Playing for his home club in the top division—Emil Bergholt had that opportunity with Skjern Håndbold. Now the pivot has transferred to SG Flensburg-Handewitt. Our editorial team spoke with the 28-year-old.
Emil, did the move to Flensburg go well? What are your first impressions?
Emil Bergholt: We really packed a lot of boxes, but everything went smoothly. Since July 1, I’ve been living with my wife and my two young children on the outskirts of Flensburg. It’s a new city for us, since it’s been many years since I’ve actually been in Flensburg. But it seems like a nice place to live. You hear a lot of Danish spoken here, too.
At SG, you’ll now be seeing a lot of familiar faces. Have you played with anyone at the club level before?
Emil Bergholt: Yes, there are a lot of Danes here whom I know from the national team. But I don’t really want to speak too much Danish, since I want to improve my German quickly. It’s been a while since I was in school, but I’m already trying to speak as much German as possible. I haven’t played with any of my new teammates at the club yet, but I know Benjamin Burić from Skjern, since he often visits his twin brother Senjamin there.
How many times have you played against SG? And how many times have you been to “Hölle Nord”?
Emil Bergholt: Actually, I’ve never played against SG. Thirteen years ago, I went to a home game once. Back then, Thomas Mogensen, Lasse Svan, Tobias Karlsson, and Michael Knudsen were playing. Then I was there again last November for the game against Hamburg. I’m already looking forward to experiencing that atmosphere on the court during our home opener against Eisenach.
Johannes Golla has left the club. You’re one of the two new pivot players. What do you think about the big shoes the SG legend has left to fill?
Emil Bergholt: Those are certainly big shoes to fill. But I’m Emil, and I’ll bring my own strengths to the table. The priority at this club is clear: We play to win.