With the clock ticking down, the announcement of Joachim Andersen’s arrival at 10.30pm from Lyon on transfer deadline day was greeted with both joy and relief by Fulham fans.
The 24-year-old arrived on October 5 along with fellow centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo and the pair have made impressive starts to their careers in black and white.
However, Andersen’s time at the Club has already been unexpectedly eventful, with the Dane sustaining ankle ligament damage the week after joining on loan after being on the wrong end of a challenge in training.
After a rapid recovery, he has more than made up for lost time, putting in an assured display alongside his new defensive colleagues as West Bromwich Albion were defeated 2-0 at the Cottage before the Fulham rearguard held their own against West Ham United and, were it not for a Hammers’ winner with more than a hint of offside, would have kept a second successive clean sheet.
What has Andersen made of his start to life in new surroundings?
“I think I’ve settled in really well,” he says. “Obviously, I was a little bit upset that I got my injury after one week of training, so that was really, really frustrating because I wanted to show myself and everybody which level I can be on, but the medical staff and all the guys have been really, really good to take care of me. All the guys are really good guys and it is one of the best groups I’ve been in on a high level.”
As well as fitting in seamlessly with the squad, the Dane, who has also played senior football for Jong Twente, Twente and Sampdoria, has managed to quickly acclimatise to life in London and find a place to call home. Who did he speak to before swapping France for England?
“What is really important for me and my girlfriend is that we don’t like to be at the hotel, so we wanted to find something really quick. After one-and-a-half weeks, we already moved in.
“I spoke to a couple of players, but also I know the Premier League. I watched the Premier League since I was a child and I watched it every weekend. I spoke to Kenny Tete about the Club because I played with him at Lyon, so he told me good things about the Coach and the guys at the Club. Obviously, I spoke to some guys who knew the gaffer.
“That’s the most important [thing], that the gaffer and me have the same way of thinking about football and now I’ve been here, I can see that he has some really, really great ideas.
“I spoke also to Dennis Praet from Leicester, my really good friend from Sampdoria and some Danish players: Andreas Christensen from Chelsea and these kinds of guys.
“I know tons of players who played here and are still playing here, but it’s not so important what the guys are telling me because I have to see it myself.”
A relegation battle is unfamiliar territory for Andersen, as he has always played for teams looking up at the European places rather than aiming to consolidate their position in their respective top flights. What was it about the challenge waiting at Craven Cottage that enticed him?
“I had a couple of other offers, but Fulham was a really nice step and a good challenge for me,” he explained.
“I was not that happy at Lyon, so I wanted to come to a place where I could play a lot of football and a philosophy that I can see myself in with a ball-playing team.
“Fulham was a really good match in that way and obviously being promoted last year, so it’s a nice challenge to try to keep them up because it’s a traditional, English club.
“For me, Fulham has to be in the Premier League and I’m sure I can help them stay in the Premier League.
“When I knew Fulham was interested, I could see that they didn’t have a great start, but I was convinced that I could help them.”
Andersen, who played for Sampdoria against Fulham in a friendly in 2018, has already built up an excellent understanding with Adarabioyo despite the brief amount of time they’ve had to train together.
“Tosin has been doing really well in the first couple of games. It’s exciting to play with him and I feel like the two games we played together we had a good partnership.
“Normally, we have two clean sheets, but we were a little bit unlucky in the last game [when West Ham scored a questionable winner]. I hope we can continue like this and help the team grow and then I’m sure we’re going to get a lot of points in this league.”
Two other players have also made an especially big impression on him.
“TC has been really good in these two games I’ve played and in training, he’s a really good player. I feel I have a good relationship already with him and also Frank.
“He’s a top player. He’s a machine in the midfield. He’s winning so many balls and driving forwards with the ball. I really like that. We have a good squad. We have many good players with different qualities, but these two players really stood out for me.”
Andersen has already enjoyed a well-travelled career, having now plied his trade in four countries since leaving Denmark at the age of 17, but when was it that he realised that his dream of becoming a professional footballer could become a reality?
“I think maybe when I was 15, 16. I get selected for the academy at FC Midtjylland, where I get my first youth contract. I could feel that ‘OK, it’s serious now’.
“It was a good place to be for young guys at that time. It was the best academy in Denmark and to be selected there is a huge thing.
“At that time, in my two-year period there, I learnt a lot. I grew as a person, I grew as a football player.
“It was the first time I’d moved away from home, three hours from Copenhagen, where I’m from. It was a big thing to be away from the family when you’re 15 years old.
“It’s a really family club, all the players take care of each other and you can really feel that.
“When I was young, the big players in the team, they were not arrogant, they take care of you and speak with you all the time. I still have contact to a lot of these players, so that’s really nice.”
Andersen’s early teenage years were blighted by muscle injuries due to a significant growth spurt. The most effective product he has used to alleviate these issues is Vegan Power Meal, a supplement which he drinks every day as part of his morning routine. For Andersen, the benefits cannot be overstated.
“I’m using these supplements because I was frustrated that I got small injuries all the time.
“One guy I knew is my good friend now, Bengt Valentino. He’s doing something called Body SDS treatments [which combine massage, joint mobilisation and breathing techniques among other treatments to treat muscular issues].
“It’s really popular in Denmark now. I’ve been using him since I was 13 years old for treatments and he made this product [Vegan Power Meal] actually.
“This product is absolutely amazing and since I’ve been using it, I’ve not had so many muscle injuries, so I’m sure this product is helping me train and perform at the highest level.
“In one [drink], there is everything you need for a meal. You have vitamins, minerals and some protein.
“It’s like a supplement for practice. Now it’s just something I need to do, otherwise my day won’t work!”
Denmark will take part in the rescheduled Euro 2020 finals to be held across the continent next summer. Andersen knows the importance of playing consistently and consistently well if he is to impress head coach Kasper Hjulmand.
“I’m sure that if I’m doing great here and playing football here, then I’m also part of the Danish national team normally, so that’s also part of my move. I just want to play football and do what I love, so being on the national team is a bonus and obviously being part of the national team at the Euros is a huge thing and something that every player is looking up to when you are a child.”
Today’s game sees Ademola Lookman go up against his former club. The RB Leipzig loanee has injected life into the team since his arrival and the winger’s brilliant strike against Sheffield United showed how devastating he can be, but there’s no doubt that the penalty miss against West Ham cut deep. Andersen has no doubt that the 23-year-old will come back stronger though.
“He was really, really upset after what happened and of course I understand that. I also had some downs in my career.
“I’m sure that I will have a few downs still – everybody will – but what’s important is that you are not afraid of making mistakes because you will make mistakes in your career.
“Ade has been fantastic for us in his first couple of games and he’s such a nice guy. He’s not afraid of taking a penalty in the 97th minute. It shows the guy he is and he has a great character.
“Of course, it’s not nice not to win the game, but that’s what happens in football and I’m sure he will learn from this and next time he will score.”
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