He scored the goal of the season and was also chosen as the MVP of the Hungarian OTP Bank League. Now he is embarking on one of the greatest adventures of his life, going abroad to discover America, Budapest Honvéd’s home-grown player wants to become the fan-favourite overseas as well. Interview with Hungarian international Dániel Gazdag, the Philadelphia Union’s new midfielder.

- When did it first occur to you that you would like to play in MLS, what attracted you to this league?

- I liked MLS even before I had a chance to transfer here. When a star player signed overseas, it always got my attention and I tried to watch the matches as well. I liked that since there are no relegations in this league, almost every team will take on the open, offensive approach. This makes the matches enjoyable and entertaining. This was clearly attractive to me, because in Hungary this kind of honest offensive soccer is considered a rarity.

- Since when have you been in contact with Philadelphia, how did you get the chance to sign with the club?

- I first heard about their interest towards the end of winter. They have been watching me for a long time and then they also contacted Honvéd this season.

- You talked about what you liked about MLS, but what attracted you most to the Philadelphia Union, which made you say yes to them?

- I like the stadium and the whole infrastructure that surrounds the team. I saw what kind of high-level, professional work is going on here. It’s no coincidence that two home-grown players had been sold to Europe last season, for no small fee either. They also won the regular season of MLS last year, so we’re talking about a successful club with serious goals.

- Philadelphia’s club director Ernst Tanner previously was in charge of the Salzburg Academy, Dominik Szoboszlai also developed under his leadership. Dominik was recently signed by Leipzig, and Salzburg signed Brenden Aaronson from Philadelphia to replace him. This shows how strong Philly’s stature is in Europe. How important was this to you in your decision?

- Ernst is a well-respected professional whom I talked a lot during the negotiations and, of course, ever since. He has good connections not only in Salzburg but also in Germany, which can be useful for me in the future. He also indicated to me that if I manage to reach my potential, they are open to the idea to allow me to move onto an even higher level. The club sees an opportunity to sell me for even more money than for what they signed me for. MLS is a very good league in this respect. In the eyes of the clubs of the top European leagues, this is a much higher ranked league than the Hungarian league. There are many more scouts here. Therefore, if someone can stand out, they will have opportunities, we have seen several examples of this recently.

- Have you talked to head coach Jim Curtin or Ernst Tanner about what role and system you envision, what is your position in the team and what is expected of you?

- The team plays in a 4-4-2 diamond shape, where I’m best suited is the classic 8 and 10 positions. But I consider myself a universal player, if I am needed elsewhere, I can be deployed there. This year I also played as a striker in Hungary, so wherever the coach counts on me, I’ll try to give the maximum.”

- Your team-mate from Honvéd, Baráth Botond already played in the MLS. Based on what he told you, what do you think will be the biggest challenge for you in this league?

-I talked to him a lot about his American period. He said that this is very physical league and that there are plenty dynamic, fast players. You have to think faster than in the Hungarian league, you have to react faster to the in-game situations. In addition, Boci talked about the many road trips he will have to get used to, but that is not an insurmountable obstacle.”

- What can the MLS give you, in what area can you develop the most here?

- My team uses the "gegenpressing" system. We tried this at the beginning of the season with Honvéd under Tamás Bódog, so it won't be completely new to me, but I have to get used to it and learn that in this tactical system everyone has to attack and defend at the same time. This can be very useful for me professionally.

- Are there any players in the MLS right now whose game you particularly value or you are waiting to play against?

- Nani, Pato, Higuaín, Matuidi ... I could list any of the star players. It’s really beneficial for me to be able to play against soccer players of this quality, but I’m most looking forward to face my compatriots, Daniel Sallói (Sporting KC.) and Szabolcs Schön (FC Dallas). It’s going to be a much-anticipated occasion, because we won’t have a match against each other in the regular season this year, so if we meet it can only happen in the playoffs. And that would mean our teams performed well during the season.

- Philadelphia fans will certainly see in you the successor to Aaronson, who is a home-grown player, a midfielder who scores and assists. Isn’t it an added difficulty that you have to replace a fan-favourite?

- It’s more of a plus thing for me to see expectations. This is extra motivation. I have seen Aaronson several times, he is a very big talent, he did not come to Salzburg by accident. I am confident that I can give a similar production to the team and over time I will become a fan-favourite as well.

- You made it into Marco Rossi’s 30-man Euro squad, which is a fantastic achievement, but from a club standpoint, it can cause a difficulty. How much of a hindrance can it be that you barely arrived in Philadelphia, and you are almost back to your national team training camp?

- I don't deny I'll be very "busy" in the next few weeks, but it won't be a problem because I'm prepared for that. My club also knew what to expect, knew I was probably going to get a place in the Euro squad. For me, the American season will really start when I return from the Euros.

- How can you convince Marco Rossi that you have a place in the final 26-man Euro squad?

- First of all, I hope the whole squad avoids injuries and the manager of the national team doesn’t have to make his decision because of injuries. I think based on the performance over the season, Rossi already has some pretty clear ideas for the final squad. The training camp can’t be taken easy, I’ll give my very best as well, but not everything will be decided there.

- Hungary got into a hell of a difficult group at the Euros - with Portugal, Germany and France. What are your expectations for the tournament, what goals can the national team set?

- We have to enjoy playing against teams like this. It is rare for the Hungarian national team to be able to play against three teams of this level in such a short period of time. This is a great opportunity professionally, if someone performs well in these matches, it can be a very good letter of reference for them later on.

- If you get a place in the final squad, you will return to Philadelphia in the middle of the summer, where you will have to compete in the CONCACAF Champions League in addition to the MLS season. Will you be able to handle this dense playing calendar?

- I hope my season lasts until December, because that would mean we’ll be fighting for the title until the very end. It’s really going to be a big challenge since there won’t be a summer break for me, it’s a first in my career. But I decided to play abroad precisely because of such challenges. I will try to train well and time my form, so I will be able to perform in the highest level until December, preferably avoiding injuries.

- Speaking of CONCACAF Champions League: what would it mean to you if you managed to win the Champions League, even if not in Europe?

- That would be a huge thing. Not just for me, but for the whole club, as we could achieve a historic feat. So far, I’ve watched all of Philadelphia’s matches in the Champions League, I think the team has performed very convincingly. Of course, the best is still coming. (in the semi-finals, Gazdag’s team will play against the Mexican Club América).

- What are your individual and team goals have you set this season?

- We talked to coach Jim Curtin that at team level, the minimum goal is to collect a trophy this year. Last year, Philly made it happen with the Supporters’ Shield trophy for regular season win. The goals have not been lowered for this year either. For my part, I want to contribute to these with the best possible way, but I did not set statistical targets for myself. I don’t want to sit back after reaching a certain goal, I want to achieve more and more success.

- The fans of the Hungarian national team often have the impression that those who move to the MLS cannot come home to the matches of the national team due to the long travel distance. Do you have any doubts that you will be able to perform on both stages?

- I have not got the slightest doubt. If Rossi calls in the future I will always be here and happy to come. The time lag will be a new thing, but Botond Baráth and Krisztián Németh have already proved that this is not an insurmountable obstacle. Plus, there are other players in the MLS coming back to Europe for their national team.

- When there are no international matches, what programs are you planning with the family in America?

- I could make a lengthy list, because everyone is very happy to be in America. We want to discover the city first, then the whole country afterwards. We’re excited to have all sorts of major leagues in Philadelphia, so we’ll be able to go to NBA and NFL games as well. It will definitely be a great experience.

The interview was conducted by:
Tamás Kun, author of the Jenkifoci blog