Debrecen is back where it belongs – Ike Thierry Zae

– When will Andres Iniesta arrive at Luki?
“I see that in the photo…” he replied with a smile ike thierry ginger, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DVSC Futball Zrt. , who was a guest on Sportrádio on Wednesday. – Our friendship goes back twenty years, which is no exaggeration, we love each other almost like brothers. Who knows, maybe Debrecen will become a footballer in the future. Now he is still in Japan, and will return home to Barcelona next week. But if you are tired of football, you still have something to do.

“Are you going to be a coach?”
“He drinks wine.” and hats off to him. As a French person I don’t like Spanish wine, I don’t even drink wine, but I tasted your wine, it’s great. He also has a bright future ahead of him as a winemaker.

“What connects you the most is their mentality?”
– His mentality doesn’t need you to get to know anyone, mentally he’s the strongest footballer I’ve ever met. I have never played football, I have played rugby for sixteen years, and in any sport it depends a lot on the mentality. If someone is inappropriate in this area, it will not lead to anything.

“Did you really play the radio when you were a kid, a teenager?”
“loved it.” I’ve hosted various music shows, tried my hand at many countries, in the US, Italy and France – I really enjoyed it. But those days are over, I am now fifty-two years old.

“Despite his busy schedule, he makes every Loki match come out.” Is it true that this is the main rule for yourself?
“If we win, if we lose, I’m there – like a pusher.” If the boss isn’t on the field while his team is playing, that’s not a real boss in my eyes. But I’m the same with the audience, because we’re all rowing in the same boat. By the way, I don’t like to say I’m an owner, I’d rather say I’m a manager. I hold the strings in my hands and set an example for the players, fans and everyone else.

– What makes DVSC attractive as a business opportunity?
– I was looking for a club in Central Europe. Hungarian football has seen amazing development in the past decade, with national team captain Marco Rossi also playing a huge role. Hungarian football has always had talent, and someone who puts people into a system was desperately needed. Wherever I go in the world, where the Hungarian national team is mentioned as a potential opponent, they no longer wink at me. Debrecen is far enough from Budapest that there are plenty of kids in the area and there are plenty to indulge in.

– They also pay a lot of attention to the academy in Debrecen. How do you see the situation of local youth? Who could be the next Balázs Dzudzák?
“There is only one of them!” We have talent, suffice it to say that Loki was the leader in the country in three age groups. Balázs Dzudsák’s left leg is still incredibly good, he played with good strength and form. We desperately need it.

“Do they talk a lot about football and life?”
– Yes, about life, not football. I leave the profession to the people around me, they know it better than me. Don’t even ask me how many players we’re going to sign this summer. The final decision is mine, however, the selection and formation of the team is the responsibility of the club’s sporting directors and members of the professional staff. I won’t get into that.

Ike Thierry Zangl does not interfere with professional work (Photo: Márton Koncz)

– If not DVSC, what other Hungarian club would you have bought?
– Twelve years ago, I made a bid for Vasas. I’m not a fan of Vasas though. I also tried to get DVSC three years ago, but it wasn’t the best time. I’m glad the deal took place last June and we signed it.

– How much money is invested in Debrecen Club?
“I won’t say an exact amount.” We operate with a budget that is only the size necessary for continuous development. And while we were there, clubs all over the world, even in Hungary, cashed money out the window with both hands, but miracles were delivered by smaller clubs.

– Is it true that you are satisfied with everything in Hungary, but you are not satisfied with the judicial body?
– This is a sensitive topic. That’s right, I’m not at peace with refereeing and the way the VAR works. How is it that they sometimes spend five to ten minutes making a decision in the video room? The time allotted for this should be limited. And while we’re at it, I’m probably good at more teams in NB. The Hungarian championship is special, one day you are in second place, the next week you are in sixth place, and at one moment you are fighting to avoid relegation, and the next you are fighting to climb to the podium.

– The bronze medal came with a great achievement this year, so that the team can make another appearance in Europe. What could be the goal in the European Conference League?
– I prefer to answer this question after the draw on June 21. But one of my favorite quotes hits here. Muhammad Ali said that if you are not afraid of your dreams, they are not big enough.

– Srjan Blagojevich has led Luki to success and his contract has been extended until 2025. What kind of personality do you think the Serbian coach has?
“Exactly for someone we need!” It is no coincidence that he ended up in Debrecen. At that time, we were looking for a coach who could implement a possession-based game with the team and make real fighters out of the players. Serjan Blagojevics is a workaholic coach, and I can tell you in retrospect that we hit each other’s palms before the last tournament. But then he asked us not to announce the extension of the contract until the end of the tournament.

– He travels between London, Paris, Budapest and Debrecen. What do you feel most at home with?
“In the stadium.” I used to say that if I had a bed at the Nagyerdi stadium, I would sleep a lot there. I travel a lot, I fly a lot, anyway, my life’s journey is full of adventures. I was born in the Congo, and my parents still live in Africa as diplomats. I’ve lived in Europe and America, and visited practically all continents, but now there’s one thing that interests me the most, the fact that Debrecen is back where it belongs.

In the Sportrádió studio with Bence Borbola (Photo: Márton Koncz)