[FM23] The Secret Diary of Anton Nagain, Aged 36 ¼ - Book 1: Making The Kalls In Budapest - MTK Budapest FC

[Deisler26]

Injuries are the bane of my life

[anagain]

April 2026 - Three To Go And It's In Our Hands

I reckon that title probably gives it away but, yes, we won our April games. Ferencvaros did, too. There's stil a nine point gap between us and the reigning champions though. We would have to lose our final three games to lose this title.

There is one bit of news that I'd like to bring to your attention. Ante Majstorovic has decided to call it a day after sustaining ligament damage. At 32, Ante didn't believe he would ever be the same player. Thank you for your service, Ante.

I recalled Attila Szujo from his loan at Szeged and he has been fantastic for us. He even scored against Mezokovesd.

Let's get to the results though, shall we?

 

OTP Bank Liga

We're in great form right now, winning all but one game in April comfortably. Only Nyiregyhaza gave us a scare.

I want to get this season finished asap so I'll be a bit briefer than usual. 

Kisvarda and Paks were dispatched with relative ease at home in the first few days of the month. We've really found a knack of burying great crosses with powerful headers of late, and Dorian Babunski was in great form against Kisvarda, finishing with a brace of which one was just such a goal as I described. The win over Paks was a team affair that came after a slow start, Deminguet opening with a lovely long ranged finish and Kabongo Kasongo banging in another header from a peach of a cross from Cedric.

Nyiregyhaza tested us by twice getting goals back to narrow the elad we had accumulated. It was Kasongo's turn to get a brace in this game. Babunski wasn't letting his strike partner get the most braces in April though, as he banged in another two goals in a 4-0 demolition of Mezokovesd. We then ended the month with a safe win on the shores of Lake Balaton that possibly edged Siofok closer to relegation.

The press had bigged up the race for the title just before the Mezokovesd game with a big news story. We were determined not to let our grasp slip though.

And here's the table, with three games left. Yes, we're guaranteed Europe too.

 

Next...

Those three games?

Fehervar and ZTE are both competing for European places so this certainly won't be easy. Lose the first two games and it will be a nervous tie against Fradi. Surely our goal difference will be enough though.

Let's just get on with the action!

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by anagain

[anagain]

Saturday, May 2nd 2026 - Final One

I'm going to be a big tease and do these three matches one by one. That is, of course, until we win the league. If we do.

We travel south, past Lake Balaton to Zalaegerszeg for a game against a team we've often struggled against. ZTE.

 

ZTE vs MTK Budapest, ZTE Arena, Zalaegerszeg

I won't lie. There were some nerves on the bus as we travelled south west. My scouts had done their work and I was settled on my preferred 4-2-3-1 for the tie. When we got to the stadium things changed and my scouts told me they felt they had things wrong. Queue a hasty switch to match them up with a good old fashioned 4-4-2. It was bad news for Artur Horvath and Mark Kovacsreti, but Kasongo would be in up front and Balint Szabo out wide. Balint is not a huge fan of playing a deeper right wing role but I told him I had every faith in his ability to play there. "For the team, Balint!"

It didn't start well and we found oruselves 2-0 down after just 25 minutes. We looked nervous and ZTE punished us with quick and incisive football and an advantage in the air over my defence. I thought Michael Phaeton was offside for the second goal but the VAR disagreed.

I urged the lads forward to try and get a goal before half time. Enter Jessy Deminguet. Finding himself wide right, Jessy picked up the ball and cut inside. Rather than pass our French midfielder bamboozled the ZTE keeper with a powerful blast in to the far corner of the goal. Game on!

By half time it was 2-2, and we'd be champions if we kept it that way. We were all out attack to get the equaliser now and Deminguet once more took hold of the game. Picking the ball up in midfield, Deminguet fed Davitashvili on the edge of the box. The Georgian swivelled, made room for himself and let loose a fierce drive that squirmed through the keeper's hands and in to the back of the net. 2-2!

At half time I assured the lads we could hold this score. The title was still in our hands and we should go make it so. There was another twist though, and it was our arch nemesis, Christy Mazinga. I really should buy that guy. The press like to remind me he scores often against us.

This time was I was positive Phaeton was offside, but VAR called it that he beat our line. Clear in front of goal, Phaeton fed the also clear Mazinga for 3-2. We had to do it all again. I wasn't happy at that defending though. 26 minutes to find an equaliser.

We were back in attack mode again but things weren't working so I had changes in the works. Kongolo, unlike him, was having a nervy game and Kasongo was not having a great day up front. On would come Lehoczky and Barkoczi.

They never got on though. Deminguet again. The French midfielder burst in to the box, got to the byline and put across a perfect ball for Kasongo to get a toe to. 3-3!

I didn't need a winner. I couldn't take the nerves of them getting another goal. Shutting up shop was the order of the day for the last twenty-eight minutes. Wholesale changes, slow the game down, waste time, get a foot in. Ironically this would be one of the few games this season in which we didn't get a booking.

I can't stretch this out any longer...

Rodney Kongolo raises the trophy aloft!

What a game!!

And a boost to our budget!

