[Albion] Fabian Hürzeler **SINGED 15/06/2024**

[pigmanovich]

That low-ball offer of £2m was never going to wash was it, not when we've just declared profits of £123m.

That's two million euros, actually, so £1.68 million.

Interesting, does "personnel planning" refer only to staff appointments or is Hurzeler already privy to our transfer plans?

 

[chaileyjem]

Given that he's in Miami on holiday, he has a contract to extricate himself from and that has to be negotiated, staffing to be agreed , and given that training doesn't start for three weeks - then wrapping this up in less than a week - which is still pretty likely - is pretty good going, and another few days either way makes no difference.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

2 miillion euros sounds frankly direspectful.

 

[Zeckenpack]

2 miillion euros sounds frankly direspectful.

Goes to show that our Director of Football is an honorable lad, who shook hands with Fabian to agree he will have a chance to leave and still negotiating after that first offer. I'd be ignoring it.

 

[peterward]

Given that he's in Miami on holiday, he has a contract to extricate himself from and that has to be negotiated, staffing to be agreed , and given that training doesn't start for three weeks - then wrapping this up in less than a week - which is still pretty likely - is pretty good going, and another few days either way makes no difference.

He's probably laying on a sun bed in miami, tanning his arse and chilling without a care in the world.

Its just on here, everyone is refreshing every 10 minutes, stressed out and desperate for signs of movement!

 

[spence]

2 miillion euros sounds frankly direspectful.

You don't get rich buy throwing money about. It's how Bloom works.

 

[Dave the hatosaurus]

2 miillion euros sounds frankly direspectful.

But none of us know if that was the opening bid or a response to their opening bid. If, for instance, they had asked initially for 10 million it would make sense to counter with a low offer so as to settle for somewhere in the middle.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

2 miillion euros sounds frankly direspectful.

That’s how bartering works. One side starts too high, and the other too low. Neither side expects their bid to be accepted.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Should we be getting worried, will this collapse...

Imagine the meltdown on here if it did.

 

[RandyWanger]

Should we be getting worried, will this collapse...

Imagine the meltdown on here if it did.

Hold the nerve. B&B have this in the bag, they're just trolling the wetters delaying the announcement

 

[Flounce]

You are not alone. Bring on the singing.

It will be changed on the thread title to SINGED within minutes of it happening, if you don’t see it there prepare to sigh whenever you open the thread.

You’re welcome

 

[dazzer6666]

He's probably laying on a sun bed in miami, tanning his arse and chilling without a care in the world.

Its just on here, everyone is refreshing every 10 minutes, stressed out and desperate for signs of movement!

Probably isn’t

 

[Grizz]

This thread is like watching a Dad's Army-o-meter Going from the Boy's a Fool, to Don't Panic, to We're Doomed!

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Allow me to add something here that may also help to tie some lose ends:

FABIAN HÜRZELER
Pronounced (using english words): "Far" - "Bee" - "An" / "Her" - "Cellar"
Former central midfielder playing for Bayerns reserves and youth national team, among other clubs. Started become a playing coach in a sub division in Bavaria, to then become a playing coach in Hamburg at Eimsbütteler TV (sparing you the pronounciation), where he met Loïc Fave who became assistant coach to Timo Schulz (club icon), who appointed Fabian to become another assistant coach for tactics etc. He led tactical training sessions. When Schulz and Fave got sacked, Fabian got a chance as the team loved working with him.
One of his known for catch phrases is: "Durchlaufen!" Which translates do "Follow through".
He is insisting his tactical demands are being followed.

WHAT CHANGED WHEN HE BECAME HEAD COACH
He did change the playing style from a 4-4-2 to a 3-4-3. Some more insights on his tactics and how it changed our results and to become one of the best playing teams in both divisions tactically:

Defending

• Compact defending 5-4-1, or 5-3-2
• Pressing mostly in own half
• Occasional pressing in opponents half depending on opponent, score and situation
• Constant pressing, when attacking and losing ball in opponents third - win ball back, create chances
• If defending in own half, its compact and leaves opponents usually limited options:
  
  
• As it can be seen in the image above, the back 5 are aligned well and consistently
• The zone defending in midfield is based on opponent but usually well kept and maintained to leave only few options. Mostly:
  - Long balls (which can be defended easily and regaining possession)
  - Ball out to one winger or defender (who can be pressed)
  - Ball back to their goalkeeper
• The style of defending is fair, but straight physical and smart
• Certain tips and tricks helped to defend better against set pieces like head positioning when heading out, small details he is paying a lot of attention to
• Fabian injected a desire to defend and not to concede goals - simple rule: Games are easier won, the less goals you concede
• Fewest goals conceded among other teams in 2nd Bundesliga but when we concede its mostly counter attacks, long distance shots, penalties, OR individual errors in the build up play which he is adamant about to keep (more about build up play, in Offense section)
• This is an example of how we conceded goals (mostly annoying but never had much of an impact overall on our season)
  
  

Does this make Fabians style a defensive one, that is boring to watch with limited offensive styles and tactics? NOPE, far from it.

