How tiny Bundesliga debutants SV Elversberg plan to unleash American Cole Campbell
Nick Woltemade excelled at the club before leaving for Stuttgart en route to Newcastle United, and Hoffenheim striker Fisnik Asllani also excelled at the club, while talented Bayern Munich youngster Paul Wanner spent time at the club on loan. They have also sent coaches to other clubs, such as Horst Steffen, who left for Werder Bremen after leading the club to successive promotions.
But rebuilding is something the club is used to and they have done quite well, whether it be replacing players on loan to prepare for a new season or re-equipping in general. Now the job is a little easier in the top category, says its technical director, Josef Welzmüller.
“I think this year it’s even easier because we can offer them to play in the Bundesliga, you know? In the 2. Bundesliga it was a little more difficult, but this year it’s quite easy, you know? We can’t offer high salaries, but we can offer a good development path for the player,” says Welzmüller.
Believe in a young American
Elversberg has continued its mode of operation by adding talented young players such as Francis Onyeka on loan, but there are some permanent additions that the club has also made, including a record new signing in American winger Cole Campbell. Split last season between Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim, the 20-year-old winger is expected to be a key member of the team, signing a four-year contract. Despite his age, he is someone who has spent the last three seasons in the Bundesliga between the Dortmund youth team and the senior team, which will be valuable experience for the Bundesliga debutants.
“[Cole] He was our record signing, which probably shows how much we believe in Cole. He is a fantastic player. It’s very fast. He’s very strong on the ball, very strong in one-on-one situations,” Welzmüller said. “And to be honest, I spent quite a bit of time with him and he’s a very good kid, he’s got a very good character. We just want him to enter one-on-one situations and solve spaces for us. And we are very confident that he will have a great season.”
Hearing that has to be music to the ears of USMNT fans, as a player who can create his own opportunities and opportunities for others would be a huge boost for the national team. Campbell’s talent became clear when he moved to Dortmund, and even though that move didn’t work out, that doesn’t mean he won’t have the chance to succeed in an Elversberg team that is committed to playing its way in the Bundesliga.
Speaking to sources close to Campbell, he is also hoping to establish himself in the Bundesliga to achieve his own dreams while everything comes together this time at Elversberg. Given how this club has prepared its players for the next steps in their careers, it is a good time to show what it can do.
When the whole city is behind you, you can’t lose
The players are already part of something special: they can represent a city of only 13,000 inhabitants in Germany’s top flight. In 2022, the club was still in Germany’s fourth division, and now here it is, preparing to host Bayer Leverkusen in its stadium, which is still being renovated to reach the Bundesliga’s minimum standard of 15,000 spectators. Tickets for Elversberg matches are among the most exclusive in Germany due to the size of the stadium and the number of subscribers, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They came close in the 2024-25 season, losing in the promotion playoff to a Heidenheim goal in the 95th minute, but despite losing their coach and five key players, this club was able to recover.
“What has happened in recent years is exceptional for the city. When you walk around the city or drive around now, you will see SV Elversberg flags everywhere,” said Welzmüller. “You’ll see people walking around with merch, wearing an Elversberg cap or wearing an Elversberg t-shirt, which, to be honest, makes me very proud. And the players feel the same way.”
That sense of pride is an underrated characteristic in the global game, where many can be considered mercenaries. In a club like this, which is modest even by German standards, let alone in the global game where spending increases every year. Even their scouting department is made up of just two people, and while that is expected to grow, between scouting and data resources, Elversberg has been able to identify players who can fit the club and continue to build to play their way.
There were discussions about whether that style should change upon reaching the Bundesliga in order to survive, but the decision was that if the club stays at the top, it is important for them to avoid relegation on their own terms.
“We did a pretty big analysis if we should change the style of play… when we talk about numbers, it would make sense to change and avoid mistakes in the preparation and play a lot of long balls and all that, and this was the result of this analysis. But then we sat together and said, ‘hey, we made the style of play part of our identity’. And this is bigger than everything,” Welzmüller said. “We choose the players who suit our style of play, we choose the coach and coaching staff who suit our style of play, so we can’t change anything. We need to play the Elversberg style. And I’m very glad we decided to do that.”
Of course, there’s a good chance this story won’t have a fairytale ending, but when the club has already beaten all the odds to reach the Bundesliga, it’s important to stick with what it has done well over the years. If it works, Americans could see a lot more of Elversberg, as not only would that mean Campbell is in the thick of things to push for a spot on the U.S. men’s national team and Olympic roster, but this would be a continuation of one of the best stories to come out of German soccer.
How to watch Elversberg vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Date: Saturday August 29 | Time: 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Location: URSAPHARM-Arena an der Kaiserlinde – Spiesen-Elversberg, Germany
Live broadcast: fandango
Odd: Elversberg +425; Draw +333; Bayer Leverkusen -167
