László Simon has joined the professional staff of DVSC, who among other things, can be a great help in the day-to-day work during the transfer window, through his active involvement in selection and analysis processes.
The young, but already experienced, 36-year-old professional has previously supported the work of Sajóvölgye Focisuli, the DVTK Football Academy and the first team of Kazincbarcika. In 2022, he joined the analytical staff of the Hungarian national team, where he faces challenges at the highest level. At the national team, he is also responsible for scouting opponents, primarily analyzing rivals’ set pieces, corners and free kicks.
– I’m from Kazincbarcika and as a coach, I’ve worked my way up the ranks. I’ve been part of head coach Marco Rossi’s staff for three years now. I’ve had the chance to take part in a European Championship as well, experiencing what it’s like to work under great pressure, in big stadiums, alongside professional players. Last year’s promotion to NB I with Kazincbarcika was also a milestone in my life, and then several clubs approached me during the winter. In case of DVSC, I felt that the club truly wanted me to join Loki, which was extremely appealing. Since I was born in the north-eastern region, there was no question which team I would choose. Loki’s history and philosophy also convinced me that I want to be part of this project; everything predestines the club to belong to the elite of Hungarian football – László Simon told dvsc.hu.
The 38-year-old Ádám Bogdán has become the sporting director of DVSC. The 21-time capped former goalkeeper completed the sporting director programme at the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Business School in England, thus, joining the Loki family with a high-level qualification. He also has ties to Debrecen as his grandfather grew up in the city, while his grandfather’s sister worked at the university here, so Ádám often visited Debrecen as a child. Welcome to Debrecen again, welcome to Loki!
During his outstanding career, Ádám Bogdán gained extensive experience in British football. At a young age, he signed his first professional contract with Vasas, before moving to England at the age of 19 to join the first-division team of Bolton Wanderers. Over the years, he played for Bolton and Crewe, he was signed by Liverpool in 2015, and later also saved the goal of Wigan and the Scottish Hibernian. In total, he made 123 league appearances in the Premier League and the Championship, in addition to featuring in numerous cup matches. After returning home, he won three league titles and a Hungarian Cup with Ferencváros. Following his retirement, he worked at the Hungarian Football Federation, where he was responsible for liaising with youth international players based abroad and their clubs. More recently, he has also worked as a professional commentator for the M4 sports channel.
– We welcome Ádám, a highly qualified professional to the Loki family – someone, who understands our club’s values, fully embraces its philosophy and possesses a modern approach to football along with international experience. He speaks English fluently, and in addition to working independently in his role as a sporting director, he will also serve as an excellent link between our English owner’s professional staff and the experts in Debrecen. Our shared goal is the structured development of DVSC Football Academy’s young players and their integration to the first team of Loki. It is an honour to have him among us, we warmly welcome him and wish him a lot of success together with us! Hajrá, Loki! – said managing director Balázs Makray about the sporting director.
Ádám Bogdán also talked about his principles and plans in his interview for dvsc.hu. – When DVSC approached me, I immediately felt that neither side could have found a more ideal situation for working together. Now, the club has an English owner and I have spent many years in that football environment. I lived essentially just ten minutes from the region where Stockport is located, spending at least 10-11 years in that area. I know and love that football culture and that football “language”. At the same time, I am naturally very familiar with the Hungarian football environment as well. As a result, this is a fusion that feels tailored for me – a meeting point of the English and Hungarian football – said the sporting director, who also went on to speak about specific plans.
— The most important thing is to keep as many of our valuable assets, our key players as possible during the transfer window, while at the same time being able to improve the quality where necessary. We are in a good position as the coaching staff and the team did an excellent job in the first half of the season. We are heading into the spring from a strong position in the league, which provides a great platform for performing well in the remaining part of the season. Many things are working well in Debrecen. The foundation of my football philosophy is work, built around developing local, homegrown young players and helping them progress into the first team, with the ultimate peak of potentially participating in international cups. This has a strong tradition in Debrecen and I see it as a wonderful challenge. That is what we want to achieve again — naturally, while recognising that there have always been, and always will be players that arrive from the “outside” and can also add value. One of the attractive factors about Debrecen was that all the foundations are already in place here and it is a functioning model, one that can be built upon and meaningfully enhanced. The club’s new owner and professional staff share this way of thinking — we see things in the same way — so there is nothing standing in the way of embarking on this journey together.
