erik the viking

http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/fotball/ ... 290936.ece

In this link theres an interview with Erik Thorsvedt in a series called "The big interview" from a norwegian site.

I've translated the whole interview if anyone is interested. Sorry if my english's not very good some places.

The big interwiev
We are located in Oslo, photographer Paul Weaver and me. It's early, but so crowded that it is easy to understand that Christmas stress is on the way.

Some days you are looking more forward to the job than other days, and this is one of them.

There are, after all, worse things for a football reporter than to spend an hour with someone who has played 218 games for Spurs and 97 appearances for the Norwegian national team.

- My status in Norway is actually higher than deserved.

Erik Thorstvedt takes a sip of Caffe latte and leans back on the sofa.

As one of the best norwegian goalkeepers of all time - if not the best - he's used to talking about himself, but seems almost embarrassed when he talks about his football career.

- I was at White Hart Lane when Spurs celebrated their 125-year anniversary, and all the stands had been given the same Tottenham flag. When you stand thereout on the pitch and meet the vision, you feel like a part of a family. It is quite delicious, and it is nice to feel the pride that you have for contributing to this, he says.

There are people who will always be associated with certain things. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his final goal against Bayern Munich. Kjetil Rekdal and the penalty against Brazil in Marseille. Oddvår Brå and his broken staff.
And Thorstvedt and Tottenham.

The famous debut
The 1.98 tall man meets Nettavisen in Oslo the same day the snow comes to the capital. He has plenty of time now that the Norwegian Championship is over and yet another season of Match Ball Monday has been carried in style. But free from football, he never takes.

- I have two sons who are fanatical Spurs fans, and we see all the games. Sometimes it is strange to watch TV and think that “ I played in that goal and the goal and I conceded sick many goals in it." It's strange, he said.

He dishes on the sweater and is smiling.

- The brain works in the way that it takes out the things that have gone bad. If you hit 100 golf swings, where 99 is good and one bad, they claim that the brain is concerned with the one bad. As a keeper you remember a lot of what went badly, and I was not the world's best goalkeeper. But it is allowed to feel that you have played there, and that you are still welcome over, says Thorstvedt.

One of those golfswings for Thorstvedt is the famous mistake in his Spurs debut.

"Even the Norwegian Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is more mobile than Erik Thorstvedt."

This is how one of England's largest newspapers summarized Thorstvedts first match for the big English club.

The newspapers dubbed him "Erik the Horrible." His confidence was put to the test. But Thorstvedt rolled up his sleeves, was better than ever and changed people's perception.

"Erik the Horrible" became "Erik the Viking."

- Are you tired of being asked about the mistake you made in your Tottenham debut?

- Sometimes I get asked about it, and then I usually reply that I am actually more tired of the goal wich Per Egil Ahlsen scored in the Norwegian cupfinal. I have a very relaxed attitude towards it today, but there and then it was quite "heavy," he says.
Three games after his debut Tottenham was playing away to Southampton, which had an 18-year-old Alan Shearer on the team. Thorstvedt went out to clear the ball away, but Shearer was a little too fast, so he ended up having to trap him. Today it would have been an obvious penalty, but the ref pulled up the yellow card out of his pocket.

- Had he taken up the red there, I would have been out, and a new goalkeeper would have gotten the chance . There are small margins, says Thorstvedt.

- Take Kristofer Hæstad, for Wigan, for example, who sent that dreadful backpass and never got more chances.


Consolation from a 19-year-old
- How did you react to the criticism you received after the debut?
- It's a mental disasterpsychiatry you need, and you must refrain from reading newspapers. You know for yourself what you have done, and you do not refill from others who will tell you how much you suck. I had to be my own friend, and have positive inner conversations. Unless you are your own friend, who will? I also received good support from the Tottenham gang, he said.
Thorstvedt takes another sip of his latte and thinsk about it. In particular, its one episode that made an impression on "Erik the Viking."
- I remember we had a 19-year-old central defender named Guy Butters. Shortly after the debut was finished, he came up to me. "It is not so that bad. When I played my first game, I scored an own goal, "he said to me.
- I remember it today, and I will remember for the rest of my life. That’s all it takes says Thorstvedt.
The Stavanger-man is still in the limelight, and is currently the host of the successful TV show Match Ball Monday on TV 2, in which he and various guests review the league round with a humorous look
. Thorstvedt laughs
. - Sometimes I wonder whether we really have no boundaries, and perhaps we should tone it down. But it seems that the more crazy it gets, the more people will appreciate it, he says
. - The next is probably beer on the table, but I guess there is a limit, smiles Thorstvedt

Bloopers
The 49-year-old started his career as a TV presenter for TVNorge at the time Royal League still existed. He can still remember his first TV blunder, which eventually became somewhat legendary.
- Sometimes it is funny in a TV studio, when no one is ready and you just run away as if the broadcast had started. Then it's fun to see the reaction of the others, and I went on and it became a running gag. But suddenly it cruelly backfired on myself, because suddenly we were actually on the air. I remember looking straight into the camera and said, "I know you’re just kidding."
More laughter. The atmosphere is good, and photographer Paul Weaver scouring the room looking for best camera angle. Weaver is a Arsenal supporter, but do not use this opportunity to banter to biggest rivals old shotstopperr. Thorstvedt is a man even the hating fans respect.

