[Albion] Are YOU falling out of love with Roberto De Zerbi?

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

This whole RDZ thing is crazy.

As annoying as all these threads are about him it's also been quite interesting watching first hand how the media works.

Part 1: Build him up as the future of football.

Part 2: Link him with every top job going. (Don't have any evidence of these links, just consistently link him)

Part 3: Ask loads of questions about these imaginary links

Part 4: write articles about his responses to these questions about imaginary links and spin them in a way that gets the most traction.

Part 5: Fans bite and disappointment becomes amplified into unrest.

Part 6: Write articles about how his stock is falling, the big club links aren't materialising and how fans are turning.

Hey presto, a lovely narrative arc spun form nothing.

Incredible. I guess it's another step in the development of the Albion as a 'proper' premier league club but it's one I could do without. All this RDZ hysteria on here has been ridiculous.

 

[oldboyroy]

Newcastle couldn't buy in January despite an injury crisis worse than ours. Eddie didn't moan at every press conference, he just accepted it was difficult and got on with it! He was getting talked about being sacked after every loss/ under pressure etc etc and yet they are above us again. Roberto doesn't have any kind of pressure from above or the press after every loss (I know Newcastles expectations are higher and owner's completely opposite to ours), but Roberto having digs showing he was unhappy certainly seems to show in the teams performances recently?

 

[Bold Seagull]

I think he’s underachieved - he had the squad - even with the injuries - to convert some of those 11 draws to wins . If he had so - we’d be a win or two away from Europe part 2.

I can’t get my head around your expectations if you’re seeing this season as underachieving.

Must be record numbers of teenagers being used and minutes they’ve chalked up, sometimes our key player needing to play right back.

Huge credit goes to the coaching staff for making you believe kids would give us the depth that top 7 in your eyes was par and not massively overachieving.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Newcastle couldn't buy in January despite an injury crisis worse than ours. Eddie didn't moan at every press conference, he just accepted it was difficult and got on with it! He was getting talked about being sacked after every loss/ under pressure etc etc and yet they are above us again. Roberto doesn't have any kind of pressure from above or the press after every loss (I know Newcastles expectations are higher and owner's completely opposite to ours), but Roberto having digs showing he was unhappy certainly seems to show in the teams performances recently?

The annoying thing is the press now know they can ask him questions and get answers…now the season is pretty much over we will see a lot more of this when they want to generate a few stories. It’s one thing being “honest”, as some call it, but he also needs to be aware if the impact of his honesty.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Newcastle couldn't buy in January despite an injury crisis worse than ours. Eddie didn't moan at every press conference, he just accepted it was difficult and got on with it! He was getting talked about being sacked after every loss/ under pressure etc etc and yet they are above us again. Roberto doesn't have any kind of pressure from above or the press after every loss (I know Newcastles expectations are higher and owner's completely opposite to ours), but Roberto having digs showing he was unhappy certainly seems to show in the teams performances recently?

Newcastle spent the best part of £180m 22/23 and £150m 23/24. Isak was what, supposedly £70m. Good old Eddie getting on with it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My take is he’s acting like a spoilt brat. We gave him a wonderful, and rare, opportunity, to take over an EPL club which was doing well and was in a good position in the table. We accommodated numerous back room staff of his choosing. The club was, and still is, totally honest and transparent with how we run things and what our ambitions are. Whilst he has done well, he has also shown there are gaps in his tactical and managerial ability. He needs a little self-awareness and humility and be respectful to the opportunity he has been given . He goes on about the club marching his ambitions…maybe the club should put a few requests in for themselves i.e. develop a plan B and stop falling out with players.

 

[AZ Gull]

This whole RDZ thing is crazy.

As annoying as all these threads are about him it's also been quite interesting watching first hand how the media works.

Part 1: Build him up as the future of football.

Part 2: Link him with every top job going. (Don't have any evidence of these links, just consistently link him)

Part 3: Ask loads of questions about these imaginary links

Part 4: write articles about his responses to these questions about imaginary links and spin them in a way that gets the most traction.

