[Albion] Roberto De Zerbi To Leave Albion After Tomorrow's Game

[Cotton Socks]

He really did make Solly believe in himself & I hope whoever takes over keeps up Solly's belief in himself. Solly is magnificent when he believes in himself. I'm a paid up member of the Solly fan club.

 

[Tony Towner's Fridge]

Never hear a bad word about R de Z. A true gentleman and he has given us probably the best ever two seasons of wonderfully exciting football. I hope he is a success, wherever he goes and we get a better replacement.
Love this club, in Uncle Tony we absolutely trust!

UTA

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Here's what I don't understand.

What's in it for us to cancel his contract? There's all these jobs coming up, Man U, Munich, Juve, probably several other similar roles. All of those would have paid us millions to end his contract.

And I don't buy the answer that he would have downed tools like a sulky 22 year old. That would be career ending for him.

We received 20 plus million for Potter, and yes that was a once off, but RDZ's contract had a very significant value to us. Potter's star was never as high as RDZ's is

I totally see what's in it for him. I don't see what's in it for us.

Even if we've got someone lined up, and they agree to come, we've just sacked off millions of pounds. And if we were the sort of club who was happy to burn millions of pounds, RDZ probably wouldn't be leaving anyway

Because we won't risk getting to the start of next season not knowing if our manager might leave.

This way, we can appoint soon, have a full pre-season and influence the recruitment in good time for the new season. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Berty23]

Never hear a bad word about R de Z. A true gentleman and he has given us probably the best ever two seasons of wonderfully exciting football. I hope he is a success, wherever he goes and we get a better replacement.
Love this club, in Uncle Tony we absolutely trust!

UTA

Genuine question. Does a true gentleman question his boss openly in public and make it clear he wants a new boss?

He has brought us brilliant football but I am not sure he has acted like a gentleman.

 

[US Seagull]

Few weeks ago I would have said it was probably for the best, but it seemed like he had the team playing a lot better for the last three games. Even if the results weren't going our way, we were playing with big balls again. And I think the turn around was when he started talking about staying at Brighton.

So a bit surprised by the announcement now, and some very mixed feelings. I worry that the players won't be bothered tomorrow. I feel like he's a manager who needs players to believe in him for his tactics to work.

 

[trueblue]

Had he? Didn't Swansea finish 11th in his only season there?

Probably. That’s the point I was making. He’d done well in Sweden and shown promise at Swansea. We didn’t poach a manager who’d just won promotion to our division.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Said in a friendly way … did you say anything after West Ham, Villa, AEK, all those home draws against relegation fodder? I wouldn’t know.

A few people here stuck their necks out in identifying a huge decline in our squad/football over one summer. Then rounded on by happy-clappers who saw a team marching on to Dublin and another top 6 finish, or the distraction merchants obsessed in blaming match officials.

I always know all your posts are with best intention

I think I really moaned probably at Estupinan, and our lack of defensive discipline.
Villa, I think I was too busy defending Steele who was getting unfair abuse, whereas Estupinan once again slept initially. I left Villa at 0-5 (unfortunately there’s a video of me giving a few ‘v signs’ to Villa fans who filmed us leaving from the Holt end )

I still believe if RdZ had adapted we could have done better. Our squad is not terrible, but the Solly injury was massive, and then havin unearthed a gem in Hinshelwood, his injury was significant IMO. I don’t see a huge decline, just an inability to learn from mistakes, that became more frustrating for me (as you can probably tell).

Mitoma had been quiet in Europe but looked rejuvenated vs Sheff Utd, and his loss has been huge as well.

 

[Cornwallboy]

Thank you for an exciting couple of years. He did a good job in taking over a very good team and building on the foundations that Potter had built. It's rather fallen apart the last few weeks though.

As an aside, McKenn.a - why would he come here? He's just got Ipswich promoted to the PL, his club, his players, and his stock sky-high around Portman Road. I realise we've been in the PL a few years now, but historically Ipswich are at least as big a club as we are

I guess the key word there is 'historically' as history won't necce

Probably. That’s the point I was making. He’d done well in Sweden and shown promise at Swansea. We didn’t poach a manager who’d just won promotion to our division.

Fair point mate.

 

[jcdenton08]

Seriously though, why is everyone freaking out about this? I trust the club 100%, we are one of the best run clubs in the world.

What are people expecting, a title challenge? If the new gaffer comes in and gets us in the top half again and challenging Europe - hopefully with a good stab at the FA Cup - that’s another great season.

We are overperforming on every metric. Wage to league finish, the only profitable club in the league, and numerous young talents one or more of whom could become top players (Hinshelwood, Ferguson, Enciso, Barco, et al).

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Do you reckon it’s already in place then?

As a connoisseur of European football, who do you rate at the moment.

If we had any chance of Amorim, I would go all out to get him.

 

[Weststander]

I always know all your posts are with best intention

I think I really moaned probably at Estupinan, and our lack of defensive discipline.
Villa, I think I was too busy defending Steele who was getting unfair abuse, whereas Estupinan once again slept initially. I left Villa at 0-5 (unfortunately there’s a video of me giving a few ‘v signs’ to Villa fans who filmed us leaving from the Holt end )

I still believe if RdZ had adapted we could have done better. Our squad is not terrible, but the Solly injury was massive, and then havin unearthed a gem in Hinshelwood, his injury was significant IMO. I don’t see a huge decline, just an inability to learn from mistakes, that became more frustrating for me (as you can probably tell).

