Brighton & Hove Albion parted ways with manager Roberto De Zerbi after a season which undoubtedly failed to live up to expectations. The Italian boss led Brighton to an unprecedented sixth-place finish the previous year, securing a first appearance in the Europa League.
However, De Zerbi lost pivotal players such as Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo in the transfer window, and their replacements failed to impress. Despite a promising start to the 2023/24 season that saw the Seagulls win five of the first six matches, they ultimately finished in 11th place.
Brighton decided to sever ties with De Zerbi and landed on St Pauli manager Fabian Hurzeler to replace him. Read on as we assess whether their gamble will pay off.
Hurzeler’s Style of Football Should Suit Brighton
Hurzeler arrives at Brighton after leading Hamburg-based club St Pauli back into the Bundesliga for the first time since 2011. During his two-year spell with the club, Hurzeler tweaked his predecessor’s tactical set-up rather than taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. St Pauli played brave, front-foot attacking football, suffocating opponents with intense high pressing and superior quality on the ball.
Hurzeler’s side made the most intensive runs and covered the most distance while ranking first for open-play pass completion and second in possession. He won 65% of his games as St Pauli’s boss. The former Bayern Munich youth player is a surprising appointment for Brighton, but he brings an exciting brand of play that can take the Premier League by storm if it clicks.
New Manager Must Unlock Ferguson’s Potential
Brighton has plenty of talented players in their squad, which gives Hurzeler a great base to work from. However, some of them will need work. They include Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson, who lost his mojo last season after a hugely impressive breakout campaign in 2022/23. Hurzeler needs to keep faith with Ferguson. Many young players suffer second-season slumps and brush it off, and the former Bohemians striker can bounce back from his drop-off.
The new manager must help the Irish international find his goalscoring groove as this will be crucial for the club and country over the next year. Hurzeler has been tasked with guiding Brighton back into Europe, while Ireland is desperate to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Ferguson will be key to both targets.
Irish bettors will undoubtedly be following Ferguson’s progress with interest given that the bookmakers have written off their chances of qualifying for the World Cup. If Ferguson rediscovers his best form for Brighton, the best betting sites in Ireland will be inundated with wagers on the Boys in Green making it to the prestigious tournament. The Irish striker’s initial focus will be on proving he is not a one-season wonder and his bid to do that will be boosted by some of the new arrivals at the club.
Mats Wieffer, Yankuba Minteh and Amario Cozier-Duberry are promising additions to the squad and more signings are expected before the transfer window closes. With a strong core already in place, Hurzeler will have the tools he needs to guide Brighton back up to the Premier League next season.
European Qualification is a Realistic Aim
No one expects Brighton to compete for the Premier League title or even fight for the top four given the strength of the competition. However, qualifying for the Europa League or Europa Conference League is a realistic aim and would unquestionably represent success for Brighton. While there are plenty of clubs chasing European qualification, the Seagulls showed it was possible to achieve the feat two seasons ago. The FA Cup and Carabao Cup are other exciting avenues for success. A strong cup run or even daring to dream of reaching a final would be a historic achievement for the club. If Hurzeler hits the ground running at Brighton, there is no reason why he cannot emulate or even surpass what De Derbi achieved on the South Coast.
