FC St. Pauli

"I'm always keyed up after a game," said Kauczinski. "It's different when you lose than when you win, but you're always keyed up. I usually fall asleep quite easily but at the moment I have a habit of waking up in the night and being awake for half an hour. My brain goes into overdrive. What's coming up? What do we want to do in the next few days? What have I still got to do?"

Kauczinski turned his attention to the derby straight after the final whistle yesterday and his mind was on it last night as well. "We're obviously looking forward to it, especially in the position we're in having won our last two games. I've noticed how alert and focused the lads are and how they're putting our plan into action. I get the feeling the derby's coming at the right time. The lads are raring to go. It's going to be good."  

Asked whether the players needed any extra motivation, or whether it was important to keep the emotions in check, Kauczinski said it came down to finding the right mix: "We need a plan and we need to stick to it. We also need to keep a cool head. In the last two games the players have been very focused when it comes to doing what we've asked of them and that won't change on derby day. We also want to waken the emotions and give them free rein, of course, but one won't work without the other."

Alex Meier is very much the focus of attention at the moment after scoring five goals in his first six games. The 'football god' is dominating the headlines, but that isn't a problem for Kauczinski. "What matters is how Alex conducts himself in our group. He's not at all vain. Alex is a total team player who doesn't blow his own trumpet. He's a very modest person. He's there for the team and that's what counts. His goals are obviously a factor in the success of the team but it's always a team achievement as well. Robin kept goal very well at Paderborn and the defence was solid, too. Alex is a quality finisher, but he needs teammates who make the goals. He works for the team, but the team work for him as well. It's a team effort."

Kauczinski also had words of praise for Holland youth international Justin Hoogma. "He's settled in well in no time at all," the St. Pauli boss said. "He's unflustered on the ball and very dependable. He's also a very good communicator on the pitch. He really knows what he's doing there, which is doing us good." 

There was more praise for midfielder Ersin Zehir, who will miss the derby due to a one-match ban, however. "Ersin's done a good job and he has potential for more," said Kauczinski. "Sometimes he gives the ball away too easily, but he always wants it back straightaway. He's been good for us, all in all. He's full of running and always offers an outball. He's played with great spirit, but suspensions are a part of the game, as we've seen with Christopher Buchtmann. We can compensate for it."

While Zehir will miss the derby, a number of players will return to the squad in the next few days. "We're expecting Johannes Flum back – he resumed full training today – plus Jeremy Dudziak, who will train in part on Tuesday and in full on Wednesday. The same is planned for Luca Zander, but it's more difficult to assess with him because of his muscle injury."

Photo: Witters