FC St. Pauli

...the season just ended: "The season was disappointing and energy-sapping and we're glad it ended how it did and we're not talking about a relegation play-off. We experienced a lot and it was like a rollercoaster ride at times – with ups as well as downs. The best thing about the season is that it's over and we can turn our attention to the future. It certainly won't go down in the annals of FC St. Pauli."

...the reasons for the way the season went: "For most of my career I've worked at clubs where there was something at stake at the end of the season. Often it was promotion, like Freiburg going up to the Bundesliga, but there've been relegation battles, too. Every season, and every club, brings its own challenges, but this season was very exacting. It was clear for a long time that we were searching for mainstays. We went into the campaign with injured and ailing players and suffered a serious injury early on in the shape of Christopher Avevor. We had some great moments, such as the derby victories, but also setbacks, leaving us somewhere between hope and fear most of the time. That takes it out of you and doesn't end in success. You're more likely to find yourself chasing expectations."

...his expectations for next season: "I tend to be a person who goes into a season more conservatively, but that has nothing to do with whether you pursue and work towards ambitious targets or not. We lack the foundations to challenge at the top of the second division at the moment. You can create them, but not overnight. We would do well to aim for stability. That's extremely difficult in the second division, as you can see from other clubs, but I still want us to go for it in the new season and look to move to the level our capabilities and our location dictate we should be."

...the development of young talent:  "That's not something you can judge in general terms. You have to assess it in lots of different ways. In Finn Ole Becker, we have a top talent in the squad, but young players can blow hot and cold. Then we had the meteoric rise of Christian Conteh, who we didn't see for a long time due to injury, however. Luis Coordes, Marvin Senger, Christian Viet, Mert Kuyucu and Maximilian Franzke have also had a chance to show what they can do. They're young players who have shown glimpses of their potential but have to be brought on if they want to play in the Bundesliga long term. That's a challenge and a process that we're happy to monitor and intensify."

...the search for a new head coach:  "I'm extremely busy in this respect and confident we'll come up with a good solution. The fact is, however, that prudence and the absolute conviction that it's the right solution take precedence over tempo. In terms of substance, the style of play and the character of the coach have to be right for the club. Our new coach has to enjoy working with young people, bringing them on, and playing attractive attacking football. They're the key items on our agenda."

...the latest on possible new signings:  "Thinking about transfers without having a coach in place is not ideal, but we're pushing ahead with our plans regardless. We've made a lot of progress in some areas and are confident of making signings irrespective of the coaching situation. We have an overarching idea and an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the squad and we want to select a coach who can build on our idea and work with the team. Pushing ahead with your squad planning without your most important member of staff isn't ideal, however, so we have the aspiration, but also the pressure, to reach a decision relatively quickly."

...budgeting in the Covid era: "In the end you have to come to terms with the circumstances. Planning becomes more difficult, of course. The club is doing everything it can but we have to accept that lots of things play a role, such as the lack of gate receipts, for example, but we do have options for filling all the relevant positions."

...the plans for the next few weeks: "The same as the last few weeks and months. We call it 'line of sight driving'. When you're planning, it always helps to know when the season will start. There are various scenarios for that now. When you know the winter break is going to be very short, it would be preferable to be able to lay the foundations in summer to ensure you come through OK, so there are some questions that have an influence on our planning."

...the plans for a summer training camp: "We haven't booked a training camp as things stand. If we start at the end of August, there aren't really any options for getting a meaningful training camp in somewhere. There are lots of things to consider for the new season as well. The hygiene concept will remain in force, albeit with some adjustments. You have to think about the consequences, especially if you're going abroad, so a training camp at home may also be an option."

...his own rest and recuperation: "It's not looking good (he grins). There's no time or room for a holiday with everything that's going on. I'll boil it down to a few hours by the Elbe when the time comes. I have enough in the tank for the next few weeks and months at the moment. I'll treat myself to a few days off if there's time in October."

Photos: Witters