– Here it is completely the wild west! There are no rules, a bit like being in the old Soviet Union, laughs Bjørn Maars Johnsen. And he knows what he’s talking about, the tallest striker. Torpedo Kutaisi is his current employer. They are in the Georgian top division, and are the 16th club Maars Johnsen plays for. In his ninth country. Here he is playing his best football in a long time. The 1.96 meter tall man is the top scorer in the Erovnuli Liga with 15 goals in 24 games. – I’m scoring goals again, so life is good during the day, he says. The Norwegian-American Bjørn Maars Johnsen in action in a training match against Villarreal. Photo: Privat Far better salary than in Norway Maars Johnsen is what you can call a club nomad, and although he does not promise that he will stay longer than the end of the season, he and his small family are very happy in Georgia. – In Georgia you don’t pay tax, so I wouldn’t get that salary here in Norway, says Maars Johnsen gently. Bjørn Maars Johnsen and his wife Veronica have settled in well in Georgia. Photo: Private – But the country is developing a lot. One saw how they did it in the EC. The food, the cities, the people, everything gets better and better. You find buildings here that are absolutely fantastic, but next to them there is a completely ruined shed, he continues enthusiastically. Gives praise Former top football manager for Norway, Nils Johan Semb, remembers Maars Johnsen’s time with the national team well. The Viaplay expert is full of praise for the former student. – For me, Bjørn overachieved in the national team. It was right to test him in his time, even if he played in peripheral leagues, and I think he did well. When we got promoted from the national league, he was completely decisive, says the Åsgårdstrand man. – He had a great sense of purpose. He didn’t have great speed, but was smart, good in the air and good in his movements, says Semb. Nils Johan Semb was sports director of the national team while Bjørn Maars Johnsen played there. Photo: NTB Not given up on the national team The 32-year-old’s team is second in the table, only the goal difference separates them from the league lead, and they made it to the second round of qualifying for the league. He has still not completely given up on a return to the national team. – I would love to be part of it again! I know I have many good years left in my body, from the time I was 29 to 32 I never played a whole season, so I have many games left in my legs, says the tall striker. – But it’s a completely different team now than when I was there last. Martin (Ødegaard) is a completely different player now. He is so much better, you can see that the pressure is completely gone. Realistically, I don’t know if it’s possible for me anymore. Bjørn Maars Johnsen was part of Ståle Solbakken’s first national team squad in 2021. Photo: BILDBYRÅN Nils Johan Semb thinks the same. – With the striker group that is in the national team now, it goes without saying that more peripheral players are not followed in the same way. Now the national team has five world-class strikers. Opted out of the USA At a time when there is talk of both Christos Zafeiris and Osame Sahraoui opting out of playing for Norway, Bjørn Maars Johnsen is proof of the opposite. Born in New York to an American mother and a Norwegian father, the striker chose to play for Norway. Despite speaking fairly limited Norwegian. The interview with news is conducted in English with a sounding American accent, but Norwegian names such as “Tønsberg”, “Rosenborg” and “Vålerenga” are said with perfect pronunciation. – Is it appropriate to return to Norway? – I still have ambitions to play at the highest level, but then I am dependent on a coach who is willing to invest. Hadjuk Split is waiting for me, but the club wouldn’t let me go. But I also don’t want to just leave when the team and I’m doing well either. Bjørn Maars Johnsen has done well in Georgia. Here from when he was named player of the month in April. Photo: Privat He continued: – They are crazy about football in Georgia, everyone watches it, and I really notice that I am a top scorer. Attention is always nice, but I have a goal of something higher. Nevertheless, I am glad that I am doing this. The team needs a good start to the project, and I need to get back in shape. I haven’t played a full season in two years. Now I get to show that I’m still here. – Do you feel that many people remember you “at home” in Norway? – Football is crazy, man! One day you are the big star, the next day you are forgotten. Published 20.09.2024, at 17.42
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Bjørn Maars Johnsen is top scorer in Georgia – not given up on the national team – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