Part 5: Fans bite and disappointment becomes amplified into unrest.

Part 6: Write articles about how his stock is falling, the big club links aren't materialising and how fans are turning.

Hey presto, a lovely narrative arc spun form nothing.

Incredible. I guess it's another step in the development of the Albion as a 'proper' premier league club but it's one I could do without. All this RDZ hysteria on here has been ridiculous.

I completely disagree that a narrative has been "spun from nothing". I think what your post ignores is that RDZ has actively contributed (created?) much of the speculation in the first place by his comments in multiple press conferences over a significant period of time.

1) He made numerous barbed comments about the club and their lack of recruitment activity

2) Only 17 days ago (in the pre-match Liverpool press conference) he was specifically asked "...can you guarantee you will be here next season?" and his reply was "..first of all I want to speak with my club...I have not decided yet what is my future....anyway, I want to speak with Tony, with..my club...to understand their plan, then we take the decision together."

It is, quite simply, significant news that a Premier League manager is (by his own comments) unhappy about the level of support (in the transfer market) from his club, to the extent that he is undecided whether he wants to continue to honour his contract. OF COURSE the media is going to report that, and it will get discussed in various football podcasts, on talk shows etc. But it's almost entirely of RDZ's own making.

 

[Garyoldfan]

Hopefully grown-ups are running the club for these types of decisions.

My very own stalker

 

[Insel affe]

The annoying thing is the press now know they can ask him questions and get answers…now the season is pretty much over we will see a lot more of this when they want to generate a few stories. It’s one thing being “honest”, as some call it, but he also needs to be aware if the impact of his honesty.

There is some truth in this, add also the fact English is not his first language, he is reliant on sometimes an interpreter, things get lost in language never mind on social media, a wrong word here or there is picked up on immediately. If sometimes he had time to think more about a reply, I am sure some replies would come across differently. The English culture surrounding football is also different to his previous experiences were possibly excuses are banded around willy nilly.
I am guilty of scratching my head with some of his comments, as they seem disrespectful or excuses, but in the cold light of day I think again from his position and see no malice, maybe he needs some media coaching.

I am still in love with RDZ and would be gutted if he left, who the hell could have won the group of death and still be on target for a top half finish with the squad he has at his disposal ?
Not many, if any at all.

After all we are discussing the managers ability, not the squad at his disposal or the board.

 

[Garyoldfan]

I completely disagree that a narrative has been "spun from nothing". I think what your post ignores is that RDZ has actively contributed (created?) much of the speculation in the first place by his comments in multiple press conferences over a significant period of time.

1) He made numerous barbed comments about the club and their lack of recruitment activity

2) Only 17 days ago (in the pre-match Liverpool press conference) he was specifically asked "...can you guarantee you will be here next season?" and his reply was "..first of all I want to speak with my club...I have not decided yet what is my future....anyway, I want to speak with Tony, with..my club...to understand their plan, then we take the decision together."

It is, quite simply, significant news that a Premier League manager is (by his own comments) unhappy about the level of support (in the transfer market) from his club, to the extent that he is undecided whether he wants to continue to honour his contract. OF COURSE the media is going to report that, and it will get discussed in various football podcasts, on talk shows etc. But it's almost entirely of RDZ's own making.

Bold Seagull over to you ……

 

[Bold Seagull]

My very own stalker

What’s the threshold for that, 3 replies?

 

[Exilegull]

The Summer window gutted the squad. Two world class midfielders were sold and replaced with cheap dross and a kid who is nowhere near ready. We refused to sign any depth at fullback, which caused massive issues early on in the season. We lost all our wingers to injury at the same time. We entered the January window with these issues and did nothing to help RDZ overcome them. We actually weakened the midfield further and loaned out Sarmiento instead of keeping him as a wide option.

I know you're a certified club licker. I think rather than criticise Bloom or Barber for anything you've deluded yourself into thinking we have a top ten squad and RDZ is to blame for not getting Europe. We've actually overperfomed, especially when you consider the extra European games. Our options are shit when compared to Newcastle or West Ham. Let alone Chelsea, United or Spurs.

