He played with Owen and Butt. Now he will play for Lech

Tamas Kadar passed the medical tests and he will sign a 3,5-year contract with Lech Poznan on Friday. Despite a young age, the Hungarian player is very experienced. He's already played for Newcastle United and Roda Kerkrade. His nickname is "Kadi". The new signing answered a few questions for us.

What do you expect from your move to Poznan?

I am really happy about the transfer. Lech is one of the biggest clubs in Poland and there are already two Hungarian players in the squad. I know Gergo Lovrencsics well, as we play together in the national team, and we are good friends. I have been asking him about the club and the city and he would always have something positive to say. Earlier on, after 5 years spent in foreign countries, I returned to Hungary where I played for the past two years. I am still young and I wish for my career to continue and grow football wise. Lech is the best step to do so.

You have decided for a transfer to Newcastle United being only 18 years old. Weren't you afraid of such a big step?

I have debuted in the Hungarian premier league when I was 16 years old. A year later I already had 14 appearances on my account and that's when I got an opportunity to go for a week-long tests to Newcastle. I made a good impression and we have decided it was an outstanding chance. I did not want to waste it, especially that I could train with the players like Michael Owen or Nicky Butt. It was one of the most important experiences, even though it was a huge step forward. The Hungarian league is much slower comparing to the English one. I don't even have to describe the differences - everybody knows that Premier League is one of the best leagues in Europe.

You have played in both English and Dutch leagues and they are considered not only the best in Europe, but also in the world. What did you learn while playing for Newcastle and Roda?

I am a young player, but I already have some experience. When I played in England I was still a teenager, but I trained by the side of excellent footballers. Unfortunately, I was haunted by the injuries and in result I did not play as much as I wanted. Most of the time I trained in the gym and watched my teammates take part in the matches, and that is not how it should have been. After 4,5 years I moved to Holland where I wanted to continue growing as a player. After a round I decided to return to Hungary to recover and get back to form. I am really grateful to Diósgyöri - both the club and the fans. During the 2 years I have spent there I became a better footballer. I did not miss a single training session and I have played 90 minutes in all matches.

Describe yourself, as a player, and as a person.

I have a sense of humor. I am friends with Gergo Lovrencsics and we often share a room during groupings. Many Hungarians are kind and funny people with a positive attitude. I think of myself as an intelligent player, sometimes playing "tough" football. I am experienced and I know how to use intelligence, sleight and aggression for the good of the team. I am a defender, my better leg is the left one, and therefore I can also play on the wing. I think I can read the game pretty well, although saying that doesn't feel too comfortable. I am about to join a new team and I still need to learn who and how moves on the pitch. To sum up, there are two versions of me a kind funny guy when I am with my friends and a strong character when I am on the pitch. I used to be the captain of Diósgyöri. I always give 110% because I believe that if you commit to something fully, life will reward you.

In a moment you will join the team that's in the middle of the second grouping, getting ready for the season. Don't you think that the few days of the preparations you have missed might have been crucial?

You cannot look at it this way. It's always better to come sooner and "learn" from the team and its style from the beginning of the preseason. It is no use thinking about it now, I should rather get back to work and do the best I can. Usually I have no trouble adapting. Neither do I worry about getting ready for the upcoming games. I have trained with Diósgyöri for 3 weeks, I have played 3 games and I feel good. I am not ready for 100% yet, but I am sure that before the spring round starts, everything will be alright.

Lech always plays under pressure. INEA Stadium has the highest frequency in Poland, and therefore the expectations are high as well. Are you ready for it?

When I played for Newcastle, 45-50 thousand people came to watch our team play. In case of Roda it was about 15 thousand. In Hungary usually 8-9 thousand people came to support us. It was a great frequency as for my country. The pressure is always the same and the footballer's job is to deal with it and play as good as possible.

What goals have you set for yourself while you play for Lech?

I want to play as many games as possible in as long period of time as possible. This is my main goal, but obviously it's linked to the team playing better and better and with each one of us becoming an even more valuable player. Trophies? Probably I will be the first one to cry if we win one. It will be a great team success, and I have been here only for a day, so all I want to do now is to win a place in the starting lineup and play in every match. If I succeed doing so, I will prove myself and others that I am a good footballer.