Henrik Bjordal signs.
Image by: Paul Hazlewood
PUBLISHED
06:00 28th January 2016
by James Hilsum
If I was going to leave my former club it would have had to be something special."
Henrik Rorvik Bjordal
New Brighton & Hove Albion winger Henrik Rorvik Bjordal admits the opportunity to join the club was too big to turn down, after arriving from Norwegian side Aalesunds FK.The 18-year-old signed a deal with Albion until June 2018 and fulfilled a life-long ambition to play in England.Henrik Rorvik Bjordal
He told seagulls.co.uk, “If I was going to leave my former club it would have had to be something special. When I heard about Brighton and their plans for me, it was a really easy choice to come here.
“It’s a club with a big plan for the future and one that’s fighting near the top of the Championship. All the facilities here means that it’s ready for the Premier League.
“I have always followed English football since I was a kid and it’s been a dream of mine to play in England. I have that opportunity now.
“Liverpool was my favourite team growing up, so John Arne Riise was a big player for me. English football is big in Norway, so this was a great chance for me to come here.”
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Bjordal admits that he will have to bide his time before breaking into the Albion first team and is expected to initially be part of the under-21s squad.“I had a bit of a pre-season in Norway and I really hope to help the team with my qualities. Hopefully I can contribute with assists and goals.
“The manager has been following me. He knows all my skills and a lot about me. He says I have to patient; I’m only 18 and can’t expect to go straight into the team. I just have to show that I’m good enough in training.
“I have played a lot of first-team football in Norway. I played around 60 matches in the top league, but playing in the Championship is very tough.”
The winger is expecting the game in England to be faster paced than he is used to, but is now eager to test himself in a different style of football.
“The tempo is the biggest difference. England probably has the highest tempo of football in the world. It’s a good league and there are some brilliant players here. I’m looking forward to getting started.”
[h=3]ALBION V BRENTFORD
[/h] FRIDAY 5TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V BOLTON WANDERERS
[/h] SATURDAY 13TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]ALBION V LEEDS UNITED
[/h] MONDAY 29TH FEBRUARY, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
Original article