Thanks for the competents! The coach of my request is fulfilled.

First of all I want to emphasize that this article is meant to be a pensive assay. Those, who don’t find it attractive because the sure facts and informations are impotant only, shouldn’t spend time to read it. But those who still decide to read it, are asked to feel obliged to participate in the discussion of these thoughts by sending comments on our home page (www.ftcbaratikor.hu). Please, contribute to a document what we can put on the decision-maker’s table for consideration.

My present writing runs along two lines; the first one is, that FTC had a Member’s Conference. The other one is that the 2009-2010 footbal championship has ended for FTC.

I admit I am embarrased which one to pick to start with. With the club in its complexity including the football as a part of the whole? Is it really a part? This question leads to an other direction. Should be considered the football as a representative, who has been the in the center of public interest therefore determines the image of the club itself?

I think I am going to follow the cronology, perhaps I satisfy the demand of professional news editors. Namely, what is most wanted, comes at the end.

The Ferencvarosi Torna Club is a special phenomena. A fradist is not going to argue with this, because it is a hard fact for him. If we meet a person who doesn’t know Fradi and we list how many different sports are under the FTC umbrella, that person will be surprised. As we know, the money dominates all sports in the XXI century all over the world. The ancient, traditional principals, the traditional club life have gone, disappeared. Nowadays there are no sport clubs who are inviting everybody who want to swim, deal with athletics, gimnastics, riding bycicle, who want to play ball by hand or foot, or want to skate as it was in the good old ages. Now the feeling of togetherness, the living for each other don’t have priority anymore. The immedite success, consequently the coming profit is rather attractive now. Therefore the different kind of sports have became specialized all over the world.

There are some sports which get in the focus of public interest because the TV deliveres the events in their homes. Such typical sports are the team sports. Because the football is going to examined later, now we set it aside for a moment. But the basketball, the handball, the ice hockey enjoy worldwide popularity. Take a look at the World Campionships of these sports or the significant club events. The money is pouring to the best ones. Who have interests on this field, they establish clubs specified to one sport and only the choosen one is in the focus. There are team sports which are not wide spreaded globally, only on specific areas. Such as the waterpolo, which is dominated by Hungary. This sport is quite Hungarian but we teach it all over the world. Anyhow if you want success, so called independent „mono”clubs will have to be established.

Then there are individual (partly team) sports. Within them, the fundamential sports, like athletics, swimming, gimnastics, wrestling. The olympic games have been based on them. Are they important? You bet they are! People do them all over the world. University clubs, individually sponsored clubs. Those who put their achievements on the scale frequently after four years periods, on the olympic games. Their success determines their future. They can manage their competitors on this basis so the competitors get the chance to participate in sport happenings in the four years period between the olympic games, such as Europian and World Championships and other competitions granting credit points. Because these happenings enjoy great public interest, they are money sources as well. Hungary is too far from this honey pot. There are no such opportunities in Hungary. Therefore, the Hungarian participants of these individual sport activities experience a tromendous disadvantage. The Hungarian competitors get only a fraction, a small fraction of financial support, sponsoring what their opponents get.

Anyhow, in Hungary still there is one club, who keeps the traditions and provide facilities and opportunity for several sport activities for the competitors on a wide range.

This club is the Ferencvarosi Torna Club. There is no financial support from the state than it was in the past, when the successes in the sport and related fame served political interests and were used to prove the superiority of certain political ideas. Now, the government supports the operation of the sport facilities, this is the most, it means, survival. To step further, new sources are needed. Such sources, which can’t be defined with the terms and definitions of the economy. The economy understands what is mone, market, supply and demand but doesn’t understand what is faithfulness, spiritual determination or to love a club. On the basis of these values, emotional human values Fradi cares and caters these sports. We need sponsors who recognize the importance of this mission and belive in its power. Nobody can say that there are no such sponsors. Yes, there are. Otherwise how could we consider existing facts, like there are sponsors who want to revive divisions, branches like the paddleing or the basketball or to start a new one, like curling within the Fradi. The FTC is such a well-known trademark on the Hungarian market on what can be built on. There are sponsors who have recognized it, therefore they want to see their favourite sport in green and white.