Ádám Bogdán will join the team soon in the training camp in Turkey.
A significant change has taken place in the ownership of Debreceni VSC.
Following share purchase agreements concluded over recent months, together with an increase in registered share capital, STOTT CAPITAL HUNGARY Kft. has acquired a controlling majority interest in DVSC Futball Zrt.
As part of this transition, the Board of Directors has been expanded to seven members, each appointed for a two-year term. The Board of Directors of DVSC Futball Zrt. is now comprised of:
Mark Stott (Chairman)
Simon Wilson
Jonathan Vaughan
Gavin Bailey
Dr. Zoltán Bács
Miklós Szabó
Balázs Ticz
Commenting on the investment, Jonathan Vaughan, on behalf of Stott Capital, said:
“Debreceni VSC is a club with a proud history, an incredible supporter base, and a clear opportunity within Hungarian and European football. We become owners with immense respect for that history and with a long-term mindset.
“Importantly, it is very much business as usual at the club. In the months ahead, we will work closely with the club’s leadership to develop clear, long-term plans focused on stability, talent development, and infrastructure, building a future that supporters can believe in, on and off the pitch.”
Stott Capital is the family office of Mark Stott. It operates as a long-term investment business with experience across sport, infrastructure, and a broad range of urban living and hospitality investments and operations across the UK and Europe. Its sports portfolio includes Stockport County Football Club in England, The Pro Football Academy — the largest football coaching organisation in Europe — and F2, one of the world’s leading football media platforms, with a global audience of more than 30 million followers.
On Tuesday morning, Loki will set off for Turkey, where the team will begin the preparation for the spring season of the 2025/2026 championship. The squad will travel from Debrecen to Liszt Ferenc International Airport, from where it will continue its journey to Belek, the venue of the two-week training camp.
According to the plans, DVSC will play three friendly matches against prestigious opponents. On January 11, Loki will face 14-time Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda, on January 15, OFK Beograd — currently 9th in the Serbian top division and a one-time league winner — and on January 19, our team will play against Maribor, who are currently 3rd in the Slovenian top flight and 16-time champions.
The travelling squad: Ádám Varga, Donát Pálfi, Benedek Erdélyi – goalkeepers, Erik Kusnyir, Dorde Gordic, Dénes Szakál, Dávid Patai, Noel Asztalos, Adrian Guerrero, Fran Manzanara, Yacouba Silue, Josua Mejias, Donát Bárány, Vyacheslac Kulbachuk, Bence Batik, Dominik Kocsis, Máté Kohut, Victor Camarasa, Amos Youga, Márk Szécsi, Tamás Szűcs, Botond Vajda, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Gergő Tercza, Alex Bermejo, György Komáromi, Ádám Lang, Julien Dacosta, Maximilian Hofmann, Flórián Cibla, Soma Szuhodovszki – outfield players.
DVSC had an excellent autumn season, with our team going into the winter break in 4th place, just four points behind the leader of the league, Győr. Loki managed to secure victories away against Ferencváros, Puskás Akadémia and Nyíregyháza, scored five goals against Újpest and delivered plenty of outstanding performances.
Some of these were also recognised by the Hungarian sports media: according to M4 Sport, our goalkeeper Ádám Varga was selected for the Autumn Team of the Season, while based on the ratings of Nemzeti Sport, Balázs Dzsudzsák earned a place in the dream team. In the sports daily’s overall ranking of outfield players, our captain finished 4th, Donát Bárány 9th and Tamás Szűcs 12th.
Dear fans, players, staff and the entire club family!
As Christmas approaches, I want to speak to you not only as the president, but as someone that feels deep pride and gratitude for this club. This year has been a journey of sacrifice, passion and belief. Together, we have faced challenges, celebrated victories, and shown once again what it truly means to wear these colors.
Football is more than results and trophies. It is identity, unity and emotion. It is the joy of our supporters in the stands, the dedication of our players on the pitch and the hard work of everyone behind the scenes, who gives their heart every single day.
