VLV - a magyar férfi vízilabda válogatott hivatalos oldala

VLV survey - let the most competent rate the year!

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:01:10 GMT+1

As the official homepage of the Hungarian men's national water polo team, in an attempt to start a tradition, we have asked all 23 player featuring the national team in 2009 ten questions about last year. We are going to summarize the answers and will not only report the outcome, but list every single answer the players gave us.

This was 2009 - by numbers

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:01:38 GMT+1

The Hungarian men's national water polo team played 18 official matches in 2009. The results: 13 victories, 2 draws, 3 defeats. Our statistics from last year broken down to games and players:

Recco is changing lines - Primorac Kotor is starting to get into shape

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:12:42 GMT+1

The big Euroleague rivals of Vasas and Eger performed well on the Wednesday cup day: Primorac Kotor took a point from Dubrovnik, Pro Recco brought the expected victory on home turf by beating Sintez Kazany. Who would not know that both in the Montenegrin and Italian teams, the Hungarian players are on top. We are talking about the two teams that fought each other in the Euroleague Final Four finals this May...

Unexpected Vasas defeat - Eger pulled it in - current champion Szeged is out

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:12:22 GMT+1

We had not much reason for joy during the weekday cup round. Vasas suffered an aching defeat on foreign turf from Panioniosz, Honvéd performed well, but lost in Belgrade, easily in the end, only Eger won, hardly, but they have beaten the Russian Csehov on their turf. In Szeged, the reserve FTC team surprisingly kept its one goal advantage and thus said goodbye to the current LEN Cup champion. All the goals of the three Euroleague matches and interviews:

Kálmán Markovits died

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:12:53 GMT+1

After a long and serious illness, Kálmán Markovits, two time Olympic champion water polo player has died at the age of 78.

Vasas attends the seventh Tom Hoad Cup

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:11:22 GMT+1

There's a shrine of the water polo sport of the world, a West Australian river delta next to Perth, Framentle. Bicton Pool there is the center of the social event at the end of the year there, home to the very popular Tom Hoad international water polo tournament that takes place between Christmas and New Year. For this year's event, the organizers did not simply invite guest players from Hungary, the complete Vasas team will set out for Australia on the first day of Christmas.

Tamás Kásás has made his decision

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:11:11 GMT+1

We were getting ready for this interview with Tamás Kásás for a long time. He gave us the sign: we can start the conversation, which also means he thought everything through, talked to everyone whose opinion matters and made his decision about his own future (which somewhat affects the fate of Hungarian water sport).

Picturing Gergely Kiss - a conversation with Hungarian water polo player of the year

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:11:04 GMT+1

We have started the conversation in Budapest with Gergely Kiss, who has been let off from Kotor for two weeks and finished it on phone: He was back in Kotor when we asked him how he felt about being chosen as the water polo player of the year in Hungary.

Vasas in the group of death, Pro Recco is coming to Eger again - FTC-Szeged in the LEN Cup

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:11:12 GMT+1

The drawing of the schedule of the remaining European cups was held in Zagreb on Sunday forenoon. Vasas will face Jug and Kotor, Eger got into the same group with Pro Recco. At first glimpse it seems like Honvéd got into the easiest group, although Partizan is there... Eighth finals in the LEN Cup will be played by Ferencváros and Szeged.

Eger-Vasas 7:6

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:11:34 GMT+1

The contest of contests between the current champion and the silver medalist in the main division of Vodafone OB-1 resulted in a single goal victory for the home team. Vasas last lead at 2:1, but with wholehearted play, deservedly, however with a hint of luck required, the home team came out victorious in the end. All the goals of the match, as well as video interviews with Gábor Kis, Norbert Hosnyánszky, Hegedüs Gábor and Erik Bundschuch by VLV.

The Hungarian team's Interleague schedule is here!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:10:34 GMT+1

Apart from a match or two schedule of the 2009/10 season of Interleague, the event rallying the Hungarian, Serbian, Romanian and Slovakian teams is now set. The first "local international" match will be played by Eger next Wednesday (4th of November) starting at 18.30(6:30pm) on home turf against Vojvodina. The complete schedule is as follows.

