The centre-back, who turns 22 this summer, has had a formidable development after the transition from Vålerenga to KIL. The Oslo boy played mainly for VIF 2, and for KIL he has become a very central piece in the team’s solid defence.

Now he has put his name to an agreement that binds him to Gjemselund for a long time.

– It’s because I’ve come to like the club. I like the people around and in the club, and feel that it is a good place for me to be. I feel that I am developing and I play a lot, and then I see no reason not to be here, says Holmé, in his usual low-key way off the pitch.

The robust stopper has played every league game so far. The basket has mostly pointed up since he came to Kongsvinger before last year’s season.

– It has gone up, I would humbly say, says Holmé with a smile, and adds:

– As a centre-back, it is important to play many matches and gain experience. That’s exactly what KIL has given me. Even though I made some mistakes and made a fool of myself a couple of times, they still let me play and gave me confidence, and I really appreciate that.

– It’s been a long time since you made any such mistakes now?

– It may have been a long time since I made any big mistakes, but I’m a bit strict, so I see a lot of mistakes in myself.

For Holmé, he looks at the matches again and studies his own game with critical lenses.

– You do that of course, it would just be missing. And then you’re a little picky about yourself, but you have to be.

Big ambitions

Now he is committing to KIL on a long-term contract, but as a rapidly developing player, he naturally has big ambitions. Should interest arise from larger clubs and leagues, KIL will also be in a good negotiating position with a good length of the contract.

– I don’t see myself staying here for another three and a half years, really, because of course I want to take the next step myself. Like everyone else, I guess. But then I see that there is a lot of good in the club during the day, and we are in a good position from a sporting point of view. Playing in the Eliteserien with KIL would have been a lot of fun, and of course I really want to be a part of that. So I’m not thinking much more than KIL right now, I’m taking it as it comes and focusing here.

As a young player who was part of a bigger club’s system and played for the second team, he can recommend other young players to take a step to an initially smaller club to become a full member of a first team and club.

Holmé believes it can be a sensible and good step to take.

– At least it has been for me. I think more young players must dare to take such steps as well. Personally, I may have had a slightly worse training day, but the fighting arena went up a division. For me it was really top notch. I felt much more seen here in Kongsvinger and much more appreciated as well. After all, it helps to build self-confidence and make a player better as well, so for me it has been absolutely optimal.

– Why have you become so fond of KIL?

– That is the way the club is run, with core people and people who are whole. I am very happy with the player group too, and hang out a lot with the players in my spare time. It is really what makes a player happy at the club, that there are good people around him. You look forward to coming to work.

As good as he wants

Sporting director Espen Nystuen had both top scorer Joacim Holtan and Holmé in the office for signings on Thursday morning. At the same time as the top scorer was bought on a free transfer from Haugesund and now becomes a KIL player permanently , Holmé adds.

– In Holmé, we have one of Norway’s greatest stopping talents. He has a fierce physique and is good with the ball. It is essentially a complete stopper, who can reach as far as he wants. We have now signed a contract of three and a half years and secured the long-term agreement with Fredrik. This means that we put ourselves in a very good position.

– And then it is up to Fredrik himself how good he wants to be. He has to concentrate on doing the best he can every game here now and make sure we win. Then the future is bright, and I don’t know where he will end up in the end, but he is a KIL player and we are very happy about that, says Nystuen.

He praises the 21-year-old and the development he has shown.

– We are very pleased with the signing. Getting him here in the first place was good and we saw that he had potential. He has grown while he has been here and works hard every single day. He is dead serious and has a good mentality. Fredrik can reach as far as he wants.