Fabian Hürzeler
Brighton & Hove Albion’s chairman, Tony Bloom, has expressed his strong support for head coach Fabian Hurzeler as they embark on their second season together. After guiding the team to an impressive eighth-place finish last season, Bloom is confident that Hurzeler will continue to progress and overcome the challenges of the Premier League.
Tony Bloom said: “He’s obviously relatively new to the Premier League. I thought he did really, really well last season because it’s the first season in the Premier League. Bundesliga.2 is at quite a high level, so he did 18 months and did absolutely superb at St. Pauli. The first year here, new country, best league in the world, is always going to be challenging. I think he has gone through those challenges and I thought he did really, really well last season. And there were really difficult moments in that season. So I think that experience is going to hold him in really good stead and I’m expecting that experience to really help him improve going into this season.”
Asked in what ways he expected Hurzeler to improve, Bloom said: “I think there’s improvement, there’s learnings in so many areas. First of all, he’s learning about the Premier League. He’s learning about Brighton and Hove Albion and how we do things, about his set of players. He’s learning about different tactics in the Premier League, opposition, all the opposition players, all the opposition head coaches. When you’re doing it the second time around, I just think it’s not easy, but a lot easier than the first time.”
Asked whether there had been times when Bloom had needed to show particular support to Hurzeler, he said: “I’m always supportive to all the head coaches that we have at the football club. Obviously, there was a time when we lost a number of games in a row that you perhaps spend a little bit more time speaking to him, but not overdoing it. He’s very strong mentally. He’s got real confidence in the work that he’s doing. So nothing more particularly than what I would normally do.”
Hurzeler’s first season in the Premier League was marked by both impressive unbeaten runs and challenging periods, including a 7-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest and a winless streak following their FA Cup exit to the same team. Despite these ups and downs, Brighton currently sits in mid-table with nine points from seven games. Bloom remains optimistic about the team’s potential for a strong finish this season.
The chairman’s confidence in Hurzeler stems from the coach’s ability to adapt and learn quickly. With experience from the Bundesliga.2 and a successful stint at St. Pauli, Hurzeler has shown resilience and a capacity for growth. Bloom believes that the lessons learned from last season will be invaluable as Hurzeler continues to navigate the complexities of the Premier League.
As Brighton looks to build on last season’s success, Bloom’s unwavering support for Hurzeler underscores the club’s commitment to long-term development and stability. The chairman’s belief in Hurzeler’s mental strength and tactical acumen suggests that Brighton fans can look forward to an exciting season ahead.
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