Being at the top of the league is not just a position in the table – it is a reward for your faith, your loyalty and your unwavering support. In difficult moments, you never stopped believing and that strength pushed the players forward.
At Christmas, we are reminded of values that define us: respect, humility, solidarity, sacrifice and hope. Let us carry these values into the new year, with the same hunger, the same unity and the same dream.
Merry Christmas,to all the Clubs in NBI, NBII and NBIII and to all the Hungarians fans of this amazing sport. Dear Fans, on behalf of the Club, I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas, full of peace, joy and health. Thank you for standing with Loki yesterday, today, and always.
The owners and management of DVSC expressed their gratitude to the club’s sponsors, supporters, business and professional partners, as well as skybox renters for their support, and wished them a Merry Christmas and successful New Year on Tuesday evening at the annual Christmas dinner, held at the Nagyerdei Stadium.
At the event, László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, Ike Thierry Zaengel, chairman of the Board of Directors of DVSC Futball Zrt., and managing director Balázs Makray also addressed the participants, who once again demonstrated their deep commitment. Everyone agreed that the DVSC family is capable of overcoming any obstacle through unity.
DVSC has been supporting the Foundation for Children with Leukemia for a long time and this year is no exception. On December 16, our club’s donations, primarily toys, were handed over to children currently undergoing treatment at the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department of the Clinical Center of the University of Debrecen.
The event was attended by Viktor Papp, municipal representative, who also made a donation, as well as Ike Thierry Zaengel, chairman of the board of DVSC Futball Zrt., and players, such as Dominik Kocsis, Donát Pálfi, Erik Kusnyir and Soma Szuhodovszki.
In the 17th round of Fizz Liga, DVSC secured a valuable victory with Donát Bárány’s goal at the home of the title defender Ferencváros. Several members of our team delivered an outstanding performance.
Thus, at csakfoci.hu, Josua Mejías is among the best players of the week, while Sergio Navarro has been chosen as the best coach of the round and György Komáromi as the best substitution. At M4 Sport, Ádám Lang, Josua Mejías and Tamás Szűcs were included in the team of the round, and the best coach of the week was Sergio Navarro. Nemzeti Sport named Ádám Lang and Donát Bárány among the best players. Congratulations to our head coach and our players!
DVSC faced the toughest challenge on this cold Sunday in December, playing at the home of the title defender Ferencváros, who have been unbeaten in the Europa League. Our team was supported by 1000 Loki fans. Among the starting XI were Josua Mejías, Bence Batik and Dorde Gordic. Tamás Szűcs was also able to return to the pitch after recovering from a concussion.
At the very beginning of the match, Loki tried to stop their opponent with high pressing and ball possession and succeeded to do so. In the 6th minute, Soma Szuhodovszki got injured and Donát Bárány came on to substitute him. In the 10th minute, Alex Tóth shot over the goal from 20 meters. Not long after, Gróf saved the close-range shot of Batik.
DVSC played well and was an equal opponent of the title defender. In the 22nd minute, Julien Dacosta missed the target. FTC had more possession of the ball, but the could not reach the target. In the 40th minute, Joseph unleashed a powerful shot, which went over the goal, then in the 44th minute, Ádám Varga made a brilliant save to deny Barnabás Nagy’s attempt. Balázs Dzsudzsák shot wide off the goal, thus, no goals were scored until the break. However, our team showed a good performance.
There were no major chances at the beginning of the 2nd half, but in the 51st minute, Tamás Szűcs shot just wide off the goal. In the 56th minute, Donát Bárány found himself in a one-on-one opportunity, but Gróf made a save. In the last 30 minutes, FTC tried to change the course of the game with substitutions, but still could not gain the upper hand over Loki.
During the endgame, Balázs Dzsudzsák felt some pain his legs, and Álex Bermejo and György Komáromi came off the bench. DVSC took the lead in the 74th minute! After a pass from Komáromi, Donát Bárány turned towards the goal inside the penalty area and fired into the net from 10 metres (0–1). In the final moments DVSC greatly defended their lead and, fighting hard, secured an extremely valuable victory. This was the sixth win in Loki’s history away against Ferencváros and the second one at Groupama Arena. Well done, guys!
