- Name: Jacob Tjørnelund
- Age: 21 (31.12.1991)
- Postion: Left Back
- Club: SønderjyskE
- International Caps: None
- Value: £125.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)
Brought up through the youth department as a winger, this player is now a talented left back for the Danish Superliga club SønderjyskE. This week we keep an eye on Jacob Tjørnelund.
Born and raised in Haderslev, Jacob Tjørnelund is a real Southern Jutlander with a passion for the local team. The talent is one of the players that have experienced the development Haderslev FK has gone through since the change to SønderjyskE.
“I’ve always been happy to play in Haderslev, and it has been fun to see how the club has developed through time. When I started in Haderslev it was not even half as professional as it is now,” he says.
Where the club in the past has spent money on players from other clubs, today they are more focused on developing their own talents, according to Tjørnelund.
“It has become much more professional, and the club it is clear that the club is trying to get the best coaches for all teams."
In 2010, the talent took the step from youth to professional football. Jacob Tjørnelund became a part of the club's reserves playing in Danmarks Serien [Danish lower division] and was still in high school. Furthermore, he had prepared himself to continue his studies after high school. However, the manager at the time, Michael Hemmingsen wanted it different.
"I did well for the team in the first 2-3 months. The manager of the Superliga squad at the time, Michael Hemmingsen saw my playing and promoted me to train with the professionals for a week," he says.
Tjørnelund must have done well in training - only a month after his first session he was given his debut against Aalborg - followed up by 7 matches in his first season as a professional. Despite the status as professional, Tjørnelund has not yet represented the Danish national youth teams, but the player knows exactly why:
“Through my youth years in HFK [Haderslev] and SønderjyskE, I have never been one of the obvious talents. It came very late, so the fact that I haven’t represented any of the youth national teams doesn’t surprise me."
Michael Hemmingsen left the club in 2011, and Lars Søndergaard took over. Søndergaard felt that the young talent missed some skills as a winger and positioned him as a back. The new position has only given Tjørnelund a few matches, and the player feels that the manager is looking the other way. However, Tjørnelund accepts that he is not the preferred back at the moment and says he will keep fighting and convince Søndergaard to use him more often.
Lars Søndergaard denies that he is looking the other way, but says that Jacob Tjørnelund still needs to improve to become a regular starter in the Danish Superliga.
“We feel that he still has some in the defensive that he needs to develop; a more defensive mind rather than an attacking. He has the physical abilities but needs to learn what to do in his defensive actions. But it is all things that he has not been used to, so we have patience with him,” Søndergaard says.
Jacob Tjørnelund's contract expires this summer, but the talent is hoping to stay in his current club. However, at the moment SønderjyskE is positioned in the lower part of the league and is in danger of relegation. SønderjysE is known for waiting to negotiate contracts until they know which division they will be playing in next season. Despite the unknown future, Lars Søndergaard opens the door for a new contract to Tjørnelund:
“The players that are closest to a new contract is the key players, but Jacob is one of the players that we could see staying in the club."
As mentioned, Tjørnelund is hoping to play for SønderjyskE next season, as well. However, when he is allowed to dream about the future, he dreams of one day entering Anfield Road in the red Liverpool shirt.
Born and raised in Haderslev, Jacob Tjørnelund is a real Southern Jutlander with a passion for the local team. The talent is one of the players that have experienced the development Haderslev FK has gone through since the change to SønderjyskE.
“I’ve always been happy to play in Haderslev, and it has been fun to see how the club has developed through time. When I started in Haderslev it was not even half as professional as it is now,” he says.
Where the club in the past has spent money on players from other clubs, today they are more focused on developing their own talents, according to Tjørnelund.
“It has become much more professional, and the club it is clear that the club is trying to get the best coaches for all teams."
In 2010, the talent took the step from youth to professional football. Jacob Tjørnelund became a part of the club's reserves playing in Danmarks Serien [Danish lower division] and was still in high school. Furthermore, he had prepared himself to continue his studies after high school. However, the manager at the time, Michael Hemmingsen wanted it different.
"I did well for the team in the first 2-3 months. The manager of the Superliga squad at the time, Michael Hemmingsen saw my playing and promoted me to train with the professionals for a week," he says.
Tjørnelund must have done well in training - only a month after his first session he was given his debut against Aalborg - followed up by 7 matches in his first season as a professional. Despite the status as professional, Tjørnelund has not yet represented the Danish national youth teams, but the player knows exactly why:
“Through my youth years in HFK [Haderslev] and SønderjyskE, I have never been one of the obvious talents. It came very late, so the fact that I haven’t represented any of the youth national teams doesn’t surprise me."
Michael Hemmingsen left the club in 2011, and Lars Søndergaard took over. Søndergaard felt that the young talent missed some skills as a winger and positioned him as a back. The new position has only given Tjørnelund a few matches, and the player feels that the manager is looking the other way. However, Tjørnelund accepts that he is not the preferred back at the moment and says he will keep fighting and convince Søndergaard to use him more often.
Lars Søndergaard denies that he is looking the other way, but says that Jacob Tjørnelund still needs to improve to become a regular starter in the Danish Superliga.
“We feel that he still has some in the defensive that he needs to develop; a more defensive mind rather than an attacking. He has the physical abilities but needs to learn what to do in his defensive actions. But it is all things that he has not been used to, so we have patience with him,” Søndergaard says.
Jacob Tjørnelund's contract expires this summer, but the talent is hoping to stay in his current club. However, at the moment SønderjyskE is positioned in the lower part of the league and is in danger of relegation. SønderjysE is known for waiting to negotiate contracts until they know which division they will be playing in next season. Despite the unknown future, Lars Søndergaard opens the door for a new contract to Tjørnelund:
“The players that are closest to a new contract is the key players, but Jacob is one of the players that we could see staying in the club."
As mentioned, Tjørnelund is hoping to play for SønderjyskE next season, as well. However, when he is allowed to dream about the future, he dreams of one day entering Anfield Road in the red Liverpool shirt.
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