Eight years since making his skilled debut with New York Metropolis FC, it’s protected to say that James Sands has relished the chance of taking key steps ahead in his profession.
From turning into a constant starter in MLS to that includes within the UEFA Champions League and Europa League with Scottish membership Rangers to incomes Bundesliga experiences in 2025, the veteran midfielder has continued to benefit from his conditions.
After combating his manner again from a fractured fibula and torn MCL final February, Sands seems to be again to his finest once more as he tries to assist St. Pauli escape the Bundesliga’s relegation zone and surge up the league standings.
“It’s good to be again on the pitch now,” Sands advised SBI in an interview. “I had a foul damage within the first half of the 12 months so with the ability to begin with the complete crew in preseason after which getting an excellent run of video games, I’m pleased with it. I believe my performances have been fairly good. It’s my first full season right here within the Bundesliga, so there’s clearly a little bit of a studying curve and an adjustment interval, however I’d say, general, I’m pleased with how issues are going and it could be good within the coming weeks and months to start out selecting up extra factors.
“It was fairly a severe damage that I suffered in February and individuals who endure comparable accidents take some time to come back again,” he added. “There have been occasions early within the preseason that I used to be again enjoying, however I nonetheless didn’t really feel 100% like myself. I’m comfortable that I’ve sort of gotten over that section and I really feel good now. I’ve performed lots of minutes, and I believe it provides me confidence that the coaches have lots of perception in me. Every recreation I’m going out and attempt to repay that confidence and it’s necessary that I maintain placing in good performances and maintain working onerous.”
St. Pauli’s 2025-26 season began on a constructive notice with the membership advancing previous Eintracht Norderstedt within the German Cup, incomes a house draw in opposition to Borussia Dortmund and claiming a 2-0 derby victory over rivals Hamburg. In addition they defeated Augsburg 2-1 on September 14, beginning the league schedule with seven factors earned out of 9 out there.
With the ability to function within the Hamburg derby for the primary time was a deal with for Sands, who in contrast the matchup to his previous involvements in Outdated Agency Derbies in Scotland and in U.S-Mexico clashes on the worldwide stage.
“These are the best matches to be a part of and it was good that we have been in a position to win that one and play rather well,” Sands stated in regards to the Hamburg-St. Pauli rivalry. “There’s actually no higher feeling than that, however it’s cool to see the massive Derby matches and the way a lot they imply to the followers right here. In that sense it’s similar to the Rangers-Celtic Derby and enjoying in a U.S.-Mexico match. You simply know going into it that these matches have slightly little bit of a unique feeling. A number of the time, it’s not essentially the most stunning soccer that wins the sport however it’s extra about depth, effort and who can deal with the second in one of the simplest ways. Being part of these video games helps you achieve expertise and it helps you going ahead.”
Nonetheless, the highway bought rocky for Sands and St. Pauli beginning in mid-September, with the membership shedding their subsequent 9 league fixtures and being outscored 20-3 over that span, dropping them into the Bundesliga’s bottom-two locations.
Issues have improved for Alexander Blessin’s squad over the previous 9 days although, with St. Pauli claiming a 2-1 highway cup victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach and utilizing a 94th-minute equalizer to attract FC Koln 1-1 on Saturday. Sands has seen the performances enhance for St. Pauli over the previous couple of weeks, one thing he hopes can carry over to the ultimate two matches of 2025 and into the second half of the season.
“We had an excellent begin to the season,” Sands stated. “Having a draw in opposition to Dortmund after which a consequence within the derby have been good. We had a stretch of video games that have been under our expectations as a bunch, however I believe on a constructive notice in latest weeks we’ve sort of gotten again to what our strengths are as a crew. If you take a look at this previous week, we pushed Bayern to the very finish, we bought an excellent consequence within the Cup in opposition to an excellent Gladbach crew, and we bought a consequence away in Cologne, which is a troublesome place to go and play. I believe issues are beginning to look higher for our group and now it’s about placing in good performances together with outcomes. We all know we’re going to have to start out selecting up factors quickly and I’ve lots of perception that this group is able to that.
