[Albion] RDZ pre-Liverpool press conference

[chaileyjem]

Brian Owen followed up with the obvious question at yesterday’s press conference. Surely - by now - he knows the type of project or plan or that Bloom/ Barber have in place ?

(He said - yes - but they need to chat about it at end of every season anyway)

 

[kevtherev]

Can't defend for toffee, keeper situation is laughable, everyone knows to press us high and we fold, no plan b, injuries obviously down to the training, Dunk probably having his worst season ever, Pervis & Ferguson look a shadow of their former selfs, players he wanted and chased (Dahood) not upto it. Mind boggling team selections sometimes. Blind man can see the players don't know whats going on sometimes....and RDZ is touted as the second coming.....Personal I don't see it. We will never know what Potter, may or may not have done last season. We was certainly heading in the right direction....I think we look on the pitch, far worse now (since RDZ didn't get his way in Jan), than we did when he took over.......and now his attitude stinks. I'm sure none of this is lost on Tony Bloom. Poyet mk 2 and where is that Prick now lol. His days are numbered for me.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Brian Owen followed up with the obvious question at yesterday’s press conference. Surely - by now - he knows the type of project or plan or that Bloom/ Barber have in place ?

(He said - yes - but they need to chat about it at end of every season anyway)

This is from Brian Owen's Argus piece - I am not sure it makes anything clearer really:

It was put to De Zerbi by The Argus that he might already have a good idea of the club’s “project” and the scale of Bloom’s ambition.

But he said that needed to be discussed on a season-by-season basis.

De Zerbi said: “I think I have a clear idea but the question is last season we reached sixth place in the table.

“The point is if we can fight, if we can compete to reach the same position.

“Otherwise we have to know at the beginning we could do less than we did.

“And for me it’s not right.”

He added: “Last season I decided to stay without doubt because we spoke, me and Tony, after the season, about the plan for this season.

“Every coach I think, in every team, speaks with the owner and they find the agreement to follow together or not.”

 

[Dorset Seagull]

TB wasn’t in the press room having a conservation with RDZ about the future of the Club - any conversation they have will be behind closed doors.

RDZ simply said the discussion needs to take place. Nothing wrong with that at all. He’s not going to lie to the press if asked a direct question nor should anyone with a grown up head on their shoulders expect him to.

No point in all this endless and morose speculating either - RDZ was very clear where he stands and has been every time he has been asked - he wants his ambition as a manager to align with the ambition of the owners and staff of any club he joins as any sensible manager would otherwise its not a good fit. When he joined us 18 months ago, the ambition was to qualify for Europe - we achieved that - now both the Club and RDZ have to decide together what is realistic going forward for everyone and what the next stage of our development will be. RDZ is an exceptional talent that has been frustrated by a season of losing key players to injuries - not withstanding last summer’s window, I believe we would be still in Europe if it were not for that and maybe a position or two higher up the table. RDZ is clearly disappointed, especially not being able to finish the season with Mitoma and March, then getting the news re. Gilmour but he is clearly ambitious - it is a question of how much more investment the Club is willing to make - listening to PBOBE in recent months, I suspect it will be business as usual with the Club continuing to sell high and buy cheap which will not likely satisfy RDZ but maybe its the only way we stay a top 10 club without an enormous injection of capital. Nothing is going to be announced before the end of the season - and until then, I believe RDZ when he says he is committed to see it through and will be behind him in whatever decision he makes about his future.

Well in my opinion he seemed disrespectful to Tony Bloom and I think he has a contract until 2026 but could be wrong. If that is the case then the conversation about the plan to that date would have been had when he joined.

 

[Beach Hut]

Don't forget that he is forced to do press conferences.
And also that he has openly stated that he will always be honest.

These two facts are not compatible with people always liking what they hear.

Honest towards his own intentions only which to me is criticism of the club that pays his wages, he has form as well mentioning about club policy on young players

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

This is from Brian Owen's Argus piece - I am not sure it makes anything clearer really:

It was put to De Zerbi by The Argus that he might already have a good idea of the club’s “project” and the scale of Bloom’s ambition.

But he said that needed to be discussed on a season-by-season basis.

De Zerbi said: “I think I have a clear idea but the question is last season we reached sixth place in the table.

“The point is if we can fight, if we can compete to reach the same position.

“Otherwise we have to know at the beginning we could do less than we did.

“And for me it’s not right.”

He added: “Last season I decided to stay without doubt because we spoke, me and Tony, after the season, about the plan for this season.

“Every coach I think, in every team, speaks with the owner and they find the agreement to follow together or not.”

Could be completely misreading that, but to me that comes across as him and TB agreed targets for this season, which we haven’t quite met (last 8 of a cup competition maybe?) or are going to struggle to meet (European football), and RDZ hasn’t had the tools to be able to do this: “Otherwise we have to know at the beginning we could do less than we did.” .

I agree with him to an extent - the recruitment for this year has not leant itself to a team capable of pushing the top 6. But nor have some of his managerial decisions, and of course, nor has the injury situation (though on this front I guess RDZ would argue that it could have been tackled if we recruited in January).