 

I couldn't not post that tonight. I need a break from FM for the rest of the evening. I will aim to get the season done tomorrow but I am taking an extended break and probably won't get much chance, if any, to play FM before FM24 is released.

I am visiting Budapest in September and I plan to visit the stadium of the mighty MTK. Unforetunately, my visit does not correspond with any home games but it will be nice to see a ground I have looked at on Google Maps so many times in all its glory. I will post any pics here.

I might go and visit the home of our rivals too.

I am going to make a real effort to catch up with all the wonderful stories on this forum that I haven't had time to read. If I can't play FM then why not read about it.

 

I am hoping the MTK Budapest story can continue in FM24. Let's hope the new save transition mechanic works right.

 

 

[anagain]

Just A Bit Of Tidy Up

I don't have a lot of time to do an extensive write up but I wanted to post some player stats and the final league table.

OTP Bank Liga

The final three fixtures were a nervy affair. Enough has been said about the ZTE game but we had another dodgy performance against ten-man Fehervar, twice going behind. We ended the season with a nice win against Fradi.

Ferencvaros had a bad May after all that nervousness and we topped the table by a nice 14 points, losing just once all season.

Fradi, ZTE and Fehervar were the other teams to make Europe next season.

Siofok and Paks went straight back down to the second tier. It is already set that Dorog and Szeged-GA will replace them in the OTP next season. Interestingly, the old enemy Haladas are a game away from relegation to the third tier.

 

OTP Bank Liga Player Awards

 

MTK Budapest - Season Player Stats - 2025/2026

Won't include Ante Majstorovic. Ante made 9 appearances, scored 1 goal and gained an average rating of 7.06 before injury forced retirement.

 

That leaves things in a nice place if I don't ever manage to get back to this save. I honestly am thinking I may just miss FM24, if that save transition thing doesn't work, and carry on with FM23. We'll see.

Hilariously, I just finished the season review and had my end of season team meeting. Told the lads we were coming back to defend our title.

They were annoyed, thinking it too much. You just won the title, you plonkers!!!

What a way to end a season!

[anagain]

I have an update for folks, whilst I have a cuppa in a Budapest Starbucks.

 

It has been a while since anything was told concerning the story of Anton Nagain and his time at MTK Budapest. I now have an update. It's not gameplay, but real life.

I recently posted of a trip to Koper and Stadium Bonifika, the home of FC Koper, another club I have fond memories of in FM circles.

Well, I have now visited MTK Budapest's Hidegkuti Nandor Stadium, although I didn't have the success I had in Koper.

There was no one there. I just managed to get some photos. I had wanted to try and book tickets for MTK's match at Ujpest on the Saturday but I think I may have needed a fan card for that and don't have it.

I did watch the match on TV in my accomodation though. MTK won 2-0!

Here's some photos of the ground.

I didn't get a shirt, like I did at Koper. MTK do have an online shop though. I must see about ordering when I get home.

 

I have more to tell, but I ran out of images Mb. I'll add another post. You'll like what I have to say.

[anagain]

If you have read any of Anton's story you may remember how he and Pandora found a lovely apartment in the cultural epicentre of Budapest. The Opera district, to be precise.

Well, I went to visit the place where the apartment I found on property listings was. The road is Garay utca. It is very near Budapest Keleti railway station and that may account for what I saw.

It is not a luxury area. In fact, when one visits Budapest one realises how far it really is from the Opera! Something you don't get from Google maps. Unless, of course, I had done some proper research.

As soon as I entered Garay utca I was approached by a man who said he had just left prison and wanted some proper food. The best type of beggar.

When I left Garay utca I was approached by a man who said he was from Manchester and was robbed his first night in Budapest. From Coronation Street this man was not! 🤣 I'd wager he'd never been near England, let alone Manchester.

Well, I found the spot where the Google Street view image was. It was next to a shopping precinct with a huge playground! No, really.

Not Pandora's cosmopolitan Budapest, although there was a Lego shop nearby and a discount store!

I'm glad I went with what I went with. It sums Anton up really. And Pandora. They think they're special, but don't really get it right.

I've been in worse areas too. There was a nice park nearby.

I did look up Garay utca and Reddit had mixed opinions. "Just have to be streetwise" was one. Another view mentioned the smell of urine. Another mentioned that it being close to a major train station may say much about the area. *See below, not trying to upset people.

Here are some photos. Note the huge playground.

Budapest is lovely, by the way. It is a beautiful city, especially after night.

I'd recommend a long weekend for anyone. Three or four days in Budapest will see much of the city. Just make sure you go to Margaret Island and see the fountain display after dark.

Sadly, I have run out of room for photos or I'd include some of Budapest. I did try adding from Imgur but things are awkward on mobile.

 

*NB: If anyone lives in the Garay utca neighbourhood please note that I'm joking around. I'm sure it's not so bad.

 

I've had some thoughts about FM24. I don't think I will continue MTK after all. I've been trying to follow the new release teasers, as best one can when living out a rucksack. I think a new career might be best. I am contemplating going Torquay and trying to get them back from the NL South to the big league.

Whatever I do I do know that FM will probably face stiff time competition from CS2 this year.

For anyone that read and enjoyed my story of Anton, or even if you just read, thanks for tuning in. I hope to see you in FM24.