This is new territory for Krisztian Nemeth – on both sides of the Atlantic.
Here in the United States., the Hungarian forward is a big reason that Sporting Kansas City are in the finals of the U.S. Open Cup and in position for a fifth straight MLS postseason appearance. And back home in Europe, Nemeth has a chance to help his national team qualify for the continental tournament for the first time since 1972.
It's not easy when club and country duties collide, Nemeth said – but he's getting used to managing those issues as best he can.
“It's a different experience,” Nemeth told MLSsoccer.com by phone on Friday, after rejoining Sporting in Florida ahead of Sunday's away match against Orlando City SC (6 pm CT, FS1). “It's very difficult, but I think now I'm used to it and I don't have a problem with it, the travel and all those kinds of things.
“With two days to prepare for Orlando, I don't think I'm going to have any problem.”
Nemeth has thrived in Kansas City, after his offseason move to Sporting from JC Kerkrade of the Dutch second division. He has eight goals in league play and 12 across all competitions, despite shifting to the wing from his natural center forward spot – and that success led to call-ups from Hungary, a former world power that's finally starting to make some noise again after decades out of the spotlight.
“It's always a good feeling to be playing for your national team,” Nemeth said. “Now we have a very good chance to qualify for the European Cup after a long time, so I was very happy to be able to go home and play. But in the US, you don't have a break like in Europe, so if I go there I miss a few games. So it's difficult, but I think I have proven I can do it.”
Nemeth had to miss just one game – Wednesday's scoreless road draw with Portland – for his recent stint with Hungary, which sit third in Group F after the most recent round of qualifiers. Still there's a seven-hour time difference to overcome between his return and Sunday's date with the Lions.
“Our fitness coach helps me a lot,” Nemeth said. “He'll give me the program on how to sleep, all the small things that can help me a lot. Now, it's only two or three days that I need to change and to feel good.”
And when he goes back to Hungary, Nemeth said, he finds increasing interest in and respect for MLS.
“Everybody knows the league is growing,” he said. “In my country, you can watch all the games. So that's going to help, for sure, to be able to follow the league. It's very positive to play in MLS and to be a part of it.”
And of all the clubs in MLS, Sporting are perhaps the best-positioned to pick up more players from Hungary's re-emergent national side. Manager Peter Vermes is of Hungarian descent and played there professionally, and his former club teammate Istvan Urbanyi – also Nemeth's former youth coach – now coaches in Sporting's youth academy system.
Nemeth isn't the first Hungarian international to play for Vermes. That would be forward Zoltan Hercegfalvi, who scored two goals in 10 games in 2009-2010 but missed most of the 2010 season with a torn ACL.
Nemeth wouldn't mind being the first of a new crop of MLS players from his country, though.
“I hope that happens. We have some good players who can play here, I'm sure,” he said. “We'll see in the future how many Hungarians can come to MLS.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