- What's worse, blunders on the field or in the TV studio?
- There is not much that can compare with the feeling you get after a big mistake on the court. As a goalie, there is a sense of powerlessness. Ok, you can make some good saves and correct the impression, but it is not the same. Looks at the players who score an own goal, they can compensate by running more and tackle harder, but you can not do so as a keeper, he says.
- To this day, when I see goalkeepers make big mistakes, it's like I'm burning up inside. Deep in my soul I feel its hurting. Some coaches treat keepers just like a regular outfield player, but there is a difference. It may sound dramatic, but as a keeper you walk on the edge every time. One centimeter can decide if you become a scapegoat or hero. The margins are insanely small.
- You can not laugh at a big goalkeeper mistake?
- Yes, it can be extremely entertaining and fun if I do not know the goalkeeper and if it is a guy in Japan or something like that, and I have some examples lying on my PC. I like bloopers and things that go wrong, because I think it helps to show how fallible we are. Even players of Barcelona is human, and people do sometimes do stupid things, both on and off the field, and I think that's good to remember, says Thorstvedt.
And he take this opportunity to make a small digression:
-He has managed to win me over, this Balotelli-Dude. After scoring with his shoulder last weekend, Garth Crooks (English football expert) went completely bananas and gave slagged him off, and thought it was stupid to do something like that, he could have been caught for handball and stuff. But hello! That is a great sport and entertainment, and there is an enrichment to have someone who does something like that. And then he stands there with that face afterwards. He has the same facial expression if he is sent of, scores a hat trick, there is no in between, laugs Thorstvedt.

The interaction with the fans
Just as Mario Balotelli, Thorstvedt was a popular man amongst the supporters of all the clubs he played for
In Gothenburg they sang "Erik dance, we want to see," and when they did he constantly had to take a little dance on the pitch. In Tottenham they sang, "Erik, Erik, what's the score," and if the Spurs led by 2-0 he held up two fingers in the air.
. He was on board with the fans.
- I also had this thing, I threw my goalie gloves to the fans when the game was over, says Thorstvedt.
- But it did not always go as planned?
- That's right, it was a pretty sick thing, really. The referee blew his whistle, and I thought the match was over. So I went behind the goal to throw my gloves to the fans. When I threw the gloves into the stands, I saw that people were wild in their faces. When I turn around, I saw that the referee has not blown off the match, but instead gave a free kick to the opposing team. It was tremendous cheering when I first got hold of the ball without gloves. Imagine if they had scored, think about the TV images, he laughs.
- If they had scored when I was behind the goal, I think that it would have been completely over, says Thorstvedt.
He reminisces back and draws parallels to a goalie named Andy Dibble. You've probably seen the TV pictures. Dibble held the ball with one hand when an opponent came from behind and headed the ball out of his hand. He scored, and Dibble was granted his application to join the bloopers videos for life.
-Andy Dibble was never the same again, says Thorstvedt.

Anfield. The best place to visit
After 218 matches in England's top division, you take notice of certain things. One of these is the reception he always was given by the Liverpool fans.
- I do not think there are a bunch of fans who are so fanatical, protective and hurt when it comes to their team as the Liverpool fans, he says, smiling.
- The strange thing is that Anfield was the best place to come to as an opponent. It was the only place where they gave you an applause when you ran into the goal before the match, and after the game they applaused you off the field if you had played a good match. It is possible they have become bitter and withdrawn after that, because they have not won much lately, but I talked to someone who said that it is still like that.

- I think that is a bit cool, he says.
In contrast to the Norwegian leahue, where everything must be family friendly and kind, there is a great contrast to what Thorstvedt experienced in the Premier League. Everyone was not as overbearing as the Liverpool supporters.
-My first away game was against Middlesbrough, and I would go behind the net to retrieve the ball. Then there were ten people that spat on me. Ray Clemence taught me the keeper rule number one, that you had to go backwards to retrieve the ball behind the net, so you did not get hit.
- It is in fact almost all about respect and CV in England. Thorstvedt was fresh and had to work his way to be respected by the football supporters on “the ball island”. So it continued, he said.
- I saw Chelsea playing a game the other day, where David Luiz f*cked up, was pushed away and lost the ball. He did not get a freekick. Had it been John Terry, it would’ve been a free kick, I'm sure of it.

