Torbjørn Bergerud: “We are not favourites”

After spending seven years away from Norway, playing for Lugi HF, TTH Holstebro, SG Flensburg-Handewitt and GOG, Norwegian goalkeeper Torbjørn Bergerud returned to his home country with Kolstad Handball. If not for the context of Kolstad's development, some handball fans might have found the move surprising.

Founded in 1972, Kolstad only recently clinched promotion to the Norwegian first league, the Eliteserien, in 2015. They were a middle-of-the-pack team, but after securing proper financial backing in 2021, the wheels were set in motion.

Bergerud, one of the top goalkeepers in European handball, was only one of the first high-profile players to move to Kolstad, who also signed Christian Berge, the former coach of Norway men's senior national team.

Back Vetle Eck Aga and line player Magnus Gullerud also joined the club this summer, as well as the Icelandic pair of centre back Janus Dadi Smarason and right wing Sigvaldi Gudjonsson. The big hitters will come next summer, as backs Sander Sagosen, Gøran Søgard and Magnus Rød, essentially the back line of Norway's men's national team, have confirmed that they will return to their home country.

"The plan is to really put Kolstad on the map and help the team grow in the future to contend for the title in the EHF Champions League. There is also another reason — to help Norway develop handball even further, as we had some very good results in the past years," said Torbjørn Bergerud, who has plenty in his tank for the future.

"Being together here can only improve our status, our chemistry and our game. It will definitely help strengthen Norwegian handball as a whole," continued the 28-year-old goalkeeper.

Of course, Norway are no pushovers and have been flirting with glory in recent years, taking silver medals at the 2017 and 2019 IHF Men's World Championships and sealing the bronze medal at the EHF EURO 2020, where their only loss came in the semi-finals.

Until Kolstad earn a place in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League, they still have plenty to work on. The current squad is a mix of experienced players who joined this summer and talented young Norwegian players who will make their debuts in a European competition.

In fact, the average age of their roster is 25.3 years old, improved by players like Gullerud, Bergerud, Eck Aga and Smarason. Taking out the new transfers, Kolstad's average age drops to only 22.2 years old, which is one of the youngest in qualification phase 1 of the EHF European League Men.

But how does the plan look on the inside, and what exactly is the objective for Kolstad this season in the EHF European League Men?

"It will be difficult to reach the final phases of the competition, that is certain. We are not the favourites, we are not a powerhouse, we are just a team that is trying to do something good and create a base for the future.”

“We are facing a rival from our country in the first round, but things could be more difficult in future rounds. Therefore, we have to stay with our feet on the ground and learn our place. The road is very far ahead,” added Bergerud.

With a 10:0 aggregate loss against Polva Serviti in round 2 of the EHF European Cup Men in the 2020/21 season, when they could not play the tie, Kolstad do not have any history on the court in European competitions.

But Kolstad's ambitions are high, especially as their opponents in qualification 1 round of the EHF European League Men are domestic rivals Drammen HK, who are surely eyeing a win against the new powerhouse.

Drammen have the experience from the last season's EHF European Cup Men, where they suffered a 62:61 aggregate loss against fellow Norwegian side Naerbo IL, who went on to win the trophy.

For Bergerud, the tie will be important, as he will be one of the players who can disrupt the opposition with his crucial saves. Having spent time at sides which played in the EHF Champions League and the EHF European League in the past six seasons, the shot stopper will be crucial.

"There is no pressure as we know our place and we will be trying to build on a healthy basis. The focus is on the next season, on the future, when we would like, of course, to become a powerhouse in the Champions League.”

I think when all the players that have signed for Kolstad come to the team, we will look very, very good. The main thing is to work hard and put us in a place where we grow in a healthy way," added Bergerud.

But what made a 28-year-old goalkeeper, hitting the prime of his career, sign for a project that resembles more of a start-up, rather than a powerhouse?

To summarise it in a single word, it would be home.

"Speaking my mother tongue, talking in Norwegian, being home, it was something I was longing for in the past years. Of course, I have the utmost respect for my previous club, they gave me a lot and I left every one of them on good terms."

"But being here, trying to improve Norwegian handball, helping it grow even further, it was something I could not say no to," concluded the Norwegian goalkeeper.