Petit hails Hurzeler amongst best managers in Premier League
It has been a testing time for Brighton since the March international break. Eliminated from the FA Cup. Beaten 3-0 at home. Losing away at arch rivals.
Penalty shootout defeat to Nottingham Forest was hard to take. The Albion looked visibly tired with a starting XI who racked up significantly more air miles than their opponents over the preceding two weeks.
To then lose once again via the lottery of penalties in a season which is set up for an unfashionable club to go all the way to the final at Wembley was gutting.
With the FA Cup dream over for another campaign, it was all eggs in the Champions League basket. Brighton found themselves in a good position for a top five finish, which be enough this year to secure a seat at Europe’s top table.
Losing 3-0 to Aston Villa was disappointing but perhaps not unexpected. Hurzeler rotated his starting XI. As he had to based on the evident fatigue against Forest.
Although a blow to those top five hopes, the Villa defeat would have been forgotten pretty quickly if Brighton won at Crystal Palace.
No such luck. A 2-1 win gave the Eagles their first league double in the fixture for 92 years. They also became only the third team since Sky Sports invented football in 1992 to win a Premier League game finishing with nine men. Ouch.
Reactions to those three games across seven days have been, shall we say, mixed? Some have moved on quickly, knowing things are never straightforward when you support the Albion.
Others have expressed disappointment and sadness that an important week has not gone Brighton’s way. And some have of course gone nuclear, demanding Fabian Hurzeler is either sacked or resigns.
The thing with football – and the Albion in particular – is that it all changes so quickly. Nine weeks ago and Hurzeler needed his P45 for losing 7-0 at Nottingham Forest; the heaviest league defeat Brighton had suffered since 1958.
Six consecutive wins and a draw followed as Hurzeler oversaw the best winning run of any Albion manager with the club in the top flight.
The intensity which surrounds Brighton against Palace means reactions are always heightened when Seagulls are sunk by Eagles.
Sometimes, you need an outsider removed from the emotion of it all to provide perspective. Although I must admit to being surprised to find it coming from former Arsenal, Chelsea and France’s World Cup winning midfielder Emmanuel Petit.
Speaking to pokerfirma.com, Petit put Hurzeler amongst the best performing managers in the Premier League this season.
He also said the 32-year-old should remain at Brighton for several seasons. Hurzeler has been linked with Manchester City to replace Pep Guardiola should the Citizens boss find 115 reasons to leave the Etihad Stadium soon.
A word of warning – Petit starts his comments by comparing Hurzeler to Glow Up Graham Potter. Stick with it though…
“Hurzeler reminds me of Graham Potter,” said Petit. “He’s just come to the Premier League. He’s a young manager. Obviously a bit younger than Potter was when he made the step-up from Swansea. Probably with less experience.”
“I think Hurzeler would probably be amongst the best managers so far in this season. It’s pretty amazing to think that this is first season and he is younger than several of his players.”
“But he’s created an environment where they have all bought into his ideas. If he reaches the European football with Brighton, that would be a big achievement.”
“Are other clubs going to be looking at him? I think they will be. He’ll be on a few shortlists. But I think it would be the wrong decision to leave the club anytime soon.”
“Stay at Brighton. Keep learning and improving. Keep growing as a manager. Brighton are a top Premier League team.”
Food for thought?
