Myrhol: We have only done what was expected of us

Bjarte Myrhol does not see anything extraordinary about his and his Skjern teammates’ successful start to the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase: “So far, we have only done what was expected of us.”

A four-goal win at home against HCM Baia Mare and a 14-goal victory in the Scandinavian derby away against Elverum Handball Herrer place the Danish team alone at the top of Group D with four points.

“Having four points after the first two matches was our goal from the start and it is what was expected in this group, where more or less all teams seem to be able to defeat one another.

“This was clearly emphasized by the fact that Elverum managed to go to Switzerland and defeat Kadetten Schaffhausen in their first match.

“This is a group, in which it is crucial to win your home matches and then try and get some bonus points away,” Bjarte Myrhol tells ehfCL.com.

So far, he and Skjern got two of those bonus points Sunday in Elverum in a match, where Myrhol’s performance earned him a nomination for the Team of the Week.

Happy in new surroundings

Before this season, he left the German top club Rhein-Neckar Löwen to join Skjern Handbold and move to a town with a population of less than 8000 people in the far west of Denmark.

This means that he is actually playing in the smallest town represented in the Champions League this season.

He is happy with the change though.

“Everything in and around the handball court is just great here. The surroundings and the nature here are wonderful too - we are really happy,” says the 33-year-old Norwegian international who was awarded best line player in the Bundesliga several times during his time with the Löwen.

The level in the Danish league has also been a positive surprise to him, while he is not completely content with his own performances yet.

“I must say that there are plenty of players with a very good level in the Danish league.

“The top of the league does not have the same level as the top of the Bundesliga, of course, but the league is just as competitive, and almost all matches are tight, although there are probably four teams who are a bit stronger than the rest.

“My own performances have been a bit unstable so far though.

“I have to work on that, but I do feel I am making progress,” says Myrhol with what sounds like and understatement considering what he has actually been doing for his new club, not least in the Champions League.

“Nobody expects us to get far”

When it comes to Skjern’s current Champions League campaign, he realises that being placed in Group D, the chances of getting far in the tournament this season, may be limited.

“It is obvious that nobody expects anything from the Groups C and D teams.

“Even if you manage to finish number one or two in your group, you have to go through play-offs in order to reach the Last 16 – and there, you run into number two from either Group A or B.

“It is obvious that these are tough odds, so for the time being, we are simply focusing on being one of the two teams who go on from our group.

“If we achieve that, we will have to see what more we can do from there,” says Bjarte Myrhol.