Thursday, August 29, 2013

ÁDÁM SZALAI: Living in the Shadow of Puskas


[2][4]

The Shadow

In 2007, Real Madrid acquired the services of a young Hungarian from VfB Stuttgart II name of Ádám Szalai (RMC 2007-2010*) [1]. Rumors of "the next Puskas" swept across the Spanish capital like wildfire.  Seeing as how both the late Hungarian goal-scorer and Real's new recruit began their footballing careers in Budapest Honvéd FC.  Ferenc Puskas was a Hungarian striker with great character and one of the greatest strikers to have ever worn the all-white-strip.  His goal to game ratio was immense scoring 156 goals in 180 La Liga games and 35 goals in 39 games in Europe all after his 31st birthday [2].  It's no wonder Real Madrid were so quick to recruit another Hungarian striker with a nose for the goal 41 years later.

From Riches to Rags

However, Szalai's Real Madrid dream was short-lived, as 3 years and 23 goals out of 71 games later, Szalai was loaned back to Germany to 1. FSV Mainz 05 [3].  Ádám's goals could only help Real Madrid B reach the 6th position in La Liga's third division, missing out on the playoffs [4].  While many felt their hopes were up for nothing, living in the shadow of the great Puskas may have been too much for 23-year-old Szalai.  It was time for a fresh start.

Mainz's 2012-13 season was not one of its best performances since they gained promotion int the Bundesliga in 2009 as they finished in 13th place [5]. Yet, it was one of  Szalai's best season as a professional by far.  On 10 February 2013, Szalai scored his 12th goal of the season against FC Augsburg, becoming the most productive Hungarian goalscorer in a single season in Germany's top division [6].  Szalai scored 13 goals out Mainz's total 42 goals of the season. That's about 31% of all goals scored by Mainz in 2012-13 as noted by WhoScored.com.  The statistics website also placed Szalai as the 8th best goalscorer of the Bundesliga after  Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich [7].  His performances were not unnoticed by FC Schalke 04's general manager, Horst Heldt, who's club was pending the club's qualification to the UEFA Champions League and could use the extra income to fund his transfer [8].

The True Test

Szalai now played to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, a dream tournament for any professional footballer.  Schalke had finished 4th in the 2012-13 [5] and many eyes were upon them to disrupt the hopes of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich for the title.  Schalke was also known for having prolific goalscorers such as Klaus Fischer (182 goals), Kevin Kurányi (71 goals), Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez Blanco (28 goals), and currently Klaas-Jan Huntelaar [9].  Szalaiw was brought in to compete with for a place up top; an arduous task as the Huntelaar was in good form since the beginning of the season, scoring in the first two games of the season [10].  Because of this, Szalai had to play the minutes given to him as a substitute.   A younger player, less experience player may have become unsettled with the situation since Szalai was not playing regularly. Yet, he had only grown as a player after having dealt with the pressure of the Spanish capital and struggled in a mid-table, German club for a couple of years.  All he had to was wait for a chance to show everyone what he can do.

Suddenly, on August 17, 2013, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar picked up an injury in the 4-0 loss to Wolfsburg, which left the 2012-13 season hero sidelined for several weeks [11].  Ádám Szalai was subbed in and became the main target man for the Gelsenkirchen side, while the Champions league play-off games loomed in the horizon.  It was the Hungarian's time under spotlight; it was time to show his pedigree.

Schalke's final group phase game was against previously disqualified PAOK of Greece. As the 2012-13 Ukrainian league runner-up was banned from European competition by UEFA after a match-fixing scanal, PAOK was reintroduced as Schalke's pre-qualification rival [12].  It was clear to many that Schalke were favorites.  The first leg, however, told a different story; at home, Schalke and PAOK tied 1-1,  and the game was going to be decided on Greek soil.  In between the European fixtures, Schalke faced Hannover in the domestic league.  Despite the loss, Szalai scored 55th minute to cover some of Schalke's blemishes [10].

Destination: Champions League

The second leg of the UEFA Champions League qualifier was a tense match.  Right before the half, Szalai scored. Advantage Schalke.  The second half began with PAOK's response, which brought the score level again.   Tension rose as a tie would only lead to extra time and a penalty shootout.  After a rash tackle by Jermaine Jones, Schalke were reduced to 10 men, but spirits are soon lifted as the Schalke's Julien Draxler scored on the 67th mintute.

PAOK retaliated once again at the 79th minute, but the goal was meaningless as FC Schalke 04 would still be in the Champions league due to the "away goal" rule.  Then, a minute before the whistle, a striker earned his keep.  Ádám Szalai scored the definitive goal at the 90th minute of play to take the tally to 2-3 (3-4 on aggregate).  FC Schalke was  in the 2013-14 Champions League competition [13].

Though the shadow of Puskas may have followed him to Gelsenkirchen, Ádám Szalai's showed he has what it takes to quiet any doubting Schalke fans.  From the arduous training camps of Madrid to roar of fans in Germany, there's only more to see from the young Hungarian. And, as Huntelaar returns from injury, there's going to be a spectacular fight for the number "9" spot in west Germany this season.

* Stands for the years the player spent in Real Madrid's reserve team (RMC).
[1] "VfB-Talent Adan Szalai wechselt zu Real Madrid" [VfB Talent Adan Szalai moves to Real Madrid](in German). SWR
[2] "Ferenc Puskás" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Pusk%C3%A1s
[3] "Verein bestätigt: Ungar Adam Szalai von Real Madrid zu Mainz 05" [Club confirms: Hungarian Adam Szalai from Real Madrid to Mainz 05] (in German). Main-Spitze. 9 January 2010. Retreived 22 June 2013.
[5] "German Bundesliga Stats – 2012–13". ESPN Soccernet. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
[6] "Bundesliga: Szalai 12 gólos, ezzel egyedüli magyar rekorder" (in Hungarian). NSO. 10 February 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
[7] "1. Bundesliga Top Players (2012/2013)" http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/81/Tournaments/3/Seasons/3424
[9] "Notable Former Players" FC Schalke 04. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Schalke_04
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