'The energy in Dortmund is something special' - Elversberg and US striker Cole Campbell
Cole Campbell is going back to where it began as top-flight new boys Elversberg prepare to visit Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 9. The 20-year-old US international spoke to the Bundesliga ahead of his return to his former club.
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Bundesliga: Nine out of Elversberg's 16 goals have been scored in the first half, including three each against Mainz and Augsburg. What makes your team so dangerous at the start of games?
Cole Campbell: "I think it’s about the football that we play and the high pressing that we have that puts a lot of teams under pressure. We try to give 100 percent into the pressing and into attack and I think we have been successful in doing that so far. It’s been great because the feeling of starting the game well is much better. I think it’s because we press so high and put pressure on."
Bundesliga: What makes the team special off the pitch? Can you describe this for us?
Campbell: "It’s like a family environment, so everyone is very positive off the pitch and you feel very welcome and like you fit in. It’s not like this everywhere, so the family environment really helps everyone to feel comfortable and play their best football. It’s also enjoyable off the pitch with good people."
Watch: Underdogs Elversberg upsetting the odds
Bundesliga: It's Elversberg's first season in the top division. Why is it going so well? Is it because you are such a young team or is it because you are just hungry to be in the Bundesliga?
Campbell: "We are all hungry because it’s the first time for a lot of people and it’s the first time for me to play a big role in the team. Everyone just has this love for the game and everyone is willing to give 120 percent every game. We are there to play for each other and to give everything. I think that is something that we have that helps us to be successful."
Bundesliga: When does this fearlessness work and when are the moments when you recognise that you need a bit more experience?
Campbell: "I think we can always improve and there are moments in every match where we could do better. The fearless thing is something that we have and that we need to keep by not putting too much respect on other people. The quality that they have deserves to be respected, but we should not be scared to try things. I think we are not afraid to try new things or to try to make things happen. That is something that helps us to score goals and to be successful. It is also not what everyone maybe expected from us and they maybe expected us to be passive and not try things. I think that is what football is about and I am very happy to be in the team and to be a part of it."
Bundesliga: You are now part of Elversberg – was there a personal conversation with Vincent Wagner or someone from the board that made you feel like this is the place you want to be?
Campbell: "In the beginning before I came, I had a lot of conversations with people around the club. I spoke to Ole Book, who is now at Dortmund, but I also had a few conversations with Vincent. The conversations really made me feel like it was the right place to come and now I can say that I completely agree. I am very happy here and I am glad that I made the decision."
Watch: Cole Campbell scored a stunning goal in Mainz
Bundesliga: Going back in time, you were born in Texas and you played in the top division in Iceland at the age of 15. Your mother was an Iceland international herself. What did she pass on to you that still shapes you today?
Campbell: "My mom played as well and she likes to tell me how I could do better in the match because she understands it. She also gives me advice from her career for things that I deal with or go through. She was also a good player so she can give me advice on different things. Her influence when I was young and also still today is very big in my life, as well as my dad’s and my sister’s influence. My whole family helps me to feel comfortable and to get to do what I love."
Bundesliga: Is there one special moment you remember from your childhood? Maybe playing soccer with your mom or something else you often think about.
Campbell: "I lived in Iceland for a few years and we had a little football pitch in the back yard and we used to play as a family there. These were very good memories and I think of this often."
Bundesliga: After breaking through at Dortmund at such a young age, you went through months of limited playing time. This was very hard, as well as your time at Hoffenheim. You said that this period changed you. When did you realise that you were dealing with it and could handle it differently?
Campbell: "In a lot of the moments when I was dealing with it, in the beginning I was not thinking about it from a bigger perspective. Looking back on it, I am incredibly thankful for it because I think that my character and my mentality developed so much in this time.
"I think my relationship with God became much closer to look at it from a perspective of trusting in God and realising that my mentality would not be the same as it is today. When things don’t go my way, I had to just recognise that it is what it is and to accept it. I try to control what I can control and wait for God’s timing. I think my mindset is now different to realise that I can trust in God no matter the circumstances and trust that He has a plan for me. My mentality overall just changed and I think this time was important for my development as a person and also as a player."
Bundesliga: You talk about your faith – was there a special moment that made this relationship stronger?
Campbell: "I would say that when things go well, it’s easy to forget or to not rely on God. When things don’t go well, you have a unique opportunity to trust and to realise that life is not all about the success. There are other things that are more important in life and success will come with God’s timing. I think the character of not needing success is the most important thing and realising that my purpose is to try to help people and to share my faith and my story of what I’ve been through.
"When things are not going well, you have an opportunity to trust because if things were going well, I would not have that same opportunity. It’s not easy when things don’t go well to really trust in Him because it’s difficult, but through the hard times is when you develop and you really see your character. If everything was easy, I don’t think I would be the same person I am today and I am grateful for it."
Bundesliga: When you were at Dortmund, you were one of many highly rated young talents. Elversberg made the decision to bring you in and put a lot of faith in you. How has this changed the way you see yourself as a player?
Campbell: "I think the way that I have seen myself hasn’t really changed. I’ve had confidence in what I can do and I am very grateful that Elversberg has put the trust in me and given me the confidence back. It’s been amazing to be here and to feel the trust and confidence that they have in me, so I am very happy to be here. My mindset hasn’t really changed, but it’s nice that they believe in me. It’s a really good feeling and it’s also why I feel so comfortable here."