Offense

• Due to the system change to 3-4-3, we re-introduced Left Attackers and Right Attackers (or wingers) back into our system
• Fabian scouted Elias Saad, who was only playing sub division football in Germany but instantly became important and vital (now national squad Tunisia)
• We also signed Oladapo Afolayan from Bolton, League One side and he also had an immediate impact
• So Fabian knows how to install young talented players with skills and he is forcing them to seek 1v1s and using their skills
• He also chose to bring Eric Smith, our defensive midfielder into the center defence and for him to open up the game, switch back into defensive midfield and looking to play long passes behind the defenses back, which he can do really precise and creatively
• As mentioned already, our build up play starts with the Goalie
• Usually the left inside defender and right inside defender become targets for him, while our central defender is moving up
• We have seen amazing and insane pass play from back to front, combinational football, we have never seen so precise and so well maintained at St.Pauli before. Never!
• The way of playing demands movement and creating spaces (everyone is active on the pitch), going distances, leaving positions to occupy the next logical one or even go up front. Example: Our left and right defenders, Treu and Saliakas, are going long distances, pushing the ball as well as leavig the outside to move into center half of the pitch, becoming an additional 8, or 10. Example:
  
  
• Our central midfielders Hartel (who left) and Irvine (god of football to us), leave the center and occupy the left and right side, in order to create more room in centre but also to add more options for attacking play. The heat maps of both indicate just that (right hand side on page):
  Hartel left: https://www.sofascore.com/de/spieler/marcel-hartel/790645
  Irvine right: https://www.sofascore.com/de/spieler/jackson-irvine/181581
• Our wingers Saad and Afolayan are first defenders but also vital in attacking, they occupy the sides but move in to leave space for the right and left defenders to push forward
• Now, funny but not funny, we actually never really had a notorious finishing striker with Fabian
• Eggestein is slow, technically not the best, but Fabian implemented his skills and his playing style nicely, making him leave his position to drop back, hold the ball and creating spaces for other players to dive into (Remember "Durchlaufen" ), like Hartel, Saad, Afolayan, Irvine. Eggestein was not successfull at scoring, but he made others be succesful at it, like Hartel. Eggestein was not considered by Schulz and was almost dropped from the squad.

All in all
We hate to see him go. He changed a team that was almost relegated, to become a force in defending and offensive play CONSISTANTLY. Considering that we have limited financial resources and also, players signed on long contracts that aren't actually top half 2nd division, he created a masterpiece. He can really improve players, create ideas and has a rock solid vision. He is a worker. Always working! Football and almost nothing else. And all while being humble up front. Is he always honest or really interested in the club? No. He wants to be successful and if he is with Brighton, and other high ranked teams are knocking on doors, he will most likely turn away from you, just as he did with us, after just announcing on the seasonal party, how much he loves the club and that we will rock the 1st Division. It's sad. But it's football.

I can only hope this helps, doesn't annoy you and that if he then signs – Dortmund is also looking for a new coach – that he will have the same impact on your success as he had for ours. I would love to see Brighton up top, knowing it was due to Hürzeler. And that he will remain your Head Coach for longer than just one successful season.

Our last two managers/coaches have changed our style of play, similar to what you've described...which is probably why we're interested in him. As for the jumping ship when a better offer comes in, we're used to that as well!
Your man in charge sounds like a shrewd businessman, he'll have a succession planned replacement waiting it just happens that Fabian is our succession planned man...IF it goes through!

 

[Flounce]

Probably isn’t

He’s German, he’s hard, he’s paid for the hotel and nothing will keep him from the sunbed he chucked his towel on at 0500 this morning, even if the towel is now soaking wet and the sun is not out

 

[Flounce]

Should we be getting worried, will this collapse...

Imagine the meltdown on here if it did.

Yep, panic is the order of the day

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yes, indeed - followed up by several people reposting a few minutes later exactly the update I provided

Before crowing with the ‘I told ya sos’ ( ) lets see whether that mid-week figure includes the adds ons such as performance payments, sell ons or backroom staff - I rather suspect the final stuff is still being negotiated - see my earlier response on the thread.

But yes, because there was no release clause in Hürzeler’s contract, the bidding had to start somewhere and from TB’s point of view, you‘d obviously start the bidding much lower than you are prepared to go in that situation (well in any negotiation where there is no minimum bidding figure)

( Also, the German press (kicker etc) are reporting that FCSC are looking at successors)

Which one of your several hundred responses on the thread are we talking about here?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Probably isn’t

And I thought the bedwetting on here was bad

 

[SeagullinExile]

He’s German, he’s hard, he’s paid for the hotel and nothing will keep him from the sunbed he chucked his towel on at 0500 this morning, even if the towel is now soaking wet and the sun is not out

My late dad used to go down to the pool early doors and throw all their towels into it!

 

[Flounce]

My late dad used to go down to the pool early doors and throw all their towels into it!

Good man

How did he get on with the ensuing fights?