The next match will be against Kisvárda at Nagyerdei Stadium.
According to the coach
Robbie Keane: We made stupid mistakes. We had more chances in the 2nd half, but could not score.
Sergio Navarro: The most important thing is that we could make our fans happy. Winning at the home of FTC is tough, but we managed to do so. I’m satisfied with my team’s performance.
Fizz Liga, round 17.
FTC-DVSC 0-1 (0-0).
Groupama Arena, 10 657 spectators. Referee: Berke B.
FTC: Gróf – Cisse, Raemaekers, Szalai G. – Romao (Ötvös, 46., Gruber, 80.) – Cadu (Makreckis, 61.), Tóth A., Levi (Kanichowsky, 61.), Nagy B. – Joseph (Yusuf, 61.), Varga B. Head coach: Robbie Keane.
As DVSC has validated its option right, Donát Bárány’s contract has been prolonged for one more year, until the summer of 2027. The excellent homegrown player of Loki was the runner-up last year in the Hungarian league’s top scorer list, while this season, he has already scored 6 goals. — I will continue to help the team with maximum effort in order to succeed – said the 25-year-old striker to dvsc.hu.
DVSC, which has been performing well, hosted Puskás Akadémia, a team of considerable strength on Saturday afternoon at Nagyerdei Stadium. Tamás Szűcs, who has suffered a concussion in Nyíregyháza, could not play, but Dorde Gordic and Flórián Cibla were among the starting XI.
The match began with a minute of silence in memory of two former players. Ernő Tóth, aged 68, has passed away, the hero of the 1979 promotion match against Nyíregyháza. In that memorable encounter, Loki defeated their arch-rival 2–1 in front of 28,000 spectators, thereby returning to the top division after 15 years. The winning goal was scored by Ernő Tóth from a penalty, forever inscribing his name in the golden book of Debrecen football. Altogether, he wore the Debrecen jersey in 71 NBI and 70 NBII league matches, scoring 22 goals. Another former player, Zoltán Kovács, has also passed away at the age of 66. Kovács played for Loki in 1984 and later in the ranks of Debreceni Kinizsi. We preserve the memory of our former players!
DVSC has once again joined the traditional chocolate-collection campaign launched by BAGE to support disadvantaged children. The collected donations were symbolically handed over by managing director Balázs Makray to Lajos Buzás, the representative of BAGE.
Debrecen was dominating at the beginning, but Puskás had a clear-cut chance in the 3rd minute, but Lukács missed the target. et. Overall, it was a tight tactical battle on the pitch, with no major opportunities. In the 22nd minute, Balázs Dzsudzsák shot wide off the goal, while at the other end the visitors, were stopped several times by offside. However, there was no offside in the 36th minute, when Zsolt Nagy broke through one-on-one and converted the chance, with Ádám Varga only managing to get a hand to the ball (0–1).
At the beginning of the second half, Loki was attacking, and in the 50th minute, Szappanos made a brilliant save to deny Balázs Dzsudzsák’s 23-metre free kick. The atmosphere began to heat up, with more and more duels on the pitch. During this period the Debrecen goal seemed to be coming; Donát Bárány entered the field, later followed by György Komáromi, Márk Szécsi and Pape Sissoko.
In the final third of the match DVSC tried everything in order to equalize, but could not do so, thus, the team left without points. The next match will be on Sunday away against Ferencváros.
According to the coach
Sergio Navarro: We knew we were playing against one of the best teams. In the second half we played better football, had chances and could have been awarded a penalty. We could have won the match — we definitely deserved more. In any case, we will analyse the mistakes, learn from them and keep working.
Zsolt Hornyák: These three points are very valuable, it was a difficult match. We could have decided the game in the first half, but after the break DVSC put huge pressure on us, and they were close to the equalizer. We will need better finishing in the future.
Fizz Liga, round 16.
DVSC-Puskás Akadémia 0-1 (0-1).
Nagyerdei Stadium, 4767 spectators. Referee: Zierkelbach P.
