[Albion] Article - Football Changed and Chris Hughton Didn’t Keep Up

[Anya1000]

You got lucky on that Saturday, we were outclassed and outpaced in every position, by a team on an awful run of their own, who never hand out huge thrashings away from home. As you know because you went to all the other home debacles, the score was no shock in truth, we’d been shite for months. In fairness, the losses weren’t just CH’s fault, with transfer blunders coming back to haunt us.

TB isn’t a follower of fads, making expensive changes for change sake. With Ashworth they identified that a managerial/coaching change of direction was required to bring back enjoyable football and to enhance the chances of Brighton being in the PL for the medium term. I trust their judgement.

All will reveal itself in the media soon, look out for it! CH didn't purchase our crap players Tony Bloom did, CH had no say! Roy H for Palace is 70 years old but manages to play expansive football, have a think about what you are saying he has 10 years on CH.

 

[timbha]

All will reveal itself in the media soon, look out for it! CH didn't purchase our crap players Tony Bloom did, CH had no say! Roy H for Palace is 70 years old but manages to play expansive football, have a think about what you are saying he has 10 years on CH.

Roy has better attacking players at his disposal, and pace

 

[Anya1000]

Roy has better attacking players at his disposal, and pace

Exactly!

 

[Two Professors]

Good article,but I still think Chris should have had a chance after the sort of investment needed for next season.If he failed to produce the goods with better players,then wave bye-bye.Just hope he doesn't come back to bite us with his new team.Best of luck to the new guy and hope he's better than the previous GP!

 

[London Irish]

Be interesting to revisit this one in a years’ time. Fair bet that Hughton will be back in the Prem with WBA. Hopefully playing us. I’ll be suspending my judgment on Hughton til then because I think many fans have begun to underestimate just how difficult it is to keep a team of Brighton’s level of transfers and wages in the top league

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

I think that the rest of the club had moved on to a more progressive way of playing (notably the recruitment team & U23s) and when CH tried to implement that philosophy mid-season - we failed.

The failure was down to the lack of players capable of doing the job. He succeeded in his number one priority - maintaining PL status.

I still think CH could have got us to at least 15th if backed with his types of signings but Potter could get us to Wolves’ level if things go well; that’s the difference.

The assumption is that Wolves will maintain the momentum - I suspect, like many promoted teams, that there will be struggles for Wolves next season (unless they go and spend another £100million + on players - then they might maintain what they did this season).

Sadly that isn't going to happen, at least not for a very long time yet. For the time being success will be achieved just by keeping this club in the Premier League year on year, hopefully with a slight improvement as the seasons pass.

Something that Hughton did effectively for two seasons

I'm not sure. I think he'd still do well in the championship where he's confident enough to play more expansively.

It has nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with having players capable of playing that way - the Brighton squad is not strong enough and won't be without a massive injection of funds (and even then it might not work).

The performances were bad, but I can't agree that football has moved on leaving Chris behind. Chris is the same manager who joined us, the same manager who succeeded with us and football is not that different.

This I agree with -

In my opinion the article starts from the wrong premise - that football has passed Hughton by - and fails to prove anything of the sort. Football is not a complicated game. One of the most astute analysts of football is former Leeds legend Johnny Giles and he argues that you pick the best 11 players you have available, you put them on the field and you get them to play their best. The expansive football that people talk about is not new - the Real Madrid of the 1960s - the Ajax team of the 1970s - the French international team of the 1970s - the Dutch team of the same period - Ajax of the mid-1990s - the Barcelona team under Cruyff - etc. When you have the players you can play fast-flowing, entertaining football.

If football had passed Hughton by then he would not be a manager in demand - if he chose not to manage again he would have a host of PL clubs offering him the assistant managers job (just as he did when he was sacked by Norwich) - his Newcastle team played with flair and attacking football. What has changed in football is the money - which has led to the domination of football by a small number of very wealthy clubs. Gone are the days when Ipswich or Nottm Forest or Everton or Aston Villa or Derby etc could win the title. The days of smaller teams having an opportunity are gone. Since Sky bought football in 1992 only two teams outside of the big five have won the title - Blackburn in 1995 (because Walker spent a fortune buying a team than then collapse when the money ran out) and Leicester which was a total aberration (and they sacked their title winning manager a few months later).

The other thing that has change is the expectation of (some) fans - who believe that they can compete despite not having the money to do so. I suggested some weeks ago that Brighton should look at bringing in Shane Long (someone I consider a very under-rated striker) - this was shot down by everyone who responded on the thread. Yet Southampton value Shane Long enough to pay him £60K a week - how many Brighton players are on that kind of money? This is where some Brighton fans are at - dismissing a striker who is paid over £0.5million a year more than the highest paid player at Brighton. Total contracts at Brighton were the 3th lowest this season - Hughton did one place better - that is a major achievement in itself.

