Fabian Hürzeler
In a season that saw Brighton & Hove Albion secure an impressive eighth-place finish in the Premier League, former Albion defender Adam Virgo has lauded manager Fabian Hurzeler for his commendable efforts. Despite this achievement, Virgo has highlighted areas for improvement, particularly regarding the team’s naivety and inconsistency, which he believes need to be addressed for the club to continue its upward trajectory.
Adam Virgo said: “When you employ the youngest Premier League manager in history, mistakes will be made. In the games against Wolves and Leicester City away, there were game management tactics that got called into question. There was maybe a bit of naivety but I have said to Brighton fans, if you look at how young the squad is, there is going to be inconsistency, and that was pretty apparent last season. When they were good, they were good, and when they were poor, they were very poor. That middle ground has been slightly missing.”
Virgo further acknowledged Hurzeler’s tactical adjustments throughout the season, noting a shift from the initial style of play to a more direct approach. This change, according to Virgo, was crucial in maintaining the team’s competitiveness over the course of the campaign.
Adam Virgo added: “He’s changed the way the team played because he’s realised the style of play he started with wasn’t going to be good enough to withstand the whole season. When you talk about the high line, he’s gone a little bit more direct. That in itself is a good adjustment.”
Brighton’s season was not without its challenges, as the team endured an eight-game winless streak between late November 2024 and early January 2025, as well as losing three out of four games in April. Virgo attributed these struggles partly to injuries affecting key players such as Igor Julio, James Milner, Ferdi Kadioglu, Solly March, and Adam Webster, which disrupted the team’s momentum.
Adam Virgo concluded: “If he is still making the same mistakes, then you ask, ‘Is he learning? Is he taking on board mistakes that are being made that are costing points?’. Time will tell. People forget that Brighton had a lot of injuries last season. Those key players like Kadioglu and [Matt] O’Riley were brought in but got injured quite quickly, you are kind of dealing with the same players that you had from the season before.”
Looking ahead, Virgo believes that if Brighton can manage to keep injuries at bay and learn from past mistakes, the team has the potential to climb further up the Premier League table. The emphasis on learning and adapting will be crucial for Hurzeler and his young squad as they aim to build on their promising performance from the 2024/25 season.
About The Author