Gazza
The first three months after Thorstvedt had signed for Tottenham, he was lodged in the same hotel as Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne, a notorious partyanimal and clown. It is not something you forget about easily.
-He already had many friends from Newcastle living in his hotel room, and they had a karaoke machine and stuff. The alcohol bill was quite large, and the club paid for it. Just the fact that the club paid the bill says something about the discipline, and that it was very lean. With a little tougher rein and regime, is it possible it could have gone better with him.
One of the most famous stories from Gazzas period in Tottenham, is when he shat in Thorstvedts gloves before trainingone day. Gazza is, in other words, far from the normal persons in this world..
- Were you friends? –
We lived in the same village, but I did not hang out with him much. I was a familyfather and his gang was pretty crazy. It is a little legendary gang from football standards, and with quite a few sick persons. It was a lot of stuff going on, and very much was funny, but pretty much was not funny at all. It's about respect for people and certain objects. They could get a ride with one of the boys home, and suddenly they pulled their pants off and went for a pee in the car, and that was for them like a straight thing to do. says Thorstvedt.
The smile comes back again. He shakes his head slowly, and points out that there is some of this stories is best kept silent.
- We had a guy named Steve Sedgley at the club. He was going home and got into his car. Then he saw in his rearmirror that "Gazza" took out a gun from his car, and Sedgley tried desperately to get away. He did not, and Gazza blew out the rear window of his car, tells Thorstvedt.
- It happend sick stuff all the time.

Plans for a novel about football
The conversation moves over the book conserning Zlatan, and it is obvious that Thorstvedt has read it with great interest. In fact, he considered to be a writer himself.
- I actually have tought about writing a novel or something like that from the football environment, but it's not going to happen. I have realized my limitations, and would never managed to get such a project finished. Good literature is amazing. I think a great writer can write a wonderful book about the life of anyone.
- I'm not in that category, he says, and the smart smile is back.

Thorstvedt is concerned with literature, and speaks with an enthusiasm that makes me draw associations with a childs voice on Christmas Eve.
- I am very much Knausgård fan. Its discussed how good it really is, but I think it is completelymagnificent. All the feelings that exist between people, as everyone knows is there and feels, but nobody can put into words, Knausgård can. It is so true and honest. Of course, it is disclosing, but mostly about himself..
- Is the literature that you love to spend time when not busy with football or family stuff?
- Basically, I'm a "movie dude", and like movies about real people. I'm not a big fan of "Lord of the Rings" and such fantasy stuff. You should feel that it hits you, and that it could’ve happened in reality. I see a good movie many times, and know the lines consecutively after a while.
- When we rent a movie on the TV box at home, she always claims that I have a weird taste. My wife had not seen " the King's speech", but I knew that she would like it. It's a bit the same as with the authors. A good filmmaker can take any story and make great art out of it. "The King's Speech" has all the elements, close human drama, set in historical perspective.
Thorstvedt is again speeking with enthusiasm. Film is something he is passionate about.

-We saw "Shawshank Redemption" for a couple days ago, perhaps the best film ever. It is shameless in all the emotional buttons of wich it presses. In addition, you have Morgan Freeman's "VoiceOver," which almost has become a parody of himself because he does it so insanely good. Before I die, I most certainly will have seen "Shawshank Redemption" 30 times, says Thorstvedt.


Thorstvedt the Punk
"Music should be available in all homes, except in the neighbors apartment," said the Swedish author Ivar Wallensteen.
This is maybe how the neighbors of Erik Thorstvedt feel, for his taste in music is just as tough as his playing style was.
- I'm influenced by my brother, who is 20 months older than me and was a punk. Punk is still this day my favorite music. I like most of punk, but still Ramones is number one. I remember I was at the Ramones concert in London with Erland Johnsen. He did not know what he went to. When the band arrived on stage and started the first song, there were many hundreds of plastic glasses of beer that just went straight into the air. It was great, he says.
- Yet he he will never top his own brother, who once stormed the stage during a Ramones concert, grabbed the microphone and sang along.
- - The band got p*ssed of and walked off stage. The next day the newspapers wrote about the idiots who ruined the concert, he laughs.
- The interview is coming to an end, and photographer Weaver asks for five minutes to for photo. A man comes over and greets Thorstvedt.
- - You were one great keeper, says the man.
- Thorstvedt is nice and accommodating. A real Pro. He is used to this.
- Before he has to run to the train, we talk a little about his daughter Charlotte, who has become a familiar face herself.
- - I am proud that she is about to get a very good education, and not just a celebrity. That is the most important for me as a father. She takes a master in social anthropology in London, at the same school as the crown prince has gone to over there, so it's a very good school. I think she is doing well, says Thorstvedt.
- Quit snuffing, she has done too. Yes, he says.
- We say our thanks, and let that be the last word. It is after all a limit to how long Arsenal supporter Paul Weaver manages to hold back to comment.