"delving into the reminiscences of St. Paul's Cup events in Halle": a probing look
FC St. Pauli Gears Up for DFB-Pokal Match Against Eintracht Norderstedt
Eric Smith, the coach of FC St. Pauli, has expressed excitement for the upcoming DFB-Pokal match against Eintracht Norderstedt. The match, scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 PM at the Millerntor, marks the first competitive game for St. Pauli since their 2:0 win at Phoenix Lübeck last weekend.
Smith emphasized the importance of taking lower league opponents seriously, citing the drama of Halle last year where they had to play 120 minutes against a lower league team. He acknowledged that Norderstedt might have played more minutes, but he expects St. Pauli to win if they take the game seriously.
The coach reminded his team that games against lower league opponents are never easy, as shown by the Drochtersen game last year. A late goal from Adam Dzwigala sent the Drochtersen vs St. Pauli game into extra time last year, with Lars Ritzka scoring the winning goal in a 3:2 victory for Drochtersen.
Despite this setback, Smith is confident about his team's readiness for the upcoming match. He stated that his team has already played a few 90 minutes, with Smith himself playing 90 minutes in a previous match against Verona. Smith also recalled a 0:1 loss to Drochtersen, league rivals of Eintracht Norderstedt, in a friendly during the early preparation phase.
Smith warns that these games have their own rules and that St. Pauli can't just look at which league they're playing against. They need to deliver a top performance to win. The team's aim is to do just that, with Jackson Irvine confirmed as the team captain and the squad gearing up for the match with a focus on advancing as far as possible in the cup.
Smith stated that his team is eager to play competitive games again, and the DFB-Pokal match against Eintracht Norderstedt is a great opportunity for them to do so. The coach's general stance on the DFB-Pokal remains enthusiastic, expressing the importance of the competition, while maintaining that the primary focus for FC St. Pauli remains the Bundesliga.
In the spirit of the DFB-Pokal, Smith encourages his team to treat every game, even against lower league opponents, with the utmost seriousness, citing the unpredictable nature of matches as demonstrated by past encounters with teams such as Halle and Drochtersen. With their sights set on advancing as far as possible in the competition, FC St. Pauli aims to excel in the European leagues, possibly even impressing in prestigious tournaments like the Champions League.
