István Csáki

The new system of the talent development program in Hungarian soccer

Summary Study aim: due to a series of failures and the drastic reduction in the quality of Hungarian soccer, greater emphasis should be put on coaches’ professional development and talent development programs. The aim of this study was to present the newly established Hungarian Soccer Development Program that focuses on the development of youth talent. Methods: document analysis and in-depth interviews were utilized during the research process. All Program leaders were interviewed in the Hungarian Soccer Development Program (N = 5). The interviews were preceded by thorough document analysis of the Program and the new strategies and plans of the Hungarian Football Federation. The authors systematically examined the Program and were able to prepare systematically for in-depth interviews whose focus was the specific areas that weren’t present in the document. Results: the main aim of this Program is to give a mass base for the selection of soccer talent and to promote the development of Hungarian soccer in the long run. The measurement and evaluation systems chosen for the identification is a complex process: children go through several selection phases until they achieve the best in their age cohort. For the successful realization of this Program, there is a need for a change in attitude and also for the development of a mass base in Hungarian soccer. The number of players under the age of 18 years should reach a solid 200,000 players. Those who established the Program also introduced a control and assessment system to improve efficiency, which helps to keep the different programs and sessions of the Program at a high level. Coaches’ education and professional development is also in a focus: the Program’s content and methodology is specific for the age cohort and constantly changing for better practices. Discussion and conclusions: the Program reinforced opinions that emphasized that selection is a long-term and systematic process in which regular tests and measurements are needed. Gifted young soccer players should not be selected simply for their physical outlook but rather on those conditions that are difficult to measure: the way they play the game, their skills, and their motivation for success. Talent selection and management should depend on their individual and team abilities and skills, technical skills, and assertiveness. Only those coaches with high-level understanding, competencies, and motivation can make changes in the sport.

Motivation and motivational climate among elite hammer throwers

Summary Study aim: The purpose of the study was to explore the characteristics of the motivational factors and the motivational climate of elite hammer throwers in the most prestigious and most successful club in Hungary. Material and methods: The Sport Motivational Scale (SMS) and the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ) were used to assess the motivation and motivational climate among hammer throw athletes (N=23). Data were analysed with descriptive statistical methods. The independent sample t-test was applied for the determination of differences as related to success level, age, and gender. Also, correlation was used to find out what relationships exist among the variables. Results: Amotivation tends to be at low levels (M=2.48±1.40), while extrinsic motivation (M=4.68±0.79) and intrinsic motivation (M=4.40±0.95) can be considered to be at medium levels in the sample. There were no differences in motivation between elite and non-elite athletes and between athletes under and over 18 years of age. However, male throwers had a significantly higher level of intrinsic motivation (t=2.941, p=.008) and a significantly lower level of amotivation (t=-2.428, p=0.025) than female athletes. The sample had higher values of Task orientation (3.97±0.40) than Ego orientation (2.63±0.47). There were no differences detected in success level, gender, and age in the athletes’ motivational climate. The correlation in all cases seems to be generally low. Conclusions: The coach of this successful club focuses on creating a positive climate in which the athletes’ skill levels, goal orientation, age, and gender are matched with challenges and expectations. The relatively few differences in motivation and motivational climate prove that the coach provides continuous support on both the individual and group level. The coach does it not only with the athletes’ skills and conditioning, but also with their motivation and motivational climate.

Psychological and Anthropometric Characteristics of a Hungarian Elite Football Academy’s Players

Abstract Due to the fact that neither physical nor physiological and anthropometric differences in adolescents can serve as definitive differentiating factors in terms of choosing successful and non-successful players, coaches are encouraged to focus more on thepsychological characteristics ofyoung players. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine football players’ psychological skills in an elite football academy as related to age and position. Every young player at one of the most successful football academies in the country participated in this study (N=119, M=16.44±1.17). The sample was divided into four age groups according to the championship system (U16, U17, U18, U21), and into specific football positions (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and striker). Basedonthe results, the young academy football players had a low level ofamotivation (1.45±0.68), a high level of extrinsic motivation (5.96±0.64), and can be characterized with a higher level task (4.02±0.62) than ego orientation (3.01±0.62). All of the results for coping skills were in the mid-range (M=3.00-3.41). There were no differences in motivation, perceived motivational climate, and coping among the football players regarding their positions. However, there were significant differences among the age groups in perceived motivation and coping skills. Older players were more egooriented and had a higher level of peaking under pressure, while younger players demonstrated higher level task, ego, and coach ability levels. Football coaches need to focus less on positions and more on age differences when dealing with motivation, perceived motivation, and coping.

Thoughts on running performance at modern soccer matches

Soccer is one of the most physically challenging sports in the 21st century because of the increasing demand on various movement patterns of today’s game. Playing regularly at both international and club level is very difficult. Owing to the crowded fixtures, players often have to play twice a week for 90 minutes, which involves an average distance run of over 10 kilometers. The objective of the present study was to explore the international research work relevant on this subject and summarize the findings in relation to endurance running during the game.

Bentlakó labdarúgó-korosztályok pszichés-mentális jellemzői

Absztrakt Elmeleti hatter: A fiatal labdarugok motoros kepessegei mellett a psziches-szocialis faktorok is osszefuggesben vannak a palyan mutatott teljesitmennyel. Mivel az utanpotlas koru sportolok eseteben ezek korosztalyos jellemzőket mutatnak, erdemes az ez iranyu ismereteket tovabb bőviteni es a tehetseggondozas folyaman kiemelten kezelni. Cel: Jelen kutatasunk celja, hogy kollegiumban lako fiatal elit labdarugok psziches tulajdonsagainak korosztalyos jellemzőit megismerjuk. Modszerek: A minta hazank egyik elit labdarugo-akademiajanak kollegiumban lako fiu novendekei voltak (n = 72), akik a Sportoloi Megkuzdesi Strategiak Kerdőivet (ACSI-28), a Sport Motivacios Kerdőivet (SMS), a Versenyszorongas Skalat (CSAI-2) es az Erzekelt Motivacios Kornyezet a Sportban Kerdőivet (PMCSQ-2) toltottek ki. A jatekosok psziches jellemzőit egyuttesen es korosztalyos osszehasonlitasban is vizsgaltuk (U16, U17, U18 es U21). Eredmenyek: Az eredmenyek alapjan elmondhato, hogy a minta magas ertekű belső motivaciot, a fejl...