“I believe it exhibits we’re able to beating anybody within the league and it doesn’t matter if it’s house or away,” Sands added about how the Gladbach win might function momentum in league play. I believe we do take lots of confidence from that and as I stated it’s now about stringing good performances collectively back-to-back. We now have an enormous recreation arising on Saturday (in opposition to 16th-placed Heidenheim) after which the next weekend after that’s one other massive one (in opposition to 18th-place Mainz) in opposition to two groups which are in and round us within the desk. I believe there’s an enormous probability for us to construct up lots of good momentum going into the second half of the season.”
St. Pauli is just in its second season again in Germany’s top-flight after being within the 2. Bundesliga for the prior 13 years. Whereas Hamburg has obtained lots of the plaudits within the metropolis after profitable six league titles and one Champions League crown, St. Pauli has completed nicely to get again to the brilliant lights of the Bundesliga and keep aggressive since its 2024 promotion.
Sands praised the influence of the continual fan assist that St. Pauli receives each week, whatever the weekend consequence or their present place within the standings.
“I’ve rapidly realized being right here what a novel membership that is,” Sands stated. “I believe that begins with the followers. Even within the powerful moments we’ve had this season, they haven’t as soon as turned away from us. They assist us 90 minutes each match and I believe particularly in as we speak’s day and age, that’s fairly uncommon. I believe that a part of it actually makes this membership stand out. They’ve a really lengthy and wealthy historical past, and I’m nonetheless studying extra about it every single day, however it feels cool to even be a small a part of that.”
The lifetime of an expert footballer is crammed with many hours on the stadium, within the health club, or on the coaching grounds, however it’s not simply that. Between membership duties, interviews, video periods, and neighborhood occasions, there’s little time for athletes to take pleasure in time for themselves and have a psychological break from the hectic day-to-day schedule.
Sands has spent ample time in New York and Glasgow throughout his profession, two of the most important areas of their respective nations. Now after residing in Hamburg for an ample time frame, the 25-year-old mirrored in town itself and the way he wished to check himself in a unique European league and nation.
“I’d say Hamburg is a really good metropolis, and lots of different German folks I do know say it’s the most effective locations in Germany, so it’s very cool to reside right here,” Sands stated. “It’s good when my household comes over to go to as a result of we are able to go round, see the sights, try this complete factor. Off the sector I spend fairly a little bit of time engaged on my college lessons. I’m near getting my bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration so I’m doing that on the minute. Outdoors of that, I’m watching TV, going for espresso, that type of factor.
“One of many issues I actually attempt to do in my profession is all the time holding pushing myself,” he added. “I believe you’ll be able to see by my profession trajectory that I’m all the time attempting to take one other step ahead and problem myself. I might have stayed in MLS and try this factor, however I wished to get out of my consolation zone. I wished to go to a brand new nation. I wished to expertise a brand new kind of soccer and I did that in Scotland. I’m doing that once more right here, and I believe if you’re in a position to push your self like that and take these steps, it’s way more rewarding ultimately. My profession to this point has been filled with lots of ups and it’s additionally had lots of downs, however so long as I maintain pushing myself and attempting to get out of my consolation zone, I believe the whole lot will work out ultimately.”
Sands’ return to St. Pauli this summer season has made him one in all 15 gamers between the Bundesliga and a pair of. Bundesliga divisions which have ties with the U.S. males’s nationwide crew. Between Gio Reyna to Joe Scally to Sands, the listing of American gamers which have examined themselves in Germany has continued to develop with each passing season.
Not like Sands’ time in Scotland, the place he was one of some American gamers there, he’s now been in a position to keep linked to lots of shut teammates and associates in Germany.