Because the FTC emblem 111 years old, because the 111 years old slogens, like Moral, Strength, Understanding mean something for them.

Let’s be happy for these part successes. At the same time we emphasise that we can accomplish more by our main slogen quoted earlier: Moral, Strength, Understanding. Beside one’s favorit sport the others have to be supported as well, because every each trophy, victory or success mean glory what is going to be shared by the others and provide more and more fame and new sources to strengthen us further. We have to find sponsors who belive in it. Who belive that to support a whole formation is more effective than to support exclusively only certain parts, segments of it. This so called whole formation is the Ferencvarosi Torna Club itself. The management and the leadership must be in the position to concentrate and control all sources and guarantee the rational and optimal operation for all participants. Of course, the proper and lawful supervision furthermore, the public control is a must!

How can we find such sponsores? The past, the traditiones are not enough, the successfull present, the victories are needed too. The successes of managers, coaches, competitors, fans and all participants. Helping, supporting eachother, because single individual efforts only lead to nowhere.

It doesn’t exclude the internal criticism of eachother, not at all. As long as it comes from positive intentions. But there is no place for ignoring others, selfishness and abusement of others. The Ferencvarosi Torna Club hasn’t been originated from these anti-values and wrong emotiones sins. That is why it could become to be a respectable tradition. And we carefully watch and don’t let anybody to ruin or destroy it either coming from outside or inside. We are determined.

I know it is very hard to find sponsores presently becase the lack of shining successes. The potential sponsores, the companies and the top and marketing managers are seeking successful activities and put their bet and money there to take business advantage of it. We have to to have them to get aquainted with our auspicious history. Furthermore, that because the followed principles and traditional being – which have attrackted millions of people – FTC is a chosen club, chosen for success and victory. Invested money can’t get lost, it rather pays. To get it through, I know it is quite a challange, but I know as well that it is not impossible.

It’s time now to switch over to the football. The football has always determined, influanced the existance of the club. When the stars of our football players were shining high in the sky ( and it was the usual), it was very easy to be a fradist. It was easier to run, to swim, to wrestle and to do gimnastics or compete in team sports. The shining light of their success was everybody’s light in the darkness. It was the past and it is the present as well. But now there is a big difference. The football organisation has been separated from the rest. The troubles and even sicknesses of the club don’t influance their existence. It is true backwards as well. The football is a separate topic, there is no need for sponging. The exclusively dominant sport within the FTC is the football in some oppiniones. I have a message for them. The three capital letters FTC on the football player’ shirt still stands for Ferencvarosi Torna Club. The colors – green and white – are still Fradi colors, the emblem is still the FTC’s crest. And just a quiet remark, the traditional FTC has 5% share in the independent football FTC. That club which gave life blood to the football team as well and without this, the independent football division couldn’t exist. It was necessary. Just let’s take a look at the past. When the football section was bought and has become independent company, the deal included the virtual Hall of Fame with Imre Schlosser, Mihaly Pataki, Geza Toldi, Gyorgy Sarosi dr., Ferenc Rudas, Sandor Kocsis, Zoltan Czibor, Mate Fenyvesi dr., Sandor Matrai, Florian Albert, Gyula Rakosi, Lajos Szücs, Zoltan Varga, Lászlo Balint, Zoltan Ebedli, Tibor Nyilasi in it? Sensless question! They contributed to the success of the Fradi, to the green and white big and great family.

The Football Ltd. as an independent company has had several owners. First the Club, later a Hungarian financial tycoon owned it. The Club wasn’t able to invest enough capital in it, the income coming from successes was waisted by mismanagement, so the football section, as an independent company had to be sold. There was no hard competition between the potential buyers.

They set different conditiones, some intended to buy the football only, others considered to buy the whole Club in one package. But they were unacceptable for those, who were concerned. Surely the future brings a deep analysis of the causes. The different interests will be investigated and the results are going to get publicity in written form. That’s sure that it is going to be done in the future only.

Anyhow, the fact is fact! The Hungarian buyer left, there was no more domestic investor in sight. In order to save the club, a tender had to be called and it has been won by a foreign investor and the Fradi football has got into English ownership.

