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He was rejected by level four clubs in Norwegian football two seasons ago. Henrik Udahl is now the hottest striker in the OBOS league and is the top scorer before the meeting with Lillestrøm.
The 23-year-old from Eidsberg has had a tortuous path to success at the second highest level.
He has gone from life on the bench and rejection by lower-division clubs to being on everyone’s lips in the OBOS league season run.
– Very few have believed in “Project Udahl”, says the main character himself to Nettavisen.
Rejection after rejection
The Åsane forward has had an excellent season for the newly promoted team, but his career hasn’t always gone well.
– I’ll be so honest that not long ago I gave myself the ultimatum to continue with the bet, or just give me football. We had moved with Fana to the 3rd division and things were looking pretty dark.
– Was it the first option?
– Yes, simply. I decided to move on and lived well as an elite player at level four. He set me up as a personal trainer, mental trainer and nutritionist, and it should turn out to pay off, he continues.
For that season, Udahl scored goals for the Bergen team, eventually stopping at 26 goals in 23 games, but didn’t get into better-team deals for that reason.
– I felt ready to try one and two levels, but the contract offers did not materialize. I was turned down by 2nd division clubs and OBOS, and the message was that, among other things, “I could only score goals”. Something that was possibly true at that stage of his career.
– Clubs called on your own
The 23-year-old also had an agent who couldn’t find a higher-level club, so Udahl took matters into his own hands.
– In the end, I started calling the clubs myself, and finally had a chance to try my luck in Åsane’s training. I trained with them for a while and fought for a one-year contract.
– There was no immediate success there either?
– No, I sat on the bench a lot the first season and got a lot of short innings. My goal per minute of play, however, was good, I also finished the season well. Then I had a new one-year contract in question.
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The OBOS top scorer also hadn’t planned a place in the starting lineup this season, but injuries gave Udahl a chance in training matches.
– It was a hat trick in the first training match and I felt good. Then came the pandemic, and when we returned, the situation was quite similar. The competitor had problems with injuries and I was training like crazy.
– Do you feel stronger mentally after all the adversity?
– Absolutely. I have learned to take responsibility for my own development and have been in “shit” since the time in Vålerenga. My career has really been a big rejection, until this year. I think there are many who would have given up if they had been in the same situation, he says.
SCORED FOR VÅLERENGA: Henrik Udahl played for the capital’s club from 2013 to 2016. Here, from the scoreboard in a cup match against Løten.
Photo: Terje Bendiksby (NTB)
– It is ready for the Elite Series
Udahl singles out Åsane’s assistant coach Sindre Tjelmeland as the most important person in his development this season. Tjelmeland himself believes that the top scorer is ready for more important tasks.
– We know that Henrik is an extreme scorer, but what gives me the certainty that he levels up in the Elite Series are the steps he has taken in the game in general. Both in positioning, with the ball and in defense, he has risen enormously in the last year. He’s ready for the Eliteserien, Tjelmeland tells Nettavisen.
– Will you try to retain him, even if he has an outgoing contract?
– Like all our players who maintain a high level, we want to maintain them. Henrik has developed enormously and then it is our job to let him go to the level he belongs to, he concludes.
National and foreign interest
With the good performances, interest in the top scorer has also grown, but if Udahl himself is to be believed, nothing concrete has come to the table.
– It is clear that my name is mentioned more often now that I score a lot of goals, but it is still not something entirely concrete. Clubs from the Elite Series, Sweden, Denmark and some from the Middle East have been mentioned.
– What do you see for yourself?
– My goal is to become a full-time professional, because now I study full-time together with soccer. The elite series is a natural step forward, so the question is what kind of club you want to join. Should I go for a club where I go straight to the team, or a better club where there is a tougher battle for places?
Finally he takes the opportunity to give a little message to the players who feel that the opportunities are over in their careers.
– I think clubs drop talents too quickly. This can be seen in the Elite Series players, because there are many who have come the “long” road. If it had been a system for the B teams, things could have been a bit different, as they do in England. Then it would have been easier to keep the talents in a critical period, concludes Udahl.
Henrik Udahl and his Åsane travel to Åråsen for Sunday’s game in the OBOS league. The match is important for both teams, where LSK is fighting for promotion and Åsane is on track to qualify for the Elite Series.
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