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Sivert Heltne Nilsen on RedTV
"I hope the fans can be proud of the way we fight for the club and the city."
Aberdeen on Thursday made their fourth signing of the new season as midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen arrives from Norwegian side Brann Bergen.
Sivert played under Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin for two years at Elfsborg in Sweden
The 32-year-old, who was captain at Brann, has also played with Norwegian sides Hødd, Valerenag as well as Danish team Horsens, as well as Belgian outfit Beveren.
After completing his medical and paperwork he spoke with RedTV.
“It is a really good feeling to be an Aberdeen player. The club is amazing, with a lot of good people and I have met many already. I have received a very warm welcome. So a great feeling.
“I heard of the interest some time ago, but after the last game I played on Sunday the move happened so quick with the negotiations and stuff and after training on Wednesday I received a message, so I went home and packed my things and before I knew it, I was on a flight to Aberdeen! That is how it was.
“There are many reasons for coming to Aberdeen. It is an opportunity to play football at a very high level for a number of years and be part of a project with Jimmy, someone I knew before. I believe he got the best out of me and I want learn more from him and I want to be part of this project, trying to help Aberdeen be a top club in Scotland again. This really motivates me. And I know the supporters in Aberdeen are amazing and the city is a football city. This is something I want to fight for and I will give everything to make Aberdeen a winning team.
“Jimmy took me from Demark to Sweden and my career was maybe not in the best place when I arrived at Elfsborg but in his system I felt like it was a very good fit. I started to play good games straight away due to the way he coached and the way he made me feel on the pitch.
“He is a very smart manager and he knows how to get results.
“Obviously he is still demanding because he is hungry but I am hungry also so I think working together is very good for both of us.
“I don’t think I was born a winner, but the way I was brought up and through my childhood, my father helped me create this winning instinct if you can call it that. Everything we did was very competitive and then suddenly I had this obsession to try and win. I hope I can bring some of that here. I have come from a club where they are used to dominating the games they play and we have won many matches in recent years so hopefully I am used to that and can bring some of that in here as well.
“If had to pick my favourite games, it would be the two games when we won the cup in Norway. Firstly with my childhood, local team Hødd from where I was born. We won with basically a junior team who had only just moved up to the senior side. That was a very special team and was a very special night when we won the cup in 2012. We were in the second division and almost went down to the third division actually the week before the cup final. That was the moment that I understood that anything is possible in football.
“And of course, when we won the cup with Brann last year and when you can lift the trophy for your favourite club growing up, it is special It was a day I will never forget. The dream is to lift a trophy with Aberdeen. As I said, everything anything is possible after what I experienced. I will do my everything to make it happen.
“I am not that good at talking about myself but I think my strength is that I am very competitive. I always want to give 100%. Technically I am an all-round player. My games are mostly ok plus. There are not any massive swings, I put in stable and consistent performances. But I always give everything I have. I hope the supporters can see that every game.
“My job in the team is to keep the balance and help the team be in the right position when you lose the ball, and be in the right position when you need to win the ball back so you don’t get hit with a counter attack. It is an important job for a team.
“I feel fit to go in and play straight away but you need to train with the guys and you need to know how to play good with your teammates and know their qualities so you can put them into good positions. They also have to learn my qualities as well so it will take a little time to reach the top level in my play.
“I hope the fans can be proud of the way we play and the way we fight for the club and the city. I really hope the supporters will be proud of our performances.”
RedTV | to watch the interview in full please click here