My God, we wanted it so badly ! Several organizations who were determined to rescue Fradi held demonstrations, the FTC Barati Kor was among them too. It was two and a half years ago only. And now there are some, who want to get rid of them? No friends we don’t go along with that!

Let’s look through the happenings of the past. What did they promise and what happened. It must be kept in mind that the Hungarian championship is organized in „autumn-spring” system when we use certain terminologys. Mr. Kevin McCabe has made it perfectly clear what he thinks and what he wants. Namely, he plans a five years period of building, prepairing before Fradi gets on the expected top. He never promised miracles, a top team at the take-off. He rescued the Fradi from the cessation, we were extremely thankful and glad. Is it possible that some people has forgotten about the five years period of hard work and forbearance? In the first half year he couldn’t do too much. By the time he got into possession, the boat was already gone, the team stayed in the NB II. In the next year the main target was to step up in the NB I. Succeeded? Yes , overwhelmingly. The quality of the players? It seems they were good enough to achieve what they had to. It is a fact.

Let me remark, one and a half year was gone at that time from the five. The real struggle has started from here. We are fradists because we always want the most, the best so we dreamed of being the champion team rightaway. We found it degrading when we were told that the team must get used to the NB I. We have to get used to it? We never ever lost our right to play in the NB I. We were closed out unlawfully! It meant a very little satisfaction that the gentleman who said it is not with us now. At the same time, it was a positive sign for us that Fradi’s dignity can’t get hurt without proper reactions. The feed-back of the Fradi fans reaction worked. They don’t accept everything what they are told.

The gentleman, who isn’t here anymore, but he intended to get us used to the NB I again, recruited new players accordingly, since he was in charge and he was assisted by the coach who led FTC out from the NB II. English coach, English supervisors, English leaders with English leadership. We got worried where are the Hungarians? Where are the fradists? Most of them were highly successful players, coaches in Europe as well. Why isn’t there need for their experience, knowledge when they were recognized football experts?

We all know that the practice, the achievement and the result haven’t proved the English concepts, therefore some adjustments and corrections had to be done, The British owner still stuck to the English professional leadership, And the new English coach ( but at least he had been here before he got appointed). The new coach mostly relied on English players. So we had got used to the NB I and finished on the seventh place.

Now we are right in the middle of the earlier mentioned five years period. The schedule is ok, no delay. Now comes the next year, when it becomes clear that whether are we right on target? That two and a half years from now are we going to be in the Champions League? Presently, let’s not discuss the case of the stadium because that is another chapter. It is a topic of the future.

The MLSZ (Hungarian Football Federation) has forced our owners to move. They modified the regulations. From hereon it was obligatory for the coaches to have pro-licence for in the NB I. And it has created a new situation, new decisions had to be made. Do we thank MLSZ for this? No, not at all! Nowadays, MLSZ is on the merge to reborn. New president, new executives will be elected and new regulatins are going to be accepted. Our message to our owner is that our leaders and executives must represent the FTC intrests and carry on with FTC’s points in the MLSZ. They should be instructed to stop the present experience of showing up FTC as a bad example, who must be – and can be – punished week by week and to demonstrate their overall power to the other members. At the same time, their penalties come in the form of message, this way the FTC is one of the main source of MLSZ’s income. At the same time the MLSZ continuously employ different norms in case of FTC than in case of the other clubs. FTC must demand equal treatment.The amount of penalties must not be matched to the concerned club’s assumed financial position. The Fradi executives and management must take a leading position to start and induce the ascension of the Hungarian football. They must stop the discrimination of our fans by quarantineing them in the hosting stadiums, treating them as animals, just because they want to have fun. Of course I am talking about those, who are not violen or out-laws. I am speaking up for the majority who are not like that. There has always been a shameless minority but the Fradi wasn’t characterised by them especially not in the media! The news never talked about this minority only! It is going to need a tremendous effort to rebuild the earlier demolished and lost trust and credibility but it is a must to regain our used to be respectibility and dignity. I think we can agree.

