Our academy teams have resumed training and will soon take part in training camps. Zoltán Dusinszki, Sporting Director of the Székelyföld Football Academy, spoke about the key focus points of the winter period, the training camps, and the challenges ahead of the play-offs.

Our academy teams have resumed training and will soon take part in training camps. Zoltán Dusinszki, Sporting Director of the Székelyföld Football Academy, spoke about the key focus points of the winter period, the training camps, and the challenges ahead of the play-offs.

All four elite age groups – U15, U16, U17 and the U18 team competing in youth competitions – qualified for the play-offs after the autumn season. The academy teams are preparing for the continuation with a six-week winter training programme: the so-called “week zero” focused on basic conditioning, followed by extensive and intensive training cycles, with the programme concluding with a speed-focused block. During the preparation period, all age groups will take part in training camps: the U17 and U18 teams will train in Turkey between February 3 and 13, while the younger age groups will attend a camp in Serbia from February 5 to 13, where international friendly matches are also scheduled. Before the league restart, the teams will return to their usual weekly training cycle.

– Regardless of age group, which physical and mental aspects are currently given priority in training?
– We planned our winter preparation over a six-week period. In the initial “week zero,” we focused on laying the foundations, which the boys completed at home. This is followed by a two-week extensive cycle aimed primarily at increasing aerobic capacity, then another two-week intensive phase, and finally a speed-focused block. During this period, all four age groups will participate in training camps: U15 and U16 in Serbia, and U17 and U18 in Turkey, where they will play high-level international friendly matches. Before the league starts, we will continue with the usual weekly training cycle.

– Is there any specific area that receives extra emphasis in preparation with a focus on the play-offs?
– No. The development process is continuous from year to year and is not influenced by league position or the opponent. The key is for the players to receive the appropriate physical and tactical load, while also refreshing the technical aspects, so that we can start the competition well prepared.

– During the play-offs, the match schedule is usually more congested and the pressure on young players increases. What do you see as the biggest challenge in this period, and how does the academy help players manage it?
– We do not place pressure on the boys, but they know that we approach every match with the aim of getting the maximum out of ourselves and, if possible, winning. The Elite League play-offs consist of nine rounds, and I believe every team still has a chance to reach the podium. In addition, three of our teams are still involved in cup competitions, where qualification for the quarter-finals will be decided in two-legged ties at the end of February. In my view, our U15, U16 and U18 teams also have a realistic chance of progressing. If that happens, the competition schedule may become more crowded, but these players came to our academy to face as many challenges as possible, as this best supports their development.

– How do you evaluate the fact that during the 2025–26 season nine academy players made their debut for the senior team, most recently with 16-year-old Bota Darius also featuring in the Superleague?
– We are very pleased that the top-flight debuts of nine players confirm that there is talent at the Székelyföld Football Academy who, with proper preparation, can become part of professional football. At the same time, our goal is for them to become regular members of the senior team by the age of 18–19–20 and to receive more playing time. Achieving this requires hard work from both the coaching staff and the players.

– Based on this, do you feel the direction is the right one?
– Yes, we believe we have talented players at the academy, and it is necessary to throw some of them into the “deep water” of top-flight football as early as 16–17–18 years of age. It is very difficult, but not impossible, for them to play full 90-minute matches at this level. In the near future, we need to make the transition smoother in order to help them integrate into senior football.

– Finally, what would define a successful spring season from the academy’s perspective?
– The most important outcome for us is to develop players for professional leagues who can perform either in Hungary’s NB I or in Romania’s Superleague. This is the first step. At the same time, to maintain the academy’s level, it would also be important for one of our teams to reach a cup final or finish on the podium. Above all, the key factor is that players feel their individual development and see that choosing us is worthwhile, as the conditions to achieve our goals are in place.

For our academy teams, the competition schedule continues on February 21–22 with the Elite Cup matches, followed by the start of the Elite League play-offs on March 7–8.

László Orbán
Photo: Zoltán Pál