Tobias Christensen on Haaland, Wieczysta Kraków and Life in Poland

From sharing a dressing room with a young Erling Haaland to becoming part of Wieczysta Kraków’s historic first season in the Ekstraklasa, Tobias Christensen has taken an interesting route through European football.

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The Norwegian midfielder has played in Norway, Hungary and Romania before arriving in Poland, where he has quickly become an important part of Wieczysta’s ambitious project. He also scored a hat-trick in the club’s first-ever Ekstraklasa victory.

We spoke with Christensen about Haaland, his decision to join Wieczysta, the level of the Ekstraklasa, life in Kraków, the club’s ambitions and his role in an international dressing room.

From Haaland to Poland

Daniel Sobis: You played with Erling Haaland when you were young. What was he like before he became the superstar we know today?

Tobias Christensen: He was a good player and a striker who scored goals, just like he does now. I wasn't sure he was going to reach this level, but I was sure he was going to be a very good player. He was also a good guy back then, and he still is. He's very, very good.

Daniel Sobis: You also assisted Haaland at the U20 World Cup in Poland. Do you still remember that moment, and is it special to be back in Poland now?

Tobias Christensen: I didn't really think about it before you mentioned it. But yes, we played the U20 World Cup here, so I have some good memories from Poland. It's nice to be back.

Daniel Sobis: You played for clubs such as Molde, Vålerenga and Rapid Bucharest before joining Wieczysta. What made you choose Poland and Wieczysta?

Tobias Christensen: I was at Rapid and had one year left on my contract when Wieczysta came in and wanted me. The plans for the club and the project of building up the team and establishing a strong club in Poland were something I really wanted to be part of. It was as simple as that.

Life in the Ekstraklasa

Daniel Sobis: How would you compare the level of the Ekstraklasa with the leagues you've played in before?

Tobias Christensen: It's always difficult to compare leagues, but so far, I think this is the best league I've played in. In terms of quality, everything from the stadiums and the fans to the players has impressed me. I think it's a top-10 league in Europe now as well, so it's a really good league.

Daniel Sobis: What was your first impression of Kraków and life in Poland?

Tobias Christensen: Very good. It's a beautiful city. I liked it from the first moment. Everybody spoke very highly of Kraków before I came, and the city lived up to their expectations straight away.

Daniel Sobis: Has anything surprised you about Polish football since you arrived?

Tobias Christensen: Not really. Nothing has been a big surprise for me, to be honest.

Daniel Sobis: Wieczysta have a very international dressing room. How would you describe the atmosphere inside the team?

Tobias Christensen: It's very good, actually. There are a lot of good and funny guys from all over the world. Considering how many new players we have, I think the group has come together really well. It's a really good group of guys, so I'm very happy with my team.

Daniel Sobis: Who are the biggest leaders in the dressing room?

Tobias Christensen: It's quite natural. Our captain, Mikael, is a natural leader. We also have a couple of other older and experienced players who take responsibility and are natural leaders. I think we have a lot of them.

Working With Moskal and Kopić

Daniel Sobis: You started working with Kazimierz Moskal and then experienced a change of coach, with Željko Kopić taking over. What are the biggest differences between the two?

Tobias Christensen: It's hard to compare. Of course, all coaches are different and they work in different ways. Both are good coaches, in my opinion, and we enjoyed working with both of them. Now we just keep going.

Daniel Sobis: Wieczysta are also a very ambitious club. What are the goals for the team this season in the Ekstraklasa?

Tobias Christensen: I don't think we can put one main goal on it. Of course, the natural goal is to stay in the league. We are newly promoted and we're currently quite low in the table, so for me it's easy to say that staying in the league would be a good start in our first season. Then we can build from there.

Daniel Sobis: You scored a hat-trick in Wieczysta's first-ever Ekstraklasa victory. How special was that moment for you?

Tobias Christensen: Of course, it was a very good moment for the club and for me as well. It was a really important win. I don't score hat-tricks that often, and I actually played as a striker in that game, which isn't my normal position. It was a very, very good day and an amazing game for us. And three goals — it was fun to score them.

Christensen's Role and Ambitions

Daniel Sobis: What is your preferred position? We've seen you play as a No. 10, a winger and a striker. Where do you feel most comfortable?

Tobias Christensen: I would say No. 10. That's where I enjoy playing the most and where I feel my best attributes come out. But not every team, and not many teams anymore, play with a classic No. 10. So I have to adapt. Sometimes the coach uses me as a false nine, sometimes as a striker and sometimes even as a No. 6. I just have to adapt to what the coach needs and try to use my skills in the right way.

Daniel Sobis: You have an important game coming up against Wisła Płock. How are you preparing for that match, and how important is it for Wieczysta?

Tobias Christensen: We prepare for it like a normal game, just as we always do. Whether it's a cup game, a friendly or a league game, whether it's considered important or not, we prepare in the same way and do our best. Of course, we know that every game is important now because of the points, but we should prepare like always and give our best.

Daniel Sobis: Looking further ahead, what is the next big goal for Tobias Christensen?

Tobias Christensen: I don't think too much about things that are too far ahead. I'm enjoying playing here with Wieczysta now and trying to do my best. Hopefully, we can grow this club. That's my goal at the moment — to help the team move towards where they want to be.

Daniel Sobis: Do you set individual targets before the season, like scoring 10 goals or providing 15 assists?

Tobias Christensen: No, I don't. I used to do that when I was younger, but I never achieved what I wanted, so I stopped. I think it's better not to focus too much on those kinds of things. I just try to take it game by game and do my best every day. Success will come from doing your best every day.