FC St. Pauli

...the start to the season: “We’ve not been effective in front of goal. The performances against Heidenheim and Union were good. Defending is always the foundation and I think it’s been good, though we have to admit that we need to do better when defending set pieces. We simply have to claim our reward in attack, and maybe we need a bit of luck there. Heidenheim and Union may not be the league’s top teams, but both games showed we can hold our own. We have to be honest in that it didn’t get us any points, but we’re upbeat and aim to start picking up points now.“

...not being clinical enough: “It’s the first year in the Bundesliga for many, including me. We saw how effective Heidenheim were, for example. It was brutal. There’s still a long way to go and we’re in a process. I’m sure it will come as the season progresses and we’ll start scoring decisive goals.“

…FC Augsburg and his expectations for the game: “They’re an established Bundesliga team. I’ve watched their games and they haven’t played badly, even though they were soundly beaten by Heidenheim. We’re warned and know Augsburg are a really good side. I’m expecting a very ugly game. Both teams are desperate to get a result. Augsburg are very good at home and a constant threat from set pieces. We need to cut out the mistakes of previous games in that respect.“

...sharing a Leipzig past with head coach Alexander Blessin: “I was playing for the Under-16s at the time and he was coaching the Under-17s. We had a lot of training sessions together, so I did have some initial contact with him then. I’m benefiting to a certain extent from the fact that I already know the Leipzig philosophy, especially as far as playing off the ball is concerned. I was obviously happy to hook up with him again here. He’s changed since then, of course, but only in a positive sense. He’s taken a lot of new things from his spells abroad.“

...his new role patrolling the flank in a 3-5-2: “You’re on your own to a certain extent on the side and have to a lot of running. It’s a lot of fun and I’m able to cope with the running very well. The defensive work is paramount but I like to keep getting involved in the attack. I wasn’t entirely satisfied with that in the first two games. My passing, especially in the final third, was still lacking a bit of precision. I have to be better at finding the strikers so that they can make better use of the chances.“

...being appointed to the players’ council: “Jacko came up to me at training camp and asked me if I could see myself on it. I knew right away that I was up for it. Jacko told me what made me stand out and that my mentality and attitude made me a good fit. I want to improve every day and capable of taking the lads with me both on and off the pitch. I always have a smile on my face and contribute to a positive mood, but I can bang on the table if there’s something I don’t like. I benefit a bit from having been captain at Freiburg and therefore what the duties of the players’ council are.“

Photos: FC St. Pauli/Witters