“I’m very shut with Joe and Gio at Gladbach, particularly Joe as a result of we performed one-to-two years for the primary crew in New York,” Sands stated when requested about his American connections in Germany. “I converse to him very often and I’d say now being over right here and enjoying in these Bundesliga matches, I’ve lots of respect for what he’s completed, the appearances he’s made for Gladbach at such a younger age. I’ve a brand new perspective on that. He’s been useful in letting me know what to anticipate and learn how to handle a few of these video games. It’s sort of cool to have a detailed circle of men that you realize from the U.S. however at the moment are enjoying in Europe.”
Sands’ return to constant enjoying time this season has not solely led to a constant position with St. Pauli, but in addition to USMNT return. Two years since his final USMNT cap, Sands performed 64 minutes in Mauricio Pochettino’s beginning lineup throughout an eventual 2-1 pleasant win over Australia again in October.
Though Sands was not a part of the November roster for matches in opposition to Paraguay and Uruguay, he put himself on Pochettino’s radar forward of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and earned his first probability to work with the Argentine head coach. After beforehand incomes his USMNT caps below former head coach Gregg Berhalter, Sands believes that each Berhalter and Pochettino have left their imprints on this system.
“The Nationwide Crew is an enormous purpose of mine and I believe it was good to simply get my title again within the combine,” Sands stated. I believe the World Cup subsequent summer season goes to come back right down to type and the way persons are performing with their golf equipment. I really feel good that that if I maintain performing nicely right here at St. Pauli, I at the least give myself an opportunity and now it’s not an unknown if he calls me. He’s at the least seen me play in a single match, he’s seen me in a single camp, so I believe that actually works in my benefit.”
“I believe what instantly stands out with Mauricio is simply you would inform straight away what stage he’s labored at on this recreation,” Sands added. “Whether or not it was at Tottenham, Chelsea, or PSG, you’ll be able to inform that he’s labored with the very best gamers on this planet. He definitely has a unique method to managing the crew than Gregg did, however I believe each have their strengths and each have completed a extremely good job with the nationwide crew.”
The USMNT just lately realized their group stage opponents for subsequent summer season’s match, being paired with Paraguay, Australia, and a European playoff winner in Group D. Each Paraguay and Australia are two groups that the People have familiarity with after defeating them over the previous two months.
Both Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania, or Turkey will spherical out Group D after March’s playoff sequence, however all 4 nations are ones that the USMNT both doesn’t have loads of latest expertise with or expertise with in any respect. Sands gave his tackle the USMNT’s summer season opponents, revealing pleasure for a possible showdown with St. Pauli teammates Jackson Irvine and Connot Metcalfe on the world’s largest stage.
“Firstly, I’m very excited that we bought Australia within the group as a result of two of my teammates listed here are massive components of the Australian crew, so it could be cool to play them subsequent summer season,” Sands stated. “They’ve lots of qualities as a crew they usually’ll be a problem. Paraguay has lots of high quality, so that they’ll be a problem. The unknown European crew does make it slightly unsure. Having stated that, it’s the World Cup so no matter who you play, you’re going to should deliver your finest stage.”
Sands has loads of challenges awaiting him because the calendar will get set to flip to 2026. The NYCFC loanee will purpose to assist St. Pauli keep away from a drop again to the second tier, whereas additionally forcing his manner again into the USMNT image for March’s friendlies in opposition to Portugal and Belgium.
As well as, Sands needs to solidify his membership future after heading out on mortgage for the fourth time whereas below contract at NYCFC. Whereas his present mortgage spell ends on the conclusion of the Bundesliga season, a robust second half might doubtlessly result in a everlasting transfer overseas for the primary time in his profession.
“My massive want for the remainder of the season is that we keep up, we keep within the league and on high of that, I wish to be an enormous a part of that,” Sands stated. “I’ve began nicely and performed in lots of matches to this point, however we’re solely midway just about at this level, so I wish to proceed that and maintain constructing on every recreation.
“If I obtain these issues and the membership stays up, then I believe it provides me a shot at making the crew subsequent summer season as a result of I wish to play in a house World Cup.” he added. “I additionally wish to type out my long-term future. I’ve had a mortgage in Scotland and now right here, I’m fascinated about discovering a house someplace for the subsequent couple of years.”