Tam Courts insists Honved is the right club to take his career forward - even though he’s stepping back in time with the first team he ever saw in the flesh.
Courts shocked Dundee United this week when he quit after a year in charge to make the move to Budapest.
The 40-year-old had guided United back into Europe with a fourth-place finish and had been eyed by Croatian big guns Rijeka.
But after agreeing a two-year deal with Honved the former Tannadice youth supremo is desperate to get to work with a club he saw take on Celtic in Glasgow in 1988.
And he revealed former Dundee United head of tactical performance, Chris Docherty, played a big part in his move.
Courts said: “I’m 40, I have a successful season behind me and this is a good time to experience something new.
“I see this club moving with tremendous energy, so it is an honour for me to have the opportunity to try to reorganise this team.
“I’ve met great, talented people here and I can see the desire in everyone to make the team perform better.
“The most appealing thing in Honvéd was the huge history of the club and the opportunity to take my share of its development.
“Honvéd was the first professional team I saw play live when they played against Celtic in Glasgow in the late eighties.
“There is a great training centre, a beautiful stadium, and I see plenty of potential in this club.
"I’ve met great people here, I can see the desire in everyone to make the team perform better.
“There are clearly very talented people working here and I think if we can achieve unity between the players, the staff and the staff, we are looking forward to a good period on the pitch as well.
“I worked closely with Chris Docherty at Dundee United. The two clubs are similar in many ways, both have great traditions and the role of the academy in the club model is extremely important.
“After working well with Chris at Dundee United, we want to transfer our experience and philosophy there to Hungary and we will do our best to make our work here a success.”
Former Kelty Hearts boss Courts is preparing to move his family over to Hungary and will meet his players for the first time this afternoon.
The club finished ninth last season.
Speaking for the first time since his move, Courts told the Honved website: “If we can achieve unity between the players and the staff, I think we are looking forward to a good period on the pitch as well.
“It is clear that I want to succeed with Honved.
“However, I also know the starting point from which we need to build.
“That’s why my goal in the short term is to find a common voice with people to realise how much opportunity they have in their hands.
“Honved is a big club with a rich past and it is natural that the expectations come with it.
“I respect that, I’m used to it. I’m excited to get to work, and then other things will come.
“Hopefully we will get to a point where we can deliver better performances, and sooner or later better performance will come with better results.
“I want everyone to put their all into this job and it will be inspiring and motivating to make the bond to the club even stronger.”
