Hockey: Viktor Szélig will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in May

– Did you expect such prestigious recognition?
– Absolutely not, I still cannot believe that I was awarded the Torriani Award. The moment I found out, it was especially unexpected because we were preparing for our current match with Fehérvár – Viktor Szélig, general manager of Hydro Fehérvár AV19, told Nemzeti Sport. – The president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Luc Tardif, called me, but at first, I didn't want to believe that he was really the one calling. It wouldn't have been surprising if one of my friends played a joke on me.

– But it was not a joke. You are only the second Hungarian player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
– Yes, Gábor Ocskay Jr. received the honor posthumously. György Pásztor was also awarded as a Hungarian, who is unfortunately no longer with us, László Schell as a referee and Zoltán Kovács last year as a sports director. So, I must be the fifth Hungarian to be honored with it.

– It's been a long journey, but how did it start?
– I started playing hockey without having seen a single ice hockey game. Our dream at the time was not to play in the NHL, we couldn't even see what that was like, but to have real protective gear. I was born in Dunaújváros, I started playing there, and it wasn't in my plans to necessarily go abroad as a foreign player. However, it turned out that way, and I developed a lot not only as a player but also as a person during the more than ten years I spent in Briancon.

– How did the French offer come about, did Briancon approach you?
– The World Championships was in France in 2006, and that's where Luciano Basile, the head coach at the time, approached me and my former teammate, Martin Vas. We didn't think much about whether to accept it or not. We were curious, we were in a very good position, and in hindsight, I would have regretted it if I had said no, especially since we had won the championship as a team that had previously been considered underdogs. As a hockey team from a small Alpine town of 10,000 people, we weren't the favorites and the strongest team, but we still got to play in the Champions League.

– But the Torriani Award was more for your role in the national team, wasn't it?
– Yes, I had the privilege of representing Hungary in twenty-one World Championships. It was a defining moment in my career when I was called up to the senior team for the first time. I was a seventeen-year-old kid, and it was a great opportunity to play with the big boys, to sit in the same dressing room and play on the same ice. Qualifying for Sapporo in 2008 was one of my biggest successes; we had an excellent, motivated team with an exceptional coach. But the 2009 World Championships was a slap in the face. Feeling first-hand how much stronger the opponents were helped me realize that I had to change if I wanted to remain an active player.

– Is there anyone without whom you wouldn't have achieved all this?
– Master coach Árpád Kercsó was there for me in the beginning, then the current women's national team captain, Pat Cortina, introduced me to the world of truly professional hockey. My coach in France, Luciano Basile, honed my game and helped me develop as a person.

– From there, was it a straight road to Székesfehérvár where you are now working?
– After I finished my playing career, I worked abroad for a year in a sports manager role, and then I thought I'd see what I could do at home. I applied for the position of sports director of the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation, but they chose someone else. Then, Fehérvár got in touch with me to see if we could work together. I still have a lot I'm learning about hockey. I have great colleagues and I'm never bored.

– You are not only learning but also giving, as you've been the general manager at Volán for more than six years.
– We try to make the most of what we have and go as far as we can. Of course, we are happy when our work is matched by results. My job is quite varied, mainly I'm in charge of the development of the squad and the coaching staff, and I represent the team in professional forums.

– You are working together with Kevin Constantine in Fehérvár. How do you see the chances of the men's team under his leadership at the elite World Championships in Tampere next year?
– One thing is for sure, the boys will not be unprepared in Finland; Constantine's thoroughness is a guarantee. Everyone will know exactly what their job is. The outcome of our performance is not easy to predict, as a lot depends on who will be healthy and what kind of shape the team will be in.

– Do you think he can manage both Volán and the national team simultaneously?
– Those who know Kevin know that hockey is his life. I think he'd be bored if hockey didn't fill every second of his day. When his name came up as captain, we supported him, but the decision was his. He has had one tournament with the national team so far, but they started working in the summer.