Interview with György Zsigmond

 

The jersey of György Zsigmond has been retired last weekend by Veszprém Handball Club, which means that nobody can wear number 14 in the team. We asked our legend about his career, his best moments and retiring his jersey.

 

 

I started playing handball in Miskolc in primary school at the age of 14. I tried a lot of sports, as kids usually do, I even played football. Finally, I decided to play handball.

 

Péter Kovács. He was a great left back. In my childhood he was the country’s, if not even the world’s best left back. I started at back position as well, and transferred to be a line player in the army, for everyone’s luck. (laughs)

 

I played in the third division in Miskolc, in a team called Lyukóbányai Bányász. The brother of my coach was also a coach in Tapolca in the second divison. We did some great games in Miskolc and my coach asked his brother if he needs me in Tapolca, and he needed me. My friend and me had a test game, and they decided to sign us when we were 17-18 years old. We have finished the second division on the second spot, so we got promoted to the fist division, but we had played our games outside on concrete in 1987, even in rain or cold weather. A new rule has been made, that the season 1987/88 has to be played inside. After this someone told me about Csaba Hajnal and he decided to sign me to Veszprém.

 

We have worth a lot in pair with István Gulyás. We felt each other well, like I did with anyone, but with Gulyi, I had a special relationship. We were a pair for 10 years in the team and we were roommates until I scared him off with my snoring. (laughs) My nose was broken twice and I also had a septal deviation which caused snoring. Gulyi dumped me after 10 years as his roommate and I got István Csoknyai, who also diched me because of this. (laughs) I cannot blame them, is it very unpleasant when you are trying to get a rest before a game and I start snoring from midnight until 3 in the morning. (laughs)

 

 

I can thank every coach I have ever had a lot. I did not have a problem with any of them, I had good relationship with all of them. I was not a bad behaving player, I just did my job and that is all. I think there were trainings when they did not even realize I was there. I could say a lot of good things about each and every one of them but I would not like to hurt anyone by missing them out.

 

We always had teams that were black horses to us. There were times when we have met Zagreb a lot. There were times when we could not avoid Pamplona, or any other Spanish teams that we got drawn to. I never really thought about toughest opponents because on the level that we played, every opponent was tough.

 

The victories! For example when we did the treble in 1992. We won the championship, the cup and also the Cup Winners Cup. I am also an eleven times Hungarian champions and twelve times Hungarian Cup winner. To be able to live this trough, well, not many people can say this, and there are players who are nowhere near becoming a champion. We had a great team, there were times when 9 players were in the national team from Veszprém, even though it was hard to get in. The core was always made up of Veszprém players. We were in the World Championship in Japan and we were so close to winning a medal, that I would wear it even this day but unfortunately we lost to France by one goal. Victories were always memorable, while we have always learnt from failures and moved on. We did not have time to cry. I am proud to have been able to win so many medals with Veszprém.

 

Maybe that I have played 6 international cup finals and lost 4 of them. We won the Cup Winners Cup in 1992, and then we lost the final in 1993 against Marseille, then again in 1997 against Bidasoa. I won the EHF Cup with Metkovic in 2000 against Flensburg. I lost the EHF Cup final in 2001 against Magdeburg, and the most painful loss was the Champions Cup final that we lost in 2002 against Magdeburg. I had the opportunity to live the best moments of my life but to lose 4 final, it hurts even to this day. When it is only the matter of inches. We lost to Magdeburg by 2-3 goals, so were even partners, we could have won as well.

 

The reason is not so complicated; I have spent 13 years at the same club. I was in good form, and I felt like I need the change, and I have to try myself elsewhere. I ended up in Croatia, but the destination was mainly Germany. I asked my family if they would like to move to Croatia, and they said okay. I arrived there with no knowledge of the language which made the first few months difficult. Fortunately, I started learning the language and I can still speak a bit of Croatian. I needed the challenge so we got right into it. It proved to be a great choice because I won the Cup Winners Cup; I became a Croatian champions and cup winner. These are great memories. Of course, the culture was different, but I was disappointed in them in a good way. I lived in Dalmatia, where the sun was shining for 8 hours a day and I had the sea right beside me. I had a great time there, and my family had a great time as well.

 

 

The children started school. I had a deal with Metkovic that I will stay for a third year as well, but in September I went in to the president and told him that it is going to be difficult for me without my family and that I would like to return to Hungary. At that time there were no motorways, and it was 13-14 to get home, I could not come home for the weekend at all. I talked with the president of the club and we broke up the contract, he thanked me for playing there and I travelled home. Veszprém was in the Croatian era that time with Zdravko Zovko on the bench, he took his reliable players from Croatia. I had Jovic and Gyula Gál before me in the line as Veszprém had their two line players for the season. I talked with coach Zovko about my role and he told me that I will not play 60 minutes and I should help Jovic and that if I get the chance, I should give 100%. Fortunately, we could work together well and I had three years there at the end.

 

There are a lot of great players in my position and they are all different. Blagotinsek has a certain style because of his height. He is not so fast and turns a bit slowly. I think that my style was close to Renato Sulic’s style in my time. Also Andreas Nilsson in similar to how I played. Quick blocks and rush to an empty area in the wall. I have already said once that I would like to try myself in today’s handball with my older abilities. Handball turned out to be a gladiator fight. Every team has outstanding players who has outstanding abilities. It would be hard to highlight anybody.

 

It is hard to say anything. It was a closing of a career by this beautiful gesture from the Club. I was able to get up there next to my old teammates. I cannot say anything more, it was fantastic.

 

I visit children tournaments where 8th graders play and who are about to finish primary school. We are trying to get them to attend our academy. There is a huge competition for talented kids, while the material is not enough. I go to a tournament, and I make a list of those youngsters who made an impression on me. I give that list to Péter Gulyás, director of the academy and we invite said players to a try out. After this, the coaches decide whom they need. We have some positions that are rare, like last year we had problems at the goal line and we managed to sign 2 brilliant goalkeepers to the academy from Budapest. It is impressive in today’s handball if someone is big and has a 2 meters height but we will not avoid talented short players neither. That is how it goes. It is important that we do it correctly. I talk to the coaches of these selected youngsters that we liked what we saw and we are looking after the player for years now. We do not want to take them away immediately, they need to stay with their parents in a nurturing environment and when they finish school, they can come. We have outstanding coaches and everything is given in order to be able to improve. I think that Telekom Veszprém has a good name in this regard.

 

They have to be at the right place at the right time. I can start a list of kids who did everything right but did not make it in handball, while someone else was successful. You need luck for a great career, and some good coaches who help you and pave the way. Of course, you need humility and a lot of work, but mostly, all you need is luck.

 

 

Photo: Dávid Vörös, Zoltán Lang