How anybody can look at Roberto being sent into battle with a wooden spoon and criticise him for being a bit peeved off is beyond me. The missed opportunities of this season lay at the feet of the board not the manager!

In the summer window Roberto hand picked two of the players you say gutted the squad. The cheap dross and the expensive Barca loan. Maybe even Igor as Brazilian Serie A player something Roberto likes. Our squad is far better than our 29 points from last 26 games. When Roberto did his usual moaning about how bad our players are before the Liverpool game he had a bench of 34 cap Lallana two Argentine internationals, Ansu Fati who´d just played 50 games for Barca the season before, prime aged defender with boat loads of Serie A experience a 19 year old forward prospect who scored a bunch of goals last season Webster with 100 plus PL appearances.
In 0-0 against Brentford we started our £35m striker signing up front with £8m Adingra on one side £5-£10m Bonanotte on the other £10m Enciso coming on Chris never had anything like it arguably. What Chris had was efficency we didnt have that under Potter and he faced criticism for not getting goals out of Maupay Connolly the Iranian and others criticism I agreed with yet I´m now supposed to kneel in front of this guy pretending Welbeck Fati Joao Pedro Bonanotte Evan Ferguson are too bad to score a goal or two for us. And we had Mitoma for half the season easy to forget given he looked like my grandpa for months of over playing him,
TLDR he picked parts of the alleged dross squad himself and if you compare it to first 3 albion Pl seasons the team is much better results the same 29 points from 26 games aka relegation battle
Hope this essay was readable not friends with words but gave some effort

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I completely disagree that a narrative has been "spun from nothing". I think what your post ignores is that RDZ has actively contributed (created?) much of the speculation in the first place by his comments in multiple press conferences over a significant period of time.

1) He made numerous barbed comments about the club and their lack of recruitment activity

2) Only 17 days ago (in the pre-match Liverpool press conference) he was specifically asked "...can you guarantee you will be here next season?" and his reply was "..first of all I want to speak with my club...I have not decided yet what is my future....anyway, I want to speak with Tony, with..my club...to understand their plan, then we take the decision together."

It is, quite simply, significant news that a Premier League manager is (by his own comments) unhappy about the level of support (in the transfer market) from his club, to the extent that he is undecided whether he wants to continue to honour his contract. OF COURSE the media is going to report that, and it will get discussed in various football podcasts, on talk shows etc. But it's almost entirely of RDZ's own making.

The bolded words could mean his new contract which is still being negotiated.
In the meantime, he has two years to go on his present contract.

He has started using his interpreter in press conferences again which shows he knows his answers have been misused.

 

[Guinness Boy]

In the summer window Roberto hand picked two of the players you say gutted the squad. The cheap dross and the expensive Barca loan. Maybe even Igor as Brazilian Serie A player something Roberto likes. Our squad is far better than our 29 points from last 26 games. When Roberto did his usual moaning about how bad our players are before the Liverpool game he had a bench of 34 cap Lallana two Argentine internationals, Ansu Fati who´d just played 50 games for Barca the season before, prime aged defender with boat loads of Serie A experience a 19 year old forward prospect who scored a bunch of goals last season Webster with 100 plus PL appearances.
In 0-0 against Brentford we started our £35m striker signing up front with £8m Adingra on one side £5-£10m Bonanotte on the other £10m Enciso coming on Chris never had anything like it arguably. What Chris had was efficency we didnt have that under Potter and he faced criticism for not getting goals out of Maupay Connolly the Iranian and others criticism I agreed with yet I´m now supposed to kneel in front of this guy pretending Welbeck Fati Joao Pedro Bonanotte Evan Ferguson are too bad to score a goal or two for us. And we had Mitoma for half the season easy to forget given he looked like my grandpa for months of over playing him,
TLDR he picked parts of the alleged dross squad himself and if you compare it to first 3 albion Pl seasons the team is much better results the same 29 points from 26 games aka relegation battle
Hope this essay was readable not friends with words but gave some effort

Why are you talking about Hughton? No one else is.

