In this exclusive interview, the Zalaegerszegi head coach talks about the emergence of the side on the Hungarian football scene, his own professional journey and what he learnt from working alongside Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca.
Hello Nuno, thank you for taking the time for us. You've been coaching for 18 years with experience in Portugal, Italy and Mexico. What attracted a coach with such a resume to move to Hungary?
"I have a lot of experience in many ways, in different countries, different competitions, but the project here, it was simple and very honest for me: develop players. Avoid relegation, but first of all, develop players, grow the team, and show the qualities of the players individually to sell them later.
"I felt like, okay, I did a little bit of this all my life, and I love it when I can help the players to have a better life in the future, to improve their careers. So let's do it. Let's go.
"And then, I liked a lot the people who spoke with me. Andreas and Damien (the owners) spoke with me... and what they said was very sincere. So for me it was nice to enter this project."
And would you say that football is essentially the same everywhere? Like in Portugal, Argentina or Hungary? Or would you say that you have already noticed some specifics of the Hungarian league?
"Of course, the principle of the game is the same everywhere, but any league has their own specifics, specificities.
"Here, the game is a little bit more physical than in Portugal, as an example. But here it's very competitive, very difficult to win games. Every team can win against the others, and we look to the championship and the classification shows that. It's not easy to play against each other.
"So the championship is very competitive, very physical, and we need to manage well all the details of the game. Otherwise, we don't have a chance to compete with them."
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For a long part of your career, you've worked with Paulo Fonseca, including at Roma. What did you learn from him, and what do you apply in your own work?
"We grew up with each other, because since the beginning we worked together, since the under-19 in Portugal. So it was so many years working together, speaking about all the details, creating some exercises together and all the things. Of course, he's my best friend in this kind of way, to see football.
"Here, I use many of the things I used in the past. The way to speak with the players in some moments or the way we manage the game tactically, I use the same things we worked on together."
Click here to read our exclusive with Paulo Fonseca
How were you received by the fans in Hungary? Because it must be a really strange situation for them with the new owners, the new coach, and all the new players.
"It was very easy because the fans are passionate, but they know the difficulties we had since the beginning to create this group, this team... They've known the difficulty of staying in the first league since the beginning, and they are with us all the time.
"They are very passionate supporters, and it means that they are with the team all the time, and they are very important in all games. Even in the away games, they are there with us. It's very important, and they help us to win games."
You have the youngest squad in the league. In what ways is working with such a young team unique or different?
"In December, we were the third youngest squad in Europe. It's very tough from one point of view because the experience of these players is not so great... The psychological part is very important during the games because when we are young, we are not so consistent. That part makes the difference sometimes, and we are working a lot on that.
"Also, the tactical part... Often, we don't control the tactical part of the game, so we are growing also in that part. And of course, the consistency of the team, sometimes it's not easy to achieve. But in the last nine games, we just lost one. In the last six games, we didn't lose. It seems things are going the right way.
"What I feel is if we achieve... to stay in this championship, in the first league of Hungary - because the team is so young and we need to improve so many things - it's like a big victory to achieve (this)."
And in the future, maybe in five or 10 years, do you think it's realistic for the club to become a leader of Hungarian football?
"The consistency of the club when we are trying to build a project is very important for the future. I think the project and the idea that Damian, the president, and Andras, the sporting director, have is very clear and consistent. With that, with time... I think it's something possible.
"We never know because a lot of teams here have better budgets, and with more budget, it's easier, of course. But the way they (the owners and director) think and know the market, with time, I think they can develop players. And with more players coming and one base inside the club, I think we can try to fight for another position, yeah."
Could the Hungarian league realistically improve and reach the level of the Czech league, for instance, in the future?
"I think sometimes to achieve other levels, we need to prepare the youth. The youth will be the basis of the national team, and will be the basis of the biggest teams in the country. And with that, in 10 years, I imagine that things can reach another level.
"What I feel here is they have very good conditions, very good facilities to work with the youth and with the main team. The question, sometimes, is the way they must improve in development, in talent. They need to see how the best clubs in the world do, in some other countries, how they do.
"And, with a project like this, they can achieve not only the Czech Republic's (level). We never know when or where we will stop.
"Portugal is a small country, and 20 years ago it was not like now. And now they achieved... the highest level maybe in the world, along with some other countries."
Because Cristiano Ronaldo was born, right?
"Not only Ronaldo. Of course, Ronaldo and (Jose) Mourinho are the biggest symbols in this moment of Portuguese football, but all the processes Portugal did maybe 20 years ago with many coaches - and I was a player in that moment 25 years ago - changed everything now.
"That started maybe 25 years ago, so the way we look at things and the time we have to do it can change the future. Maybe they must look 10 years forward to try to achieve something important."