The most regular criticism of him is that he is over cautious.

And it is a false criticism. He did what was necessary to prevent relegation - give him better players and he would be less cautious.

The expectation is that Potter will play a more expansive, entertaining game - that could work - but it could also be a disaster. To start with he needs players who can do that - and those are sadly lacking in Brighton. A few weeks ago Brighton lost to Man City 1-0 in the cup semi-final. Hughton played 'cautious' - but Brighton were still one goal away and did have chances. Indeed the cup run probably damaged Brighton's league form - it tends to do that for clubs fighting relegation. Watford went into the final, played more expansive football, and got hammered 6-0 - equaling the biggest defeat for a team since - 1903 - when Bury beat Derby. You can demand your entertaining football - but be aware there are always consequences and some of them not so good.

 

[Invicta]

Good read and some valid points, felt a lot of the same emotions last season. Still feel very sorry it ended with Chris being sacked, that's football though. UTA

 

[HastingsSeagull]

I don't think anyone is seriously complaining about being defensive against Citeh. It's more the games at home against the likes of Cardiff where we still turtled up for the first half to try and make it a 45 minute game. Happened over and over and didn't work, especially in that easiest run of 4 or 5 games of the season, at the time we really needed some results.

 

[GT49er]

Good read, good article, well written, well argued.



Just don't really agree with it ...................

 

[Pavilionaire]

Like Warnock?? - Sheff Utd - relegated after 1 season, qpr - sacked but they were still relegated, Palace - sacked - in bottom 3, Cardiff - relegated in 1 season.

Hughton never once managed a club in bottom 3. Kept Newcastle up, Norwich up (then sacked), brighton up .
If he keeps relegating every team in the prem he goes near then remind me when .

I never said Hughton had relegated teams from the Prem, merely that he has struggled in the Prem spending almost all of his time as manager in the bottom half of the table, whereas he has never failed in the Championship.

 

[chaileyjem]

I never said Hughton had relegated teams from the Prem, merely that he has struggled in the Prem spending almost all of his time as manager in the bottom half of the table, whereas he has never failed in the Championship.

You said he was like Warnock in the Prem. he’s nothing like Warnock in the Prem, or for that matter, the championship.


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[Tyrone Biggums]

Agree 100%.

 

[Guinness Boy]

All will reveal itself in the media soon, look out for it! CH didn't purchase our crap players Tony Bloom did, CH had no say! Roy H for Palace is 70 years old but manages to play expansive football, have a think about what you are saying he has 10 years on CH.

You’ve said this on a number of threads now without any evidence to back it up. If you are connected to CH you might be well advised to leave it alone. I’m not expecting any comment from him, both because he is all those calm, honourable things I said he was and because his settlement may well depend on it.

When asked in local and national media about the recruitment process it’s always been portrayed as a team effort with the manager being part of the group that had a final say. When he first arrived we got in Kayal for 300k, a bargain, and based our survival around him. Our Championship success was built around the also bargain purchases of Knockaert and Murray and our first PL season around Gross, another absolute steal. Are you saying that he had nothing at all to do with these players coming in?



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[Guinness Boy]

The failure was down to the lack of players capable of doing the job. He succeeded in his number one priority - maintaining PL status.


The assumption is that Wolves will maintain the momentum - I suspect, like many promoted teams, that there will be struggles for Wolves next season (unless they go and spend another £100million + on players - then they might maintain what they did this season).


Something that Hughton did effectively for two seasons


It has nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with having players capable of playing that way - the Brighton squad is not strong enough and won't be without a massive injection of funds (and even then it might not work).


This I agree with -

In my opinion the article starts from the wrong premise - that football has passed Hughton by - and fails to prove anything of the sort. Football is not a complicated game. One of the most astute analysts of football is former Leeds legend Johnny Giles and he argues that you pick the best 11 players you have available, you put them on the field and you get them to play their best. The expansive football that people talk about is not new - the Real Madrid of the 1960s - the Ajax team of the 1970s - the French international team of the 1970s - the Dutch team of the same period - Ajax of the mid-1990s - the Barcelona team under Cruyff - etc. When you have the players you can play fast-flowing, entertaining football.