Dénes Kemény invited 18 players for the first training

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:10:42 GMT+1

Dénes Kemény announced (via VLV) the list of those who were invited to the national team's training camp on the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd of November. Absolute newcomer is the Eger player, Balázs Erdélyi, those who trained with the national team before, but have not been on an official match are Gábor Kovács and Márton Tóth. László Baksa may traing with the national team once again and Dénes Kemény has invited a promising youth once again, left handed player of KSI who is only 17, but already nearly two meters tall, MártonVámos. The head coach is not expecting players playing abroad this time.

The Kemény Dénes Sportspool was presented

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:10:33 GMT+1

With nice, touching festive foramilities, Miskolc's new sports establishment the city sports pool that bears the name of Dénes Kemény, was presented. Naturally, the person whose name was given to the establishment was present on the commencement ceremony, as well as the national water polo team.

Tibor Benedek: "It's easier for me in the water than it is on dry land"

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:09:41 GMT+1

Tibor Benedek the champion who stepped back from the national team after Beijing is getting ready for a new season. He will have to renew once again, they are expecting him in Pro Recco to perform well in the championship. Meanwhile, he's getting ready for civil life, we asked him of the details of his sport related business plans on this pre-season interview.

Happy birthday!

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:09:23 GMT+1

We greet Zoltán Kásás, Szeged-Beton's lead coach, who helped the head coach in the past three successful Olympic cycles in the Hungarian men's water polo national team with love on his birthday!

An oath for the Olympic gold - VLV-interview with Andrija Prlainovic

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:09:26 GMT+1

He's only 22 years old, but he's already more than simply great talent, he's a key figure in the squad of our old nemesis, the Serbian national team and is also a world class player. Olympic bronze medalist, European champion, world champion and - with his authorization - we proudly share that he is a registered reader of vlv.hu. With the introduction of Andrija Prlainovic we continue our preceding initiative, getting to know the star players of our greatest rival better.

Péter Biros and Gergely Kiss will skip 2010 in the national team

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:09:20 GMT+1

We could guess from certain hints before, but now, with the interviews given to VLV, it's "official", the two old boys of the national team, Péter Biros and Gergely Kiss will not be in the team next year. Their goal is to replenish their strength and set out completely renewed on the road of which the first stop will be the Shanghai world championship in 2011 and the final stop, the London Olympics.

The cons and pros of stubbornness - VLV interview with Dénes Varga

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:08:09 GMT+1

He's still only 22 years old, but already one of the best players in the world. Grandmaster of improvisatory water polo, an individuality whose every single move is worth to go to a match for, even if it is a simple championship match in Szonyi or Olympic finals in Beijing. An interesting man; vegetarian and he may be a racing driver later on. Rowdy, cheeky dare-devil, whose past holds quite a few dark stains and only just matured now, as an Olympic champion. Our interview - in our opinion - shows that it really is like that and maybe sheds light on the reason as well.

We have won the Beijing Olympics one year ago

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:08:37 GMT+1

It was exactly one year ago that the Hungarian men's water polo national team made history in Beijing by winning its third Olympic gold in a row. We asked the heroes of Beijing on the day of the anniversary: did the appreciation of the year old success change, what effect did the victory have on their lives and just how they remember the events that took place on the 24th of August, last year.

We ask you to tell us who to ask!

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:08:13 GMT+1

Our old readers may remember they had the opportunity to ask questions from a Tough boy or two through our homepage. The questions were gathered and made public without editing and answered by the given player or coach on VLV. We will now renew the method that was so loved by our visitors and give it a twist. From now on, our readers can decide who the next interview will be made with by voting.

Gábor Hegedüs may start training soon

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:08:42 GMT+1

It was almost exactly a month ago that Gábor Hegedüs, player of Eger, was taken into the hospital with serious injuries straight from the game against the Greek in eighth-finals of the Belgrade Universiade. The player (who Dénes Kemény considered for the bigger group of named entries of which the world championship team was selected from) suffered a broken cheekbone and decided to get surgery straight away in Belgrade. He did not regret his decisions, his injury is healing well, he expects to begin training next week.

New-Zealander wonder center in Szeged(?) - Uncle Fecsó has never seen such talent before

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:08:02 GMT+1

Szeged Beton's team began preparations for the next season. The named entries are not final, but the number of Olympic champions in the team will remain in balance, since the "place" of Tamás Varga, who is leaving for Cattaro, will be filled by three time Olympic gold medalist, ancient Szeged player, Tamás Molnár. The club will have its annual international tournament in September and they expect big names to come. We asked head coach Zoltán Kásás about the goals of the team and the experiences gained in Rome.

