2021 was a real success story for FC St. Pauli, but for midfielder Eric Smith the year was marked by ups and downs. With regard to the start of the new year, the Swede is fond of the phrase
Smith, who Hamburg first signed on loan from KAA Gent in January and then signed permanently in the summer, has mixed feelings about his personal review of the year. Often plagued by injuries, the six-pointer has played just 16 of a possible 36 games in 2021. “I haven’t had that many injuries in a row. I’ve just been unlucky this year,” the Scandinavian describes the unfamiliar phases for him.
But it’s only a little more than halfway through the season, we haven’t achieved anything yet.
The fact that Smith knows how to help the team when he is on the pitch is proven by his personal record of eleven wins, two draws and three defeats. This season (ten appearances), however, his personal grade average, which was good until the last two games, was dented with unusually weak performances in Düsseldorf and in Kiel (6), ultimately resulting in an average of 3.60 after ten league appearances: “You always have to start with yourself and that was not the level I expect from myself,” the 24-year-old is self-critical on the club’s own website.
St. Pauli went into the short winter break at the top of the table with a six-point lead over 3rd place. Doesn’t matter much, says Smith: “It’s only a little over halfway through the season, we haven’t achieved anything yet.” The fact that the “team is on the right track” cannot, of course, be argued away, which is why Smith did not want to play down the “positive feeling” in any way. “It makes it much easier to work with because the mood is good and the confidence is high. “
The start of the new year: Aue, Dortmund, HSV
The aim is to carry both into the new year, which has a “crisp start” in store for Hamburg, who return to training on 1 January: On 15 January they play Aue at the Millerntor, followed by the cup highlight against Dortmund on 18 January and then the prestigious derby at HSV on 21 January.
For the time being, the defensive specialist is not focusing on more than these three tasks. “We’ll start with the three games within six days and continue to think from game to game,” says Smith, using a phrase he likes to employ. But he does look a little further ahead: “We will not let up, but try to get even better with every game.