Mitoma had been quiet in Europe but looked rejuvenated vs Sheff Utd, and his loss has been huge as well.

I’ve made my squad weaknesses views clear. If you could buy 3 first teamers this summer, age 22 to 26, which team positions would you choose?

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Here's what I don't understand.

What's in it for us to cancel his contract? There's all these jobs coming up, Man U, Munich, Juve, probably several other similar roles. All of those would have paid us millions to end his contract.

And I don't buy the answer that he would have downed tools like a sulky 22 year old. That would be career ending for him.

We received 20 plus million for Potter, and yes that was a once off, but RDZ's contract had a very significant value to us. Potter's star was never as high as RDZ's is

I totally see what's in it for him. I don't see what's in it for us.

Even if we've got someone lined up, and they agree to come, we've just sacked off millions of pounds. And if we were the sort of club who was happy to burn millions of pounds, RDZ probably wouldn't be leaving anyway

Maybe Bloom actually wanted RDZ to go, and the sooner the better. And maybe RDZ was happy to go but was concerned that a new club might be put off by the prospect of paying a lot of compensation. In that case, it would be in the interest of both parties to just shake on it, cancel the contract and walk away.

 

[The Optimist]

Well I've thoroughly enjoyed his tenure during which we have played the best football I have ever seen from an Albion team. I'm a little surprised as I think he is still inexperienced at this level and has made a fair few mistakes during his time here. Consequently, I expected him to see out another season to see whether he could learn from it and become a better manager, but maybe that isn't RDZ's way as he does seem to come into any new situation like a whirlwind and I wonder if that is why he doesn't seem to last very long.

Anyway, I'll be giving him big applause tomorrow for the fun we have had under him and will wish him well. Pleased to be able to give him the send off we never got to give CH.

Meanwhile, I believe the Albion will become stronger and more established as a top 10 club with occasional European forays. If you want more than that and are moaning that RDZ 'wasn't backed' I wonder if you have the right club or would be happier if TB was bought out by foreign states, huge foreign corporates or generally dodgy large organisations.

While we still have Bart, JPVH, Dunk, Hinsh, Barco, Estupinian, Mitoma, March, Encisco, Baleba, Adingra, Pedro, Ferguson, Buonanotte, Igor, Welbeck, Padscal, Billy Gilmour and the next generation of kids lined up, pardon me if I don't join in with the 'It's all downhill from here Brigade'

My main interest now is who TB and PB have lined up.

Best response I’ve read yet (which I suppose really means the response I agree with the most).

 

[The Optimist]

Here's what I don't understand.

What's in it for us to cancel his contract? There's all these jobs coming up, Man U, Munich, Juve, probably several other similar roles. All of those would have paid us millions to end his contract.

And I don't buy the answer that he would have downed tools like a sulky 22 year old. That would be career ending for him.

We received 20 plus million for Potter, and yes that was a once off, but RDZ's contract had a very significant value to us. Potter's star was never as high as RDZ's is

I totally see what's in it for him. I don't see what's in it for us.

Even if we've got someone lined up, and they agree to come, we've just sacked off millions of pounds. And if we were the sort of club who was happy to burn millions of pounds, RDZ probably wouldn't be leaving anyway

Do any of them actually want him? I guess we’ll find out pretty soon.
Do we need to move quickly to secure our preferred replacement? So could waiting have meant some nice compensation but missing out on our preferred man?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I’ve made my squad weaknesses views clear. If you could buy 3 first teamers this summer, age 22 to 26, which team positions would you choose?

Think I liked your idea of a stronger midfielder possibly x 2.
I like Baleba to make good strides, Gilmour is tidy but not terribly strong, Pascal, I think may leave . Lallana obviously gone.
Definitely a RB starter, as Tariq struggles with multiple games, Velts looks a bit old (but think he’s great), Offiah not good enough defensively (see Plucky)

Controversial perhaps, but Igor isn’t really good enough, Webbo is injury prone, so we need a CB. I don’t rate Atom, and the under 18 England player (who looks good) is probably a season away.

Undav will go, O’Mahoney out on loan so a forward could be required.

 

[amexer]

Assume with amount of football Ds Zerbi watched he knew who and what we needed . Also he would have been making decisions on players out on loan. Undav was one he wanted back and would think he had spoken to him. Who is going to make these decisions now. Apart from watching a few games on TV unlikely a new manager will be able to have an opinion

 

[Weststander]

Think I liked your idea of a stronger midfielder possibly x 2.
I like Baleba to make good strides, Gilmour is tidy but not terribly strong, Pascal, I think may leave . Lallana obviously gone.
Definitely a RB starter, as Tariq struggles with multiple games, Velts looks a bit old (but think he’s great), Offiah not good enough defensively (see Plucky)

Controversial perhaps, but Igor isn’t really good enough, Webbo is injury prone, so we need a CB. I don’t rate Atom, and the under 18 England player (who looks good) is probably a season away.

Undav will go, O’Mahoney out on loan so a forward could be required.

A lot of not normally critical nsc posters have slagged off the ability of Igor in recent weeks, others Webster’s obsession with passing to