Norbert Hosnyánszky: "Winning is the best thing in the world!"

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:08:27 GMT+1

Hosi. Who is in bed already when Dénes Kemény calls. Not really. Of course not. He grew up in Káposztásmegyer, still meeting his childhood friends while the world has started moving with him. He's driving a two-seated cabriolet sports-car and recovers in Zanzibar from the fatigue caused by the world championship. He had the chance to play in the same team with his childhood role model, Tamás Kásás. He is an Olympic champion. He's the grand master of out of pace throws. A real natural from the unlimited source of Hungarian water polo. (We have started the interview before the world championship in Rome and finished it after it.)

MVP: Udovicsics, best goalkeeper: Tempesti - no Hungarians in the all star team

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:08:52 GMT+1

After the world championship, the usual awards and the dream-team of the tournament were announced as well. Hungarian players didn't get in, which obviously is mainly because of the fifth place the team has achieved. The most valuable player was the team captain of the Serbian team, Vanja Udovicsics (this awards was judged by the votes of the journalists) , the goal king, Filip Filipovics, who is a Serbian as well, scored 20 times and the best goal keeper was the Italian Stefano Tempesti.

Zétény Márk Madaras has been born!

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:07:19 GMT+1

In Budapest, at the dawn of Friday, the first child of the Madaras family has been born. The mother and the baby are both fine. Since it's a little boy, our hopes are not with Norbi's brother, Markó alone, who plays in Eger, seems like reserves are insured for a long time. We congratulate the Madaras family in the name of VLV and Hungarian water polo fans and wish Zétény Márk Madaras a long and happy life that is rich in successes!

Ágota Budavári talks to us about Beijing, Rome and the simple secret of the success of the Tough boys

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:07:15 GMT+1

We saw the psychologist of the Hungarian team, Ágota Budavári on almost every training during the tine of preparations. She watched the events that took place in the water from a bench and when the players got dressed, she sat down for a chat with a player or two. We think that every one of these conversations meant a step towards the success of the Hungarian team. This became a firm belief after Beijing. (The conversation took place before the world championship in Rome.)

Relics from the attic - another attempt to popularize water polo

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:07:14 GMT+1

After the training - done together with the Australians - on Thursday forenoon, the official world championship photographs were made, then the journalists were invited to an outstanding press conference to the terrace of Hajós pool. Without mentioning the function and accomplishments of the people at the table, we will just list them by the order of seating: Péter Biros, Norbert Madaras, Dénes Kemény, György Kárpáti, Dezső Gyarmati, Tamás Faragó.

Hungary-Australia 13:7

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:07:36 GMT+1

We're happy to report: the team is starting to consolidate. On the last match home before the world championship, on Gyöngyös, our boys playing in a depressing advantage, showing outstanding teamwork at times, confidently beat Australia's national team. The six goal difference could have been even higher if the team doesn't let out at the end.

The boys said goodbye to the Budapest audience with a victory

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:07:08 GMT+1

With a sometimes erratic play, but demonstrating a lot of beautiful moves, all in all, the Hungarian team beat its soon to be Rome World Championship group opponent Germany. We placed second in the Unicum Cup and Dénes Kemény announced the named entries for the world championship. Many videos and photos of the closing day on Sunday.

Defeat by the Serbians

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:07:21 GMT+1

In a tough battle, the Hungarian national team suffered a two goal defeat by Serbia on second day of the Unicum Cup on Margitsziget. The tournament will most likely be won by the great rival, but we're not too cut up about it if this defeat will help the development of the new Hungarian team. The difference between the two teams were about as big as the difference between the time they played together as a team: the new Serbian team is over its fiftieth match - not to mention the "everyday" engagements of Partizan, since their national team is based on the Belgrade team.

Hungary-Australia 9:6 - rain-soaked Unicum Cup

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:07:20 GMT+1

The weather intervened. It alternated between dripping and shooting rain on Friday night on Margitsziget. The three day long water polo festivity series' first day was uneven - and we didn't even talk about the Hungarian national team having a lot harder than expected time beating Australia.

