Fire coach Erik Hornlund turned down an offer from Hammarby – he loves Bergen

But last fall, an opportunity arose that could change everything. Which could mean that it was not Hornlund who captained Brann in the series opener against Tromsø.

Stockholm Hammarby have considered signing Erik Hornlund.

-For me, being present in a project over time, leaving a larger footprint, is often a sign of quality. This is what I am trying to achieve.

– Have you ever felt like you had to go far to get new energy?

– No, no, no, not at all. There is a lot that has not been accomplished in Bergen. Especially with bringing stability to Bran, says Hornlund.

Erik Hornlund meets VG at Brann Stadion. He will soon begin his third season as Brann's head coach.

From the scandals and crises, there is now talk of a stable and good fire team that will fight at the top.

It was also stable for Erik Hornlund, who truly found peace in Bergen. And now also with his wife, Tyne, who moved to the city at the end of last year.

-You get a better balance in life when you have someone else at home. Then you have different routines than when you are completely alone. “I spend a lot of time at work, but you have something to come home to and a better life balance,” Hornlund says.

– Not a measure of guilty conscience?

-I'm not very good at conscience. I am very selfish and fortunately there are people around me who accept that I am selfish regarding the job I have. In that sense, I'm very lucky.

For Erik Hornlund, football is his passion. Really like it. You can feel it in the coach when he stands at the side of the field and directs his players. Semi-manually, it goes up and down as players receive messages.

A passion that means that even a wife cannot stop thoughts from traveling to Bran, even after the workday is over.

-You get better at changing your focus. If you're alone, you're at work a lot when you're at work and then you come home and continue working. When you have people at home, you have to change your focus. You have to come into and out of work better, says Hornlund.

-So there aren't many football-related thoughts after work?

– It will be, you know, says Hornland, laughing a little to himself.

If football is Hornlund's passion, it also resonates well with Brann and the fans in Bergen. Magnus warmingNew deal last summer from Italian football. He is plagued by injuries, but has shown promising speed when he plays. This winter's price reached into the millions according to the front page of several Bergen newspapers, after performances in practice matches.

Why did Eric Hornlund work here? He has some theories.

– He allowed me to be myself. Take great responsibility and bring my ideas. It fit in very well with the surroundings and those following us. It was a good match. “Then I have a great group of players who take our message seriously,” Hornlund says.

– What attracts you about Bergen?

– It is passion, enthusiasm and pride. Fire means a lot to the people of Bergen. It pushes one to make Bran something the people of Bergen can be truly proud of. I feel like I have something unaccomplished here. “There is no better place for me than Bergen,” says Hornlund.

Since coming to Brann, he has worked with the club's culture. A culture that was tired and worn out after talking so much about nachspiel.

-First and foremost, we hired the right people. So we are very careful about who we receive. We have a good culture at Ban which means they are drawn to that culture straight away. It's about following the standards we have and setting the right requirements. We have to take the lead and take care of our culture, says Hornlund.

-It looks intense. Are you starting to get tired?

– Yes, but you can't relax on holidays either. It's the kind of work you carry with you all the way. You have to try to get the energy with all its might. The group here now and the atmosphere around Rann and Bergen help with energy, says Hornlund.

– Can Bran win gold in 2024?

– No, I don't think we should start going down that road over there. It is possible to over-perform and under-perform. Molde's performance was poor last year. They are likely to come back in full swing. Molde and Budo/Glimt are considered front-runners, and there are many people who want to see if it's possible to fight with them. But Bran is by no means a candidate for gold, says Hornlund.