Jackson Irvine on his hopes ahead of St. Pauli's huge final day survival clash against Wolfsburg
St. Pauli captain and Australia international midfielder Jackson Irvine sat down in an interview to explain why he believes his club can escape the drop ahead of a huge final day showdown at home to Wolfsburg, which could allow them to avoid automatic relegation and move into the play-off with a win.
Bundesliga: There is so much at stake in the match against Wolfsburg on Saturday. How are you feeling about it?
Irvine: "It’s obviously going to be a very exciting game for neutrals and stressful for a lot of fans, friends and family. For us, there’s still a chance to win this game, and it would be an unbelievable way to give ourselves two more games to stay in this league.”
Bundesliga: How are you preparing for the match?
Irvine: “It's a combination of business as usual and trying to find the small details that will give us the edge in a game like this. We need to understand the different phases of the game and how we are going to win. We know we have to win, so we don’t want to change everything going into a game like this because I don’t think that will help us. We have to prepare fully, try to put a complete performance together and then trust that that will be enough to win the game.”
Bundesliga: How can you put together a complete performance?
Irvine: "In different stages of the season we have looked better defensively, and we have looked more dangerous in front of goal, but we maybe haven’t found the combination of both. We are going to have to find that in this last game. We are going to have to be defensively solid, structurally good, and create those chances like we did last week [in a 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig] and put them away.”
Bundesliga: Will St. Pauli be ready mentally for such a significant game after a poor run of form that has seen you go nine matches without a win?
Irvine: "The results haven’t been great in the last couple of weeks, but I thought our performance in Leipzig was very good and much improved from the weeks before, so that’s something for us to take in. Mentally, I think the guys are ready and focused.
"There is no point looking backwards. We have to just play with belief and trust in each other, play with confidence, and we have to enjoy it if we can. I know it’s difficult in these moments to enjoy the chance, but you are playing at the highest level with big pressure and high stakes. This is what you want as a professional, and we have to find a way to embrace that and bring it to the game.”
Bundesliga: How much can the famous St. Pauli home support help you on Saturday?
Irvine: “They are always a factor for us, and they are a huge contributor to when we can bring our top performance on the pitch. They have been amazing all year, and we are going to need them again on Saturday. We have to harness every little bit of energy that they can give us.”
Bundsliga: Have you planned any motivational pre-match words as captain, or will that be more spontaneous?
Irvine: “It definitely comes spontaneously. I can sit here and tell you that I want to talk about emotions or the stakes or the game or maybe something tactical, but for me it’s just about sensing what the mood and vibe is and what the guys need in that moment. Hopefully, I will find the right words for them.”
Bundesliga: Do you think St. Pauli will win and avoid automatic relegation?
Irvine: "I always believe. There can be something magical about this place at times, and we have shown over the last couple of years that we can create these moments. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t create another magical moment on Saturday. We just have to do the job, make sure we are prepared in terms of what we can control on the pitch, and then sometimes things can fall your way even in the most unlikely circumstances. We very much have a chance, and I fully believe in it.”
Bundesliga: Finally, what would it mean to you if you do get to stay in the Bundesliga?
Irvine: “From an individual point of view and for everything I have invested in this team and with this club over the years, to have the chance to compete at this level is all I have ever dreamed of. I wanted the chance to compete week in, week out at the very highest level and that is what the Bundesliga is. It is one of the top two or three leagues in the world and what it takes to get here and stay here is monumental levels of physical and mental investment.
"We have to find that spark for what it means to be here and what it takes to stay at this level. We have to find that on Saturday and bring it because this is where we want to be and where we want to stay. While we still have a chance, we have to fight with everything we have to keep it.”