Sports diplomatic assertion against boorishness and brutality because of the injury Hegedüs suffered in Belgrade

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:07:44 GMT+1

The Hungarian team attending Belgrade Universaide administered an open letter to the organization behind the world games, the International University Sports Association (Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire - FISU). In the document, the Hungarian delegation is objecting because of the serious atrocity suffered by Gábor Hegedüs on the Hungarian-Greek match on Wednesday. The Hungarian team's head of department, Tamás Ambrus passed the document on to the editors of VLV, as well as the photo that was taken at the hospital bed of Hege and which was also attached to the protest that was sent to FISU.

Serbia won the Mediterranean Games' water polo tournament

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:07:34 GMT+1

Serbian water polo can book another success: Udovics's boys won the men's water polo tournament of Mediterranean Games, a series of sports events organized for south-European countries. They have easily came out victorious over Spain in the finals, they were leading with four goals by the halftime and only worked to keep that from then on. The bronze match brought an epic endgame when 21 seconds before the end, the game was a draw and the Croatian team got a penalty, yet they still lost - by a penalty. (We will show it.) There were one and a half Hungarians on the tournament, Miklós Tromler in the French team and half-Hungarian on his mother's side, Alex Giorgetti played in the Italian team and he became the main character. One of the referees of the finals was György Juhász.

The schedule of the Unicum Cup

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:06:07 GMT+1

Tickets are now on sale for this year's Unicum Cup (10-11-12 of July). We will announce the schedule of the tournament and the most important thing you need to know regarding the purchase of tickets.

Vodafone Goldengala - it was a nice night

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:06:04 GMT+1

We have spent a night to remember on Margitsziget, the location that has seen many historic events, next to the open pool of Alfréd Hajós National Sportspool. The blue caps of the national team beat the white caps with a single goal. We have won. Our report and live coverage have been expanded with a vast amout of videos and photos so that all those who couldn't attend the gala can get a feel of the night's atmosphere.

Gergely Kiss would like a dreamlike ending - in London

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:06:17 GMT+1

We have been waiting on Gergely Kiss's promise: after he returned home, he will tell us in detail what aspects he pondered after the Beijing Olympics when he had to decide on his own future. He will now share with VLV's readers the stages of the process that ended in a decision which is positive to us all. We can learn how much has happened at Primorac during the year and his words make it obvious: the Hungarian mentality was needed for that Euroleague victory.

Zoltán Szécsi is "insatiable", he dreams of a fourth gold

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 01:06:44 GMT+1

The 32 year old Zoltán Szécsi's knee ligaments do not need surgery yet, so he did not skip this year. When he made his decision, the took into account the fact, that the year of the World Championship might be more important than the following one. This theory was reinforced by Péter Biros and Gergely Kiss as well, since they both decided not to spend this period resting either. Szecska perfectly understands Dénes Kemény's criticism of last season's goal keeper performances, but his personal life is back on tracks and his contract with Eger has just been renewed for two more years.

Happy Birthday!

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:06:49 GMT+1

We send our birthday greetings to Dénes Kemény, the head coach who led the Hungarian male national water polo team to victory in Sydney, Athens and Beijing!

Let's see what water polo is like with experimental rules!

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:06:37 GMT+1

Since VLV has existed, the question how water polo could be made faster, more spectacular and more interesting for spectators (and of course sponsors, television companies) has been re-emerging. Olympic champion players and professionals who have spent most of their lives in the sport are pondering, thinking up newer and newer variations for the new rules. And now we can see how the game would look with the most frequently mentioned changes. The participants are not just anybody, they are the gold medalists of the past three Olympics.

Benedek, Kásás and Gergő Kiss are all honorary citizens of Budapest

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:06:02 GMT+1

On Thursday, three members of the Beijing Olympic champion team, Tibor Benedek, Tamás Kásás and Gergely Kiss received the title of honorary citizen of Budapest in the town hall with ceremonial formalities. They are all three time Olympic champions and play abroad, so last year, on the 17th of November, the day of Budapest, when the official ceremonies took place, they couldn't attend the celebration.

