Børven burning in Turkey after mental test – VG

– I have not been able to explore the whole world. Then you really have everything you need outside the door, so there is no need to vase around too much. There are five districts here, including a «city center». I do not even know which part I live in, but it is probably 15 minutes to the gym. So it is an “okay” distance, Børven tells VG by phone.

He acquired the apartment, which is located somewhere in Ankara, on the advice of some teammates last autumn. Børven has stayed there ever since.

He describes the first four months as tough, but over the last two months it has loosened up for the former Rosenborg and Odd striker. A total of 10 online acquaintances have helped lift Ankaragücü out of the relegation zone and Børven’s name back into the spotlight – as he was also in connection with this presentation at the end of September:

Special transition

Now the supporters see Børven celebrating goals with his own “coffee” celebration, something he drinks a lot of in Turkey as well. The big upswing comes after the club got rid of two coaches Børven believes were professionally weak.

In February, the 29-year-old got his third boss in just four months, when Hikmet Karaman was hired. The 61-year-old gave Børven confidence immediately, and he has responded by playing big. During the last seven league games, the striker has scored five times. Only seven men in the Süper Lig now have more than Børven’s 10 hits this season.

– It’s nice now. We have got good points after the new coach came. It’s been six or seven games since. It’s been an educational time down here. It has been a mental test.

– In what way?

– Things are not like home. It’s not that organized. It goes on everything from recovery to … The coaches we have had before have not been very professionally good.

– How did you notice that?

– You have a feeling that what you do in training has no meaning. That you only train to train. There has also been little plan of things on match day. Some coaches only play on emotions. They like to say, “If you want to win, you win.” But the last one we have received is professionally good, has a plan for the training and has helped us a lot.

Short time in RBK

Børven became the top scorer in the Eliteserien with 21 goals in 2019, which made Rosenborg bring him from Skien last summer. After only three months in Trondheim, Børven understood that it was still not the right club for him to be in anymore.

– I understood that Åge (Hareide) would bet on Dino (Islamovic). Åge said nothing. There was no communication. And no communication is a communication, that too. I thought I would not waste any time in Rosenborg, says the Øystese guy.

– Is there anything from the RBK period that you still think about a lot?

– No, not really.

– How is the salary level in Ankaragücü compared to the package you had in Rosenborg?

– It is better in Turkey, without it being so careful where much better it is.

Has proven itself

After breaking through in the Eliteserien already as an 18-year-old, Børven already has 12 seasons at the top level. From 2013 to 2017, the striker was in Dutch Twente, without success.

Now Børven is happy to show that he can score goals not only in Norway, but also internationally.

– I wanted to go abroad to test again, after things were not so good in Twente. It’s nice to prove to myself that I can do it.

– You have 10 goals. There are 10 games left. How many goals do you go for in the league?

– If I can get up to 15 goal points … Now I have 11. We have to start there, says Børven.

He notices that Turkish supporters like what they see from him during the day. That the performances can mean interest from even bigger clubs, he chooses not to think too much about right now. After the season, it is the holiday that will be the main focus to begin with.

– It has been going on since December 2019. I must soon have a couple of weeks of relaxation, says the Turks’ number 22.

Last league match is May 16. Then Børven and Ankaragücü will receive Antalyaspor at home at the 20,000-seat Eryaman Stadium – located 28 kilometers west of Ankara city center.

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