Our football club’s manager is being coveted by some of the biggest clubs in England and Spain, and for good reason. To make sure he is not poached before time by one of the Premier League’s ‘bigger’ clubs, we wanted to let him know just how much he means to us all. These are some of his finest moments in the dugout…
Pep knows you’re one of the very best
When the greatest manager of the modern age says he learns every time he watches your games, you know you’re onto something special. Pep pioneered everything from the False 9 to the inverted fullback, winning more trophies in a couple of seasons than most managers do in a 40-year career. In short, the guy knows what it takes to win football matches at the very highest level.
The fact that Pep says he doesn’t just enjoy our football right now, but learns from it, says everything you need to know about the innovation Roberto has brought with him from Spain. He’s a pioneer on a fraction of the budget Pep is on, and yet still seems to unearth hidden gems that the rest of the Premier League soon covets.
Evan Ferguson is a generational talent
He’s 18, has already scored a hat-trick in the Premier League, and at times has had the same level of impact in his teen years as a young Rooney once had. Those may be gigantic shoes to fill, but who knows just how far he can go when he has a manager who is bringing him on the right way.
Ferguson isn’t being rushed or overplayed — two things which are so easy to do with a young player of his undoubted talent. He is also being guided and kept away from the media at the right times, allowing him to grow up and continue to mature without too much glare and forensic analysis. All of this adds up to a player who will be raised in the best traditions of the game, all without the risk of overuse injuries that blighted the likes of Jack Wilshere.
Europe is our new home and we love it
Being in Europe for the first time in our history would have been nothing more than a pipe-dream to all but the most dedicated fan when Potter left for pastures new. He was seen as the jewel in the crown of a club that was punching well above its weight, only to be tempted by the seemingly limitless riches of Stamford Bridge. In stepped the little-known De Zerbi and we’ve got even better.
Pedro has lit up the European stage in a way that makes us all smile, and at the same time we’ve had away days we’ll never forget. Just what you want to hear when it’s time to create memories that will never fade, no matter how high our beloved club continues to climb.
We’ve even beaten Man Utd handily!
Sancho and Antony cost more than our entire squad and have done nothing between them this season. One cannot score or assist to save his life, while the other isn’t even allowed into the first-team canteen thanks to an ongoing feud with ETH. It doesn’t look good when you see what’s happening over at Old Trafford, but it remains truly stunning that we’ve beaten them without it even being a particularly big shock on Match of the Day.
Gone are the days when we would have to get a stroke of luck in a cup draw to land one of the biggest fish in world football. These days we play them home and away every season and put them through the mill with ease and regularity. Who would have thought a little club nestled on the coast would be able to conquer the iconic giants of English football.
The Japanese wizard is the find of the season
You know who we’re talking about! £2.2 million has never looked like such a bargain, particularly when you think the aforementioned Antony cost a cool £82 million. His finishing, dribbling, and passing all stand out while he’s made the physical demands of the Premier League look like a walk in the park. Not only that, he’s taking us to a global fanbase in ways that keep the shirt sales growing month after month, all while raising our profile and making our progress in Europe anything but a shock. What would our club be without incredible finds like the one and only Japanese wizard?
Managing our club felt like an impossible challenge when Graham Potter left such big shoes to fill, and yet Roberto De Zerbi has made it look virtually effortless. Who could forget the 3-1 hammering of Man Utd that made every Gulls fan feel like they won big money at free slots! It truly was the stuff dreams were made of and we cannot wait for the next dose of excitement.
So, Roberto, if you’re reading this (and we hope you are) we want you to know that the place just wouldn’t be the same without you. Potter didn’t get on so well at Chelsea and has been out of a job ever since. He’s a proof that the grass is always greenest down here on the coast.
