[Albion] Roberto De Zerbi - JOINS AS NEW HEAD COACH (4 year contract)

[Greg Bobkin]

Yep noticed that At least PB and Tony can start looking for their next head coach now, rather then the Potter surprise.

I'd be amazed if they didn't already have a shortlist.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

A lot is being made of this "fluent Spanish" thing, but as far as I can see that only really benefits 3 players - Pervis, Moises and Julio. All of our other 'Latino' players are fluent in English.

Yes, but RDZ is NOT.

So, of course it is also of benefit to Mac Allister, Sanchez, Sarmiento (and Alzate) that he has another option in which to get ideas across to them.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

He said that when he leaves he wants to leave the club in a better position than when he came. Legacy. I liked the honesty.

So did I, H. I was just putting the NSC 'He's using the Albion as a stepping stone. Get rid!' slant on what he said

 

[Eric the meek]

Wow. I really like the look of this bloke. The start was interesting - not a car crash; he's comfortable with silence. Not one question phased him. No lies. No BS.

And no teeth sucking!

Get in.

Mind you I'm sure I heard him say 'Eet ees what eet ees' at one stage.

 

[Clive Walker]

will be so interesting to see how some of our players adapt to this guys style. His tactics dictate that full backs are certainly not wing backs and need to be stronger at passing than finding space up the pitch. This could spell the end for Tariq and Pervis but perhaps he sees them as options from the bench when chasing games. Think the systems suits webster more than dunk. Moises, Alexis and Gross are more or less doing it anyway and Trossard, March and Welbeck aren't too dissimilar. Sanches will need to have his passing boots on.

His system relies on intricate passing all the way up the pitch to create pockets of space to attack in the final third. Should it go wrong at any point the risk of counter attack is high. I think we have been playing that game for a while but maybe not this extreme.

So I gather that most technically gifted players will be first choice.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Mind you I'm sure I heard him say 'Eet ees what eet ees' at one stage.

Èeee quello che èeee

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Eeeeees complicated

 

[oldboyroy]

The reporter who said Brighton currently in top 4 but will be impossible to stay there. As others alluded to he just replied I want to improve the 9th place finish last season and keep the club in top 10 of Premier league.

 

[brighton_tom]

Andrea Maldera will be his assistant. He had previously been with the Ukrainian national team from 2016 until 2021. He also worked as a technical coach at AC Milan between 2009 and 2015, working with managers Allegri, Leonardo, Inzaghi, and Seedorf in that time.

 

[Cotton Socks]

I feel far more positive about the rest of the season than I did 11 days ago. If he could communicate with Ukrainians when the language is completely different to ours, I think (hope) he'll be ok communication wise. As for everything else we'll soon find out.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Yes, but RDZ is NOT.

So, of course it is also of benefit to Mac Allister, Sanchez, Sarmiento (and Alzate) that he has another option in which to get ideas across to them.

Viewed the other way, maybe those Spanish speaking players will be able to help get his ideas across to Dunk, Webster etc.

I can't quite work out if I'm joking about that or not.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

will be so interesting to see how some of our players adapt to this guys style. His tactics dictate that full backs are certainly not wing backs and need to be stronger at passing than finding space up the pitch. This could spell the end for Tariq and Pervis but perhaps he sees them as options from the bench when chasing games. Think the systems suits webster more than dunk. Moises, Alexis and Gross are more or less doing it anyway and Trossard, March and Welbeck aren't too dissimilar. Sanches will need to have his passing boots on.

His system relies on intricate passing all the way up the pitch to create pockets of space to attack in the final third. Should it go wrong at any point the risk of counter attack is high. I think we have been playing that game for a while but maybe not this extreme.

So I gather that most technically gifted players will be first choice.

Has his style been consistent (particularly in the full / wingback space) across the clubs he’s managed or has he utilised the tools available to him at the time?

I think we need a few games vs different level of opposition (so October basically) before we can draw on his Brighton preference.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Reading some of the comments back - feck me, seriously lower your expectations around command of the English language. He tried initially and understood the questions being asked.

Potch didn’t speak much initially and he did well.

Potters interviews were garbage in the main, Hughton’s were repetitive…..

I’m interested about what happens on the pitch.

He’ll be fine.

 

[raymondo]

I was aware he was a “good guy”, but I’ve read things this morning that cement this firmly, and which I am sure will have made him attractive as a manager to the club alongside his football qualities.

He’s obviously a man of principle, and an article from the Daily Mail (sorry) on Facebook described him as brave.
- he initially would not leave the Ukraine out of loyalty to the fans.
- he eventually wouldn’t leave until he was sure all his “frightened Brazilian” players were safe - he seems to have left at the very last moment.
- he refused to talk to Bologna about their managerial vacancy because they had sacked their previous coach, who was undergoing treatment for leukaemia for the second time in three years.

All of that seemed a bit Potteresque - BUT he is his own man, a decent man for a decent club.

Excellent press conference. Roberto very brave for starting in English - well done!! Ducked zero questions. Great, I'm excited.

 

[Swansman]

Yes, but RDZ is NOT.

So, of course it is also of benefit to Mac Allister, Sanchez, Sarmiento (and Alzate) that he has another option in which to get ideas across to them.

"Alexis, Robert, Pervis, Moises, Jeremy, Steven... VAMOS EN EL ZERBI-FUTBOL!!

Rest of you boys.. just keep doing the Potterball thingie right there yeah"

 

[kevo]

He already has basic English and I'm sure it will improve. If language barrier was deemed a problem, TB and PB wouldn't have appointed him.

 

[dazzer6666]

Harsh - he likely spoke a bit of english in Ukraine but if he hasn't practised English since he left months ago then it's obvious it'd be very rusty/slow.

He was clear, just very slow and struggled to get the words out, it'll be fine in a few months. Speaking a language you're not comfortable in is hard even infront of 1/2 people, doing it at a press conference infront of 20+ people but also cameras must be terrifying

Exactly - he's previously done a 30-day intensive course but evidently out of practice. I'd place a large bet that by Christmas he's immeasurably better.

 

[DavePage]

Wow. I really like the look of this bloke. The start was interesting - not a car crash; he's comfortable with silence. Not one question phased him. No lies. No BS.

And no teeth sucking!

Get in.

He also hopes to improve the players as opposed to making them bedder

 

[brighton_tom]

So far the coaching team so far is..

Roberto De Zerbi - Head Coach
Andrea Maldera - Assistant coach
Andrew Crofts - coach of some sort (along with U21 duties)
Nick Stanley - Set piece coach
Jack Stern - Assistant goalkeeping coach
Adam Brett - Head of medical

& a 'small team' of Roberto's assistants that he has previously worked with, arriving this week.

All taking shape nicely. Just itching to see them all out on the training pitch now.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Anyone know the Italian for booooooo?

All you do with Italian is stick an o on the end, so it’s boooooooo