebrated, I prefer my birthday to be my little day and I’m off on my own. However this year my parents showed up unannounced, which actually felt pretty good. I was thinking the other day that at the age of 40 is a big milestone, I’m a young retiree and my thirties were the best years, of course i dont know whats it like to be in your forties.
A half year ago you gave an interview to Digi Sport about your retirement and they asked what capacity will you be filling with Briancon, you answered you will find out in the upcoming year. What have you experienced in the past half season?
I still kind of trying to find my place, I am the sports director the club, they haven't had one in the past so I’m kind of setting the standard. I am in charge of the technical side of the organization from the senior team all the way down to the youngest youth team. The youth system and the senior team are two separate legal entities with two separate budgets.
Is this what you had in mind?
I didn’t really know what to expect since this position did not exist yet, plus there are not that many of us in the organization. There are smaller things that I have to take care of that might be someone else's responsibility in a larger organization.
So this might be good that you grew up in Hungarian hockey where everyone does more that what is in their job description.
Yes it is kind of like this, I looked at things from the aspect that I will have a job and some things to do. I did see a lot of things that my father did since he was a club manager as well.
I don’t miss hockey, i haven't had a thirst for getting back on the ice. Maybe my body could still handle it but mentally I am not in it as much. I could still be motivated to do something one more time but I could tell I wasn’t helping the tea, as much.
But you still get on the ice now and again?
I was on the ice back during our summer camp in Bled but that was about it. I do like being active but the skates are not comfortable anymore. I try to work out three times a week, I noticed that if I am not physically fit then mentally I not as sharp either.
You are 40 but you said that you really became a hockey player once you turned thirty because the A-Pool world championships were such a shock. Up until then you you said that you thought you were doing everything right in your career.
For our age group in Hungary we didn't really have anyone to battle, of course we pushed each other but it was sad to see how far we were behind the rest of the teams. They didn’t pratice more than we did and it was not really much of an effort for them when they faced us. If we are not at that world championships I know that I would not have revamped my offseason conditioning program and I probably would have retired 4-5 years ago.
And how was your twenties.
All I can say again that there wasnt much competition, I can really say that who ever could shot the puck was good enough I dont what to say that I am better than others but I did not always work the hardest, I always had school and work next to hockey.
When I was here by myself it was great for my French language skills, of course it is always nice to be able to talk to someone in Hungarian. Briancon isn’t exactly a place where Hungarian tourists are at every corner. It also helps that every one mentioned is a great guy. With Magosi it's a bit different since we are not teammates.
It's more employer and employee, how long do you plan on staying in France?
Its great to make a living from sports but I can only plan as far as I have a contract.
How long is your contract?
I am signed until the end of the season, I didn’t know if I would like this postion and the club didn’t know either if I would be a good fit, this was why we decided on one season. But this position is somewhat more stable.
Yes the manager can fire the coach and not the other way.
Yes. However there is a lot of change happening around the club, we will see how things turn out.
Are the kids getting close to any milestones in school?
No not really they are more in the middle of everything.
And is the next generation playing hockey?
Yes Máton just moved up to the U15 age group, he is the youngest one on the team and now he is trying to get used to the physical style.
What did it feel like when you accepted the third place trophy at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest with your kids by your side?
It was great, that the kids could be there with me, I always feel great when I can share these special moments with my family. It was also great to do what I did with the national team, everything that we did. I know then and there that I would miss it.