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Can't defend for toffee, keeper situation is laughable, everyone knows to press us high and we fold, no plan b, injuries obviously down to the training, Dunk probably having his worst season ever, Pervis & Ferguson look a shadow of their former selfs, players he wanted and chased (Dahood) not upto it. Mind boggling team selections sometimes. Blind man can see the players don't know whats going on sometimes....and RDZ is touted as the second coming.....Personal I don't see it. We will never know what Potter, may or may not have done last season. We was certainly heading in the right direction....I think we look on the pitch, far worse now (since RDZ didn't get his way in Jan), than we did when he took over.......and now his attitude stinks. I'm sure none of this is lost on Tony Bloom. Poyet mk 2 and where is that Prick now lol. His days are numbered for me.

Then I expect him to score three OGs today to trump that stunning performance all those years ago.

Apart from that, I think your opinions are. . . . . . mad

 

[KZNSeagull]

Could be completely misreading that, but to me that comes across as him and TB agreed targets for this season, which we haven’t quite met (last 8 of a cup competition maybe?) or are going to struggle to meet (European football), and RDZ hasn’t had the tools to be able to do this: “Otherwise we have to know at the beginning we could do less than we did.” .

I agree with him to an extent - the recruitment for this year has not leant itself to a team capable of pushing the top 6. But nor have some of his managerial decisions, and of course, nor has the injury situation (though on this front I guess RDZ would argue that it could have been tackled if we recruited in January).

I also think that is what he means - I do wish journalists would seek clarification on the answer to questions by asking "are you saying...." rather than just writing out a quote and leaving the interpretation of that quote up in the air.

 

[kevtherev]

Then I expect him to score three OGs today to trump that stunning performance all those years ago.

Apart from that, I think your opinions are. . . . . . mad

Really?.......which part do you disagree with as pretty much 99% of what I put, isn't an opinion. It's fact

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This is from Brian Owen's Argus piece - I am not sure it makes anything clearer really:

It was put to De Zerbi by The Argus that he might already have a good idea of the club’s “project” and the scale of Bloom’s ambition.

But he said that needed to be discussed on a season-by-season basis.

De Zerbi said: “I think I have a clear idea but the question is last season we reached sixth place in the table.

“The point is if we can fight, if we can compete to reach the same position.

“Otherwise we have to know at the beginning we could do less than we did.

“And for me it’s not right.”

He added: “Last season I decided to stay without doubt because we spoke, me and Tony, after the season, about the plan for this season.

“Every coach I think, in every team, speaks with the owner and they find the agreement to follow together or not.”

What's wrong with that?

Bedwetters imagining RDZ has become the new Poyet?

The man who was driving to Reading when his phone went and TB told him to get back to Brighton?

Get a grip FFS.

RDZ will be thinking whether Brighton can attract the talent necessary to finish better than 6th.
Whether we need to spend more that other clubs because we are Brighton and have never won anything ever.
Whether TB is prepared to do this or not

Meanwhile TB is weighing up the market
It could be that very good players will become available at lower prices due to FFP in the summer

The conversation about the future cannot easily be had till the summer.
But RDZ will feel frustrated at the lack of certainty

In the meantime we have a season to finish. I don't feel like flouncing and can't understand those who do.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don't forget that he is forced to do press conferences.
And also that he has openly stated that he will always be honest.

These two facts are not compatible with people always liking what they hear.

Being honest doesn’t mean he has to openly talk about everything.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I'm afraid we can't have it both ways. We like RDZ's ambition and it was probably the fact that he challenged the players to go for a top four finish last season that resulted in us getting into Europe. I doubt if the players considered themselves top-six material until he said it.

But why would he settle for less than that in future? Don't we all want to be back in Europe? Unfortunately when he says openly what he thinks the club should be doing we call him disrespectful. He's the most successful manager in our history but he should know his place?

 

[macbeth]

to everyone saying that roberto knew the model and knew what he was signing up for when he came here - true as that may be, surely that works both ways? bloom and barber had to have know the ambition de zerbi had, and the kind of character he was, when they made that appointment. what would be the point of bringing him in if they felt like they wouldn’t be able to match his ambition after 12 months?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Really?.......which part do you disagree with as pretty much 99% of what I put, isn't an opinion. It's fact

It isn't fact. It's guesswork, opinion and speculation about reasons for our shocking ninth place in the EPL table based on a partial narrative about the inner workings of the mind of RDZ and his 'attitude'.

I can assure you that if RDZ were being a dick of the sort you suggest, Bloom would sack him.

 

[Springal]

to everyone saying that roberto knew the model and knew what he was signing up for when he came here - true as that may be, surely that works both ways? bloom and barber had to have know the ambition de zerbi had, and the kind of character he was, when they made that appointment. what would be the point of bringing him in if they felt like they wouldn’t be able to match his ambition after 12 months?

The club are ambitious, he’s got the most expensive squad ever assembled - Tony Bloom is aiming for regular European football and Champions League.

He has manager that dumped us out the Europa League in the first leg, damp squib FA Cup exit & getting hammered more regularly including by Luton. You also have players who have stopped talking about how brilliant Roberto is which used to be a regular occurrence.