Bundesliga: As a player, what responsibilities do you take on today that you maybe didn't take on a year ago?
Campbell: "Being relied on to create chances and score was not there before. I was not a big part of the team like I am now. Now it feels like I am really relied on to perform and to help the team and to play a big role. That’s a new feeling for me and I love it, so it’s been great since I’ve been here."
Bundesliga: On 5 November 2024, so almost two years ago, you came up against Sturm Graz in the UEFA Champions League in front of 81,356 fans. Do you remember those few seconds on the pitch and how did it feel?
Campbell: "Yes, I remember it. At that point, it was probably one of my best feelings and it was a dream come true to make my debut in the Champions League. To play in the Signal Iduna Park was also a different feeling and I am really looking forward to getting to play there again this weekend. It was an amazing feeling for me."
Bundesliga: You already mentioned that Dortmund are waiting for you at the weekend. What can you tell your teammates about the atmosphere in Dortmund?
Campbell: "It’s amazing. The energy there is something special. I’ve been to a lot of stadiums, but there is nothing like this stadium. The energy and the crowd are something different, so it’s going to be amazing to be there again and it’s always a great feeling."
Bundesliga: Almost exactly two years later, you are returning in an Elversberg jersey. What will it mean to you to walk down the tunnel again, this time as an opponent?
Campbell: "It’s a lot of emotions and it will be very weird to be there and to not be in a Dortmund jersey. I am really looking forward to it and I am very excited to see my friends and old teammates. I think it will be a special moment for me."
Bundesliga: What would you tell the younger Cole when he walked out on the pitch one year ago?
Campbell: "I would say to trust in the plan no matter what. Just trust in God and keep going."
Bundesliga: Who are you looking forward to seeing again at the weekend?
Campbell: "I would say pretty much all of them because I am good with most of them. I am looking forward to seeing Filippo and Felix and some of the other guys as well. A lot of my friends are there like Carney and everyone. It will be great to see everyone."
Bundesliga: Do you still have a special relationship or friendship with any of them or someone you are still in contact with?
Campbell: "You write here and there, but there is not too much contact because we are all busy and focused on our seasons. We write to each other here and there but not every day."
Bundesliga: After the DFB Cup defeat to Darmstadt, you scored a spectacular overhead kick against Mainz. What was going through your mind and how did this situation feel?
Campbell: "It was an amazing feeling for me to score a goal like this. Every time you score it’s something you love to do as a player and it was a very good feeling for me to score this goal. I was very happy after the game and was also happy to have helped the team secure the win."
Bundesliga: You said in your previous interview that you beat your mom when you play two touch these days. When did you beat her the first time and how did she react?
Campbell: "My mom is very competitive and she has a really good touch. I was maybe 13 or 14 when I beat her for the first time and she wanted to immediately play again. She’s really competitive and she wasn’t happy about it for sure, but it’s always fun to play with her."
Bundesliga: Do you also have this competitive characteristic?
Campbell: "I would say so. I hate to lose and I really love to win. I think you need that as a football player and you need to be competitive and want to win."
Bundesliga: You chose to represent the United States rather than Iceland and you have already made your senior international debut. Where do you really feel at home with these two countries part of your background?
Campbell: "It’s a mix of both. I feel more at home in the US because my family is there and that’s where I grew up. I would say I feel more American, but I also like certain parts of Iceland and a lot of my friends are from there. My mom, my grandma, and lots of my family are from there, so I love to go back there to visit. I would say I take a little bit of both, but I feel more at home in the US for sure."
Bundesliga: What do you expect on Saturday and which goals have you set for yourself for the upcoming game?
Campbell: "I don’t really know what to expect, to be honest because the match could go any way. I am really looking forward to it and to being on the field. We will give 100 percent in the match and then we will see what happens. I am looking forward to it, so I am very excited."
Bundesliga: In the past few games, the second half was always a bit more difficult for your team. Did you work on that and how do you work on it with Vincent [Wagner] because he needs to find a solution for it? He said that you need to run like crazy, which you didn't have to do as much last year in Bundesliga 2.
Campbell: "It’s something we can definitely improve on. We have done a lot of video sessions and in training we have tried to improve. The video sessions help and I think it’s been getting better. In the last game we didn’t concede so many goals, which is an improvement on the last games. We are trying to improve in the best way that we can and the video sessions and the training exercises are helping, so we will try to also do this at the weekend again. Hopefully we can defend until the end and we will give everything that we have until the final whistle."
Bundesliga: Do you have a ritual before every game?
Campbell: "I always go on the pitch with my left foot and I always touch my hand on the grass, kiss my mouth, and make a cross for the Trinity. I then pray and always say thank you for the opportunity and for the gift to get to play. I play for Him and I am thankful, so I pray before the games."
Bundesliga: What is the most fun part about playing football and why are you so obsessed with it?
Campbell: "I just enjoy it and I just love the game. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved to play and it was always a dream to do this as a job. It’s a dream for a lot of people and for me it’s amazing because I just enjoy the game. Even after I have finished playing, I will stay play in my free time because I just enjoy the game."