An appeal to help Péter Wolf

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:06:41 GMT+1

One of the éminence grises and succesful athletes of the sport, later coach and "enlist" of raising the rising generation is in trouble. The sport association of the Újpest water polo rising generation (Újpest Vízilabda Utánpótlás Sportegyesület - UVSE) published an appeal on their homepage to help Péter Wolf. We will quote the appeal below, encouraging our readers to help if they can.

Steinmetz Ádám talks about the participation in the national team

Sun, 31 May 2009 10:05:00 GMT+1

When exposing the named entries, head coach Dénes Kemény told us about the mutual agreement with Ádám Steinmetz: the Kotor Euroleague winner center will not participate in the preparations that will start on the 8th of June for the London Olympics. We asked the champion of the Athens Olympics about the backgrounds of the sad news.

The named entries for the World Championship are here!

Sun, 31 May 2009 10:05:00 GMT+1

Head coach Dénes Kemény announced to VLV the named entries that he will start the preparations with on the 8th of June for the July World Championship in Rome - and the 2012 London Olympics as well. Currently there are 18 named entries, cutbacks are expected for the time of the Unicum Cup (either before or after it). Bad news, Ádám Steinmetz,the center can not be relied on for long because of his medical problems, so - collating with him - the head coach didn't place him among the named entries.

The championship is over - Vasas fans bathed in Eger

Fri, 29 May 2009 16:05:00 GMT+1

TEVA-VasasPlaket has won the Vodafone OB-1 Hungarian championship and thus proved to be the best Hungarian club team for the third time in a row. The red-blues celebrated on foreign turf, in Eger, after they achieved the third victory needed for the championship title, following a 2:1 score. All the goals of the match, video interviews and lots of photos, footage of the celebration.

Unforgettable celebration in the main square of Kotor

Tue, 26 May 2009 01:05:00 GMT+1

On Monday morning, the Montenegrin television, in a special broadcast, covered the celebrated arrival of Primorac in the main square of Kotor's historical downtown. The team that has made it into the final four for the first time, has, in Rijeka, won the most valued trophy of European club teams, the Euroleague Final Four. The celebration has surpassed the expectations of the two Hungarian members of the team as well. We have made a three part compilation of the Montenegrin television's live coverage.

Vasas equalized - everything is starting over

Sun, 24 May 2009 21:05:00 GMT+1

Vasas got the advantage of the home turf back in the finals of Vodafone OB-1, after they have beaten Eger in an exciting match on Sunday. The next match will be on Wednesday, in the Komjádi pool. All the goals of the match and interviews with ten players from the two teams.

Heaven street, Kotor, Montenegro

Sat, 23 May 2009 15:05:00 GMT+1

Kotor-Szeged match was squared for the Supercup! Well who would have thought a few months ago?! Primorac Kotor has beaten Pro Recco in the additional time of a match that brought epic excitement and won over the trophy that has been kept on the shores of the Ligurian Sea. The Hungarians in Kotor had a deciding role and the only thing we can say about Pro Recco is that until the second half of the fourth quarter, only its Hungarian players scored goals! VLV-videos: nine Hungarian goals, six Hungarian interviews.

Goals, goals, goals

Wed, 20 May 2009 01:05:00 GMT+1

On Friday - at almost exactly the same time - Vasas and Pro Recco will play important games. The aforementioned will be opening the finals of the Vodafone OB-1 on home turf against Eger, the latter will play semi-finals in Rijeka against Jug Dubrovnik, so that they can defend their title on the next day in the Euroleague finals. However, we still owe you the goals of the match they played against each other in Sori. We would like to pay the debt and in an unusual presentation: we will show you the goals with both Italian and Hungarian coverage. Have fun!

Dénes Kemény: "The world championship may have a lot of different outcomes!"

Thu, 14 May 2009 09:05:00 GMT+1

The new Hungarian national team will start preparing for the summer WC in Rome on the 8th of June, most likely in a 18+2 "lineup". We asked the head coach, Dénes Kemény about the schedule of the training period and who he think biggest opponents will be.

Vasas-Eger in the finals of the championship

Fri, 08 May 2009 21:05:00 GMT+1

Eger has easily won for the third time against the second team in the main division, Honvéd, and thus made it into the finals of the Vodafone OB-1 finals. Their opponents will be the current champions, Vasas. Honvéd will have to fight Fradi for the third place, the stakes are high: participation on the Euroleague. (The fourth place can participate in the LEN Cup.)