If football had passed Hughton by then he would not be a manager in demand - if he chose not to manage again he would have a host of PL clubs offering him the assistant managers job (just as he did when he was sacked by Norwich) - his Newcastle team played with flair and attacking football. What has changed in football is the money - which has led to the domination of football by a small number of very wealthy clubs. Gone are the days when Ipswich or Nottm Forest or Everton or Aston Villa or Derby etc could win the title. The days of smaller teams having an opportunity are gone. Since Sky bought football in 1992 only two teams outside of the big five have won the title - Blackburn in 1995 (because Walker spent a fortune buying a team than then collapse when the money ran out) and Leicester which was a total aberration (and they sacked their title winning manager a few months later).

The other thing that has change is the expectation of (some) fans - who believe that they can compete despite not having the money to do so. I suggested some weeks ago that Brighton should look at bringing in Shane Long (someone I consider a very under-rated striker) - this was shot down by everyone who responded on the thread. Yet Southampton value Shane Long enough to pay him £60K a week - how many Brighton players are on that kind of money? This is where some Brighton fans are at - dismissing a striker who is paid over £0.5million a year more than the highest paid player at Brighton. Total contracts at Brighton were the 3th lowest this season - Hughton did one place better - that is a major achievement in itself.


And it is a false criticism. He did what was necessary to prevent relegation - give him better players and he would be less cautious.

The expectation is that Potter will play a more expansive, entertaining game - that could work - but it could also be a disaster. To start with he needs players who can do that - and those are sadly lacking in Brighton. A few weeks ago Brighton lost to Man City 1-0 in the cup semi-final. Hughton played 'cautious' - but Brighton were still one goal away and did have chances. Indeed the cup run probably damaged Brighton's league form - it tends to do that for clubs fighting relegation. Watford went into the final, played more expansive football, and got hammered 6-0 - equaling the biggest defeat for a team since - 1903 - when Bury beat Derby. You can demand your entertaining football - but be aware there are always consequences and some of them not so good.

LOL - my aching sides.

Johnny Giles who left RTE three years ago. Shane Long, 10 goals in 88 games over the last three seasons. You say a little club could never win the title again and then mention Leicester as an aberration. You say Hughton was in demand but we certainly weren’t fending off big clubs with a shitty stick. Still, at least we now know where you’re from.


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[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

All will reveal itself in the media soon, look out for it! CH didn't purchase our crap players Tony Bloom did, CH had no say! Roy H for Palace is 70 years old but manages to play expansive football, have a think about what you are saying he has 10 years on CH.

Hi, member of Chris Hughton's family.

That's some consistent posting history you have.

 

[Albion_Dave]

All will reveal itself in the media soon, look out for it! CH didn't purchase our crap players Tony Bloom did, CH had no say! Roy H for Palace is 70 years old but manages to play expansive football, have a think about what you are saying he has 10 years on CH.

For 90% of the season Palace fans hated the football they were playing and wanted Hodgson out.

 

[Chicken Run]

Having now digested a lot the the threads surrounding the departure of Hughton and indeed the new appointments I’m fairy certain that a few of the ‘Hughton in’ supporters will be ( they won’t admit to this) mildly irritated if the the first few months go well for Potter which means that there are a albeit small section of our support who want this new team to fail purely for a ‘told you so’ prospective.

 

[chaileyjem]

Having now digested a lot the the threads surrounding the departure of Hughton and indeed the new appointments I’m fairy certain that a few of the ‘Hughton in’ supporters will be ( they won’t admit to this) mildly irritated if the the first few months go well for Potter which means that there are a albeit small section of our support who want this new team to fail purely for a ‘told you so’ prospective.

I’m a fan first , wanted Hughton to stay and this is nonsense.

 

[heathgate]

Excellent article. I would only add that there was a reluctance to play any of the promising u23 players at any stage. That must be discouraging for that group and hopefully Potter will be more inclined to give some a chance.

This is a point that irked me somewhat, at a point when we were desperate for some pace and craft to shake up our attacking play, he refused to even consider any of the Dev squad.... there were two or three options right then who could have been given a run and some regular minutes in the 1st team squad.... I am certain TB used this as one of the factors when considering the future of CH.

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[Anya1000]

You’ve said this on a number of threads now without any evidence to back it up. If you are connected to CH you might be well advised to leave it alone. I’m not expecting any comment from him, both because he is all those calm, honourable things I said he was and because his settlement may well depend on it.

When asked in local and national media about the recruitment process it’s always been portrayed as a team effort with the manager being part of the group that had a final say. When he first arrived we got in Kayal for 300k, a bargain, and based our survival around him. Our Championship success was built around the also bargain purchases of Knockaert and Murray and our first PL season around Gross, another absolute steal. Are you saying that he had nothing at all to do with these players coming in?



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I am am going to take your advice and keep my mouth sealed. As the saying goes the truth always comes out eventually. CH was a scapegoat for the bad recruitment decisions. Let's hope Mr Potter is treated better,looking forward to the new season.