Sands: "We can go into the season full of confidence"
Wednesday, 06. August 2025, 14:00 Uhr
The Boys in Brown resumed training on Tuesday fresh from the weekend's warm-up game at Coventry City. Following the 90-minute session, midfielder James Sands took time out to speak to the media.
James Sands on…
...the status of the preparations: "We still have a few things to work on, which is why we have pre-season. We have lots of new players and new patterns on the pitch. As was to be expected, we still need to get to know each other properly as teammates. We'd be doing something wrong if there were no challenges in pre-season. Coventry was a good test and a good lesson for us and now we're focusing on the games in front of us."
...playing with Joel Chima Fujita: "Joel is a very good player. The club did well to sign him. He's already shown a lot of quality, but it obviously takes time for us to get to know each other. I think we've made a good start together and I hope we can continue to develop in tandem. It can add real strength to the team."
...the competition for places in midfield: "It's good and we're all supporting each other. It's going to be a very long season with lots of games and we'll need to rotate. I'm glad to be part of such a talented group of midfielders because it will help me to improve as a player."
...the quality of the Bundesliga: "It's going to be tough, of course. The league is very strong this year. Two big clubs have come up and the top end of the league remains very strong. We'll have a lot of work to do, but we've brought in lots of quality, too, so we can go into the season full of confidence."
...the atmosphere at FC St. Pauli: "It's incredible. Football in the US has come on a lot but it still isn't like it is here in terms of the fans. I'm really enjoying it."
...his dream of playing at the 2026 World Cup on home soil: "The World Cup is a big dream of mine, especially because it's taking place in the US. It would be great to be a part of it, but there's a long way to go. I'm focusing on making a good start to the season. I want to grow as a player, it's the reason I moved to the Bundesliga. The standard is higher here and I'll have a better chance of being called up to the national team if I get a lot of playing time. There are lots of good players in the States, but I think I have a good chance."
Photos: FC St. Pauli