You can also argue with some of the players at his disposal he’s not getting the best out of them - I.e Adingra, Fati, Dunk, Mitoma this season

 

[KZNSeagull]

What's wrong with that?

Bedwetters imagining RDZ has become the new Poyet?

The man who was driving to Reading when his phone went and TB told him to get back to Brighton?

Get a grip FFS.

RDZ will be thinking whether Brighton can attract the talent necessary to finish better than 6th.
Whether we need to spend more that other clubs because we are Brighton and have never won anything ever.
Whether TB is prepared to do this or not

Meanwhile TB is weighing up the market
It could be that very good players will become available at lower prices due to FFP in the summer

The conversation about the future cannot easily be had till the summer.
But RDZ will feel frustrated at the lack of certainty

In the meantime we have a season to finish. I don't feel like flouncing and can't understand those who do.

There is nothing wrong with that if the way I and others interpret it is correct. The trouble is there is no clarification as to what he actually means as those quotes aren't exactly clear. Plus this answer was not in the press conference itself but in the embargoed bit, which doesn't help matters either.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'm afraid we can't have it both ways. We like RDZ's ambition and it was probably the fact that he challenged the players to go for a top four finish last season that resulted in us getting into Europe. I doubt if the players considered themselves top-six material until he said it.

But why would he settle for less than that in future? Don't we all want to be back in Europe? Unfortunately when he says openly what he thinks the club should be doing we call him disrespectful. He's the most successful manager in our history but he should know his place?

It’s a bit extreme to suggest he should know his place. But I do think he should be more respectful and, if he has an issue, talk with his employers and not the public.

 

[Zeberdi]

Well in my opinion he seemed disrespectful to Tony Bloom and I think he has a contract until 2026 but could be wrong. If that is the case then the conversation about the plan to that date would have been had when he joined.

Yes, his contract runs to 2026 but like any footballer, 12 months is already ‘running down’ a contract so a deal will need to be done one way or another or (and I’m not sure of this exactly) we could lose the release clause money which is about £11 million I think but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

I suspect the conversation re targets on him joining was to try and get into Europe and compete for every cup - I would be surprised if TB or PB imagined we would get Europe in RDZ’s first season. I suspect too, that as PB and TB have both said in pressers, ‘there is no limit’ and no ‘ceiling’ to everyone’s ambition at the Club but it needs to be a sustainable trajectory:

I see no inconsistencies between what PB has said and RDZ’s position/behaviour tbh

“We have a culture at this club where we’re transparent, we communicate, and we don’t hide when it goes wrong. We try to be as visible in the bad times as we are in the good times – hopefully, that brings stability back faster and breeds confidence, so we can get over that bump and achieve progression in a slightly different way to how we’d initially imagined or planned. It’s about not deviating from your plan when you hit a bump, because it will happen. If you deviate every time you hit a bump, you will deviate a lot. That breeds instability, reduces confidence and impacts on morale, and then you get people wanting to leave.

"If you get everything right, there shouldn’t be a ceiling. I’m not saying we’re going to be challenging for a Premier League title or winning a European [trophy], but if we keep pushing, keep improving, keep finding new ways to compete and keep being as smart as we can, then anything is possible for us.”

Paul Barber 9 September 2023

'Anything is possible': Brighton CEO insists there is no ceiling on the Seagulls' potential

FourFourTwo sat down with Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to get the inside track on the Seagulls' remarkable rise

www.fourfourtwo.com

 

[ROSM]

I'm afraid we can't have it both ways. We like RDZ's ambition and it was probably the fact that he challenged the players to go for a top four finish last season that resulted in us getting into Europe. I doubt if the players considered themselves top-six material until he said it.

But why would he settle for less than that in future? Don't we all want to be back in Europe? Unfortunately when he says openly what he thinks the club should be doing we call him disrespectful. He's the most successful manager in our history but he should know his place?

Im in this camp. I also feel he maybe accepted targets for this season that we havent achieved and so he is feeling the pressure and looking at mitigating circumstances. Whether its the manager or the club, we have bought in 1 great player (pedro) recruited a marque signing who hasnt performed (fati) lost 2 world class midfielders (alexis and caicedo) and suffered monumental injuries (march, enciso, pedro, pervis, milner, hinshelwood, mitoma) plus a dud signing (Dahoud). That is not top 6 recruitment or luck!

 

[portlock seagull]

Can't defend for toffee, keeper situation is laughable, everyone knows to press us high and we fold, no plan b, injuries obviously down to the training, Dunk probably having his worst season ever, Pervis & Ferguson look a shadow of their former selfs, players he wanted and chased (Dahood) not upto it. Mind boggling team selections sometimes. Blind man can see the players don't know whats going on sometimes....and RDZ is touted as the second coming.....Personal I don't see it. We will never know what Potter, may or may not have done last season. We was certainly heading in the right direction....I think we look on the pitch, far worse now (since RDZ didn't get his way in Jan), than we did when he took over.......and now his attitude stinks. I'm sure none of this is lost on Tony Bloom. Poyet mk 2 and where is that Prick now lol. His days are numbered for me.

I see what you did there. Very good. Happy Easter!