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Dr. Sárosi, 1947: Comments on football levels

Author: Isaque Argolo | Creation Date: 2022-03-27 13:34:36

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In November 1947, Dr. György Sárosi, who was still playing for Ferencváros and was much appreciated by football fans, was asked if he could write an article regarding the state of Czech, Hungarian and European football in general. Dr. Sárosi was very happy to comply. He gave his opinion on systems, players, level of football in this interesting article: The WM system is evil... Dr. György Sárosi | 27/11/1947
Over the last eight years, Hungarian and all European football has been going through a severe crisis. This statement can be explained by the fact that there is not enough good players.
More precisely, the old Internationals have left, and their successors certainly cannot replace them. Nowadays, the modern way of playing, the WM system, comes to the fore. They are celebrating triumphs in France, Yugoslavia and elsewhere, but I say one thing: this way is only a substitution. It is used only because today no players are born who would be able to put the right magic into football, which once actually made this sport the most popular in the world. Today's generation, I'm only talking about the Hungarians now, lacks what we drive to win matches. Wit, technique and the art of adapting to the opponent, whatever it was. WM system has no future.
It is an emergency evil, but at the same time I will kill good players if one finally appears. Today, the WM system is mostly played in Hungary, and we in Ferencváros also practice it. Why? We have no good footballers who would be able to continue an old, long-standing tradition. Our football is in decline and there is not the slightest hope that the pre-war years could return. I saw your teams Sparta and Slavia play in Budapest. I still know them very well from the pre-war era, I have played against them many times and I can tell you with a clear conscience: the teams that came to Budapest, even though they did not play badly, were just the shadow of the teams we once admired and envied you from the bottom of our hearts. I can't understand well enough that you, who still have a lot of Old School International in your ranks and who base your game mainly on your technical maturity, have been reduced by praticeing "modern" systems, which I do not suit you in any way. I often and immensely remember such players as Silný, Burgr, Čambal and the others. When a person played against them, he took something good for himself from each match and remembered fondly, despite the fact that these old practitioners managed to send us home many times with a good goal.
You are far ahead of us in Czechoslovakia today and I would advise you sincerely: Leave all debates about the systems and play your Czech football as before. First of all, WM is not well controlled, and then, your players today have no prerequisites for this way of playing.
Next year, the national teams of Hungary and Czechoslovakia are to compete. In this match, despite being played in Budapest, in my opinion we only have very low hope.
The national team of Hungary, as played in the last matches, is not a homogeneous whole! We have very good shooters, but no one to give them a chance. We lost against Austria in Vienna unfortunately and wrong tactics in the second half.
Today, I consider the inside right Szusza of Ujpest to be the best Hungarian player. Good technician, fast and unique shooter. The second is Puskás, the inside left of Kispest. I remember Czechoslovakia.
I have always played well with you, I believe that I will still have the opportunity to play at the Letná stadium.