So, now we need a new coach. Several player’s contract expires. New ones must be recruited. The days and weeks ahead of us shall determine whether Mr. McCabe’s five years plan comes through or not. There will be no chance to correct mistakes made today in the future. In other words, there is no second chance. They will fall on the leadership, it will be their responsibility or sin. There hasn’t been reason for blaming because, the promises have been fulfilled.

About the coach case. Should he be English, foreigner or Hungarian? The majority of the player should be foreigners? Hard to answer. The target can be realized either way. Everythin depends on the owner’s financial investment decision. Because it is beyond any doubts that the level of salarys of both players and couches are much higher – by far – in the Kingdom than in Hungary. Consequently, there price is higher as well. It is true for the middle quality, the second, third and fourth line players as well, not to say the first line players. It doesn’t need any proof, just ask the Hungarian players who were contracted by UK clubs earlier and later returned to Hungary.

During the last years, we had the chance to see several players with different nationalitys. We see the direction of development, after observing players from Ivory Coast and Trinidad we could see British players from the third and fourth line, who were good enough to reach our target. But now, it is time to look around again and notice that the Hungarian NB I is under realignment. It is the first time in the history that the first three championship winners come from the countryside regions. Furthermore, the three winer clubs are determined to keep this quality, therefore they have worked out plans for the long run. They have precise financial plans and investors as well. We have to keep our eyes on them to accomplish what we plan to.

Hungary and the Hungarian circumstances, actualitiys and conditiones. Even the best professionals must get aquainted with them first. It has first priority. We say it at Fradi and we saw it at sone of our opponents. We shouldn’t give half year advantage to the rest of the NB I. Because later no way to catch up to them. To be on the fourth place is not acceptable for the Fradi, only the first place. And we haven’t mentioned about the quality of the team’s performance , how do they play, what is their look in action.

The leadership must find the coach within days. Before this, to talk about players, doesn’t make sense, because the coach has to pick his choices from the present and new players coming from outside. The most ideal would be if the coach had a wide overview and good knowledge of the quality and talent of player to choose from. To build the team is going to be his responsibility. In case the chosen one will be foreigner, then he has to start with a big disadventage since he doesn’t know the domestic teams and the domestic supply of players. It means that he has to rely on advisors of some kind because it takes at least half a year to collect the necessary informations on his own. I am afraid we don’t have half year to waste. If we wanted to hit our target!

It seems that the best would be to find the candidate on the Hungarian market from the Hungarian supply. The chosen one must know NB I, NB II, the present Fradi players’ qualitys abilities. Obviously it is at least, not easy. Furthermore the fans, the audience, the „monster” cannot be disregarded. We feel that at the end of May.2010 a Hungarian coach – furnished with all the necessary licences and cerificates and proven experience – would enjoy a much bigger capital of public trust than anybody else coming from abroad.

In case the Hungatian coach doesn’t speak English, a quality interpreter must be found to support the communication with the „legioners”. The interpreter doesn’t have to be a licenced football coach. The formula employed in the past turns around. After English coach-Hungarian language helper the the standing would be, Hungarian coach-assistant with English knowledge.

The new coach – if he was professional and good – it doesn’t take too much time for him to select the players he wants from the present team and on which post does he want reinforcement. Perhaps
he can name candidates as well.

We must achieve, that to play in the Fradi, to work in the Fradi is a high honour, it is a crown on a „Team of the Nation”, because he felt a supporting nation behind him, because Fradi wanted and did serve this nation with his victorys, successes and with his fame.

Served us by giving strength again and again whenever we felt to be deserted, lonely in the world and we lost our faith. We in the FTC Friendly Circle, belive that only the time goes by but the meed for the Fradi’s mission stays with us and it stays with us in the future as well.

And if the football raises to the ancient hights and gives the self-respect to the Fradists as it was before, if we can proudly declare, We are Fradists, if we sense again the meaning of the Moral, Strength, Understanding slogen, that will be the time, when FTC gets out of hardship of the last years, will win the championships one after the other, not only in football. Then euphorically, without ghost and shades, irreistibly will thunder again the

HAJRÁ FRADI

Sandor Simon

(Translation: Jozsef Aranyi)