Pretty obvious to any Brighton fan that we’ve built slowly. CH had a poor squad, Potter an increasingly better one. RDZ then took Potter’s squad to Europe before having the two most important players sold from under him.

 

[The Optimist]

Didnt like him at first solely because I have a problem with men in their 40s who shove grease in their hair to look like I did in 3rd grade.

Maybe not a redhead there needs to be some reason.

Don’t we love gingers after Steve Sidwell?

 

[Machiavelli]

I don’t think it good that RDZ has been talking to the media about his issues with the club and not signing a new contract. Theres nothing he’s said that can’t be said and received behind closed doors. Also when he does leave we’ll be inundated with quality applicants, why? Because the club is so well run and the infrastructure is top rate. The reason for our success is the club in conjunction with RDZ.

I'm less bothered than you about what he's said. He's extremely open and, with that, you have to take the rough with the smooth. I'd rather managers were open. We have a model, which is to provide a platform for up-and-coming players, managers, etc, and he's part of that. Contained within that model is the expectation that personnel will move on at some point.
He was asked about the contract situation, and responded honestly. He's still got two further seasons on his contract as far as I know, and I'm not going to beat him up about not signing a new contract (the club could have offered him a longer one when they signed him up) nor that he's publicly revealed that he hasn't signed a new contract.
Of course our success is down to the way our club is run, the vision, information and grasp of it that TB provides, and the oversight and control that PB exercises, but it's also effected by the playing and coaching staff, and RDZ has done wonders for us, implemented a thrilling playing style (which, granted, doesn't look good at the moment) and not only raised expectations but delivered them too.
When he leaves, I'll be grateful for what he's done, just like I remain grateful for the contributions of CH and GP.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

In the summer window Roberto hand picked two of the players you say gutted the squad. The cheap dross and the expensive Barca loan. Maybe even Igor as Brazilian Serie A player something Roberto likes. Our squad is far better than our 29 points from last 26 games. When Roberto did his usual moaning about how bad our players are before the Liverpool game he had a bench of 34 cap Lallana two Argentine internationals, Ansu Fati who´d just played 50 games for Barca the season before, prime aged defender with boat loads of Serie A experience a 19 year old forward prospect who scored a bunch of goals last season Webster with 100 plus PL appearances.

Do you honestly believe he picked them? Based on how we recruit, do you honestly believe he got this without approval from absolutely everyone?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

The annoying thing is the press now know they can ask him questions and get answers…now the season is pretty much over we will see a lot more of this when they want to generate a few stories. It’s one thing being “honest”, as some call it, but he also needs to be aware if the impact of his honesty.

His honesty is the equivalent of your Mrs saying "How do I look" and you responding "Jesus Christ love, you look like you've fallen out the charity shop"

Where I thought he really took the piss was when he opined recently that Sanchez was no longer at the club. I wonder why that might be?

 

[Machiavelli]

I’ve never got too worked up about what managers say in press conferences. I’ll leave whether he’s offended Tony or not to Tony, I’m pretty sure he has a handle on things.

With flair, passion and a sprinkle of genius comes a bit of volatility. As fans just got to roll with it a bit. We are an exceptionally precious fan base as this thread proves.

I don't think we're alone in having a precious fan base, it's widespread currently. I'll put it on record that it winds me up no end.

 

[Flounce]

Why are you talking about Hughton? No one else is.

Pretty obvious to any Brighton fan that we’ve built slowly. CH had a poor squad, Potter an increasingly better one. RDZ then took Potter’s squad to Europe before having the two most important players sold from under him.

In truth RDZ was the best salesman those two players could have wished for, he was touting how they deserved better than us from the moment he walked through the door, so to claim they were sold from under him is plain daft.

He knew very early on that they might be sold, where we did fall down was not bringing in anywhere near PL ready replacements when they did go. He has every reason to be a bit pissed about that but I don’t think the club would have sold Caicedo if Chelsea hadn’t paid an obscene amount for him and had Caicedo effectively going on strike to get away.