After topping the 2. Bundesliga table midway through last season, before dropping off the pace, Hamburg-based St. Pauli find themselves just a point off the bottom in 15th spot, and with a battle on their hands to stay up. 

Kiezkicker skipper Irvine, 29, is hoping to harness the energy and positivity of Australia’s buccaneering romp to the last 16 in Qatar to galvanise his teammates when the season restarts at the end of January.

Speaking from the team's training camp in southern Spain, the midfielder - one the Socceroos’ many high achievers in the Middle East - Irvine told FTBL: “Our performances in the first half of the season don’t reflect our position in the table. They’re better than results have shown.

“We’ve had a change in manager (29-year-old Fabian Hurzeler is now in charge) and have brought in some new players and are excited for the second half of the season.

“Hopefully we’ll get a run going and put some pressure on the teams above us. We’re looking up rather than down.

“The whole of 2022 wasn’t great for us results wise and we’ll be looking to turn that around. I’ve got huge ambition to help drive this club forward.”

It’s all a far cry from the glitz and hoopla of Australia’s narrow 2-1 loss to eventual champions Argentina at the World Cup where they went out with heads high and reputations varnished.

“I’m looking to bring some of the energy and spirit we showed in Qatar to this playing group and try to help us improve,” he added.

“We’ll need the same level of performance to achieve things. That’s a thing I hope I can bring back with me.”

With Socceroos coach Graham Arnold set to be handed a new four-year deal, pending any last minute hitches in negotiations with Football Australia, Irvine sees further progress for the national on the horizon.

“I think we exceeded everybody’s expectations at the World Cup - I don’t think many people even thought we’d qualify after we were drawn against Peru in the qualifying playoffs,” he said.

“But to go on and win two games and bring on a new generation of players in the process bodes well for the future.

“We need to keep growing the game in Australia and pushing sport in the right direction.

“I’ve had an excellent relationship with Arnie over the last four years and he’s achieved so much with the national team and created an atmosphere where we can excel.

“It’s great to be part of all this - I feel I’m growing into the best stage of my career in terms of my football and also leadership roles with both my club and the national team.”

Irvine, who signed new multi year deal at St. Pauli just before Christmas, added: “We fell just short against the new world champions and you were left with a feeling of what might have been.

“But I don’t think any of us came out of Qatar with any regrets. It was a very different emotion to Russia four years ago where it felt like a bigger sense of a missed opportunity.

“Against Argentina it was just a couple of moments of coming up against world class quality.”