Lajos Mocsai between handball and family life

On the route to the EHF EURO 2014 Hungary's men's national play two test matches against world champions Spain on Friday and Saturday, 1 and 2 November.

Both teams have been drawn to EHF EURO Group B and will therefore meet each other again already on 12 January in Aalborg.

Head coach Lajos Mocsai gathered nearly all his players, but misses one, Tamas Mocsai, who is not only an important figure in the national team but also Mocsai's son.

Tamas Mocsai sustained a knee injury in his club's, TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, German Bundesliga match against TSV Lemgo last Sunday (27 October). Further medical tests in the coming days will reveal the severity of the injury.

"I’ve been head coach since August 2010 and my son took part in every international event. I don’t remember that he has ever skipped a single training," says Lajos Mocsai.

With both father and son so deeply involved in handball, it is not always easy to combine family and professional life.

"We haven’t seen each other for months. I’m a father and he is my son. We live in different countries and it is hard sometimes," says Mocsai.

"When he comes to the national team, I’m first glad to see him as a coach at and second as a father. (But) We always meet for moments when we can talk like a family and it is very important.

"I have a beautiful wife, a son and three daughters. All my children live separately but we share amazing moments together from time to time.

"The family is very important. Every year we are going on holiday for a week and I love these days spending with my family together. During this time I’m only a father and they are my children.

"We also shared some special moments that will last for a lifetime. One of them was when my son and me went together to the Olympic Games in London (ed. Hungary came 4th). I have never forgotten how much my heart was touched." 

Facing Spain a matter of prestige

But the EHF EURO 2014 in Denmark is a mere 70 days away and Mocsai has started looking ahead at the challenges that await him and his team.

"We are in a 'group of death' with Spain, Norway and Iceland. These nations are very strong, they play dynamic, creative and fast handball and it'll be hard to play them.

"This week we will play two test matches against Spain. I think we need to play with the best against the best.

Mocsai counts on the support of the thousands of fans that are expected to flock to the Fönix Arena in Debrecen to support Hungary.

"This place will also be one of the host cities for the women EURO 2014. Handball is very popular in this city. The Hungarians admire handball and their national team. It was only a week and all of the 7,500 tickets were sold out.

"We haven’t been able to win against Spain in the last two years. We played 24:24 at the EURO 2012 and it was the best result for us against the world champions," says Mocsai.

"Of course, we will try to win and find our characteristic form. I think it will be a matter of prestige for which both teams will give it all they have.

"We need self-confidence and a successful game and they… well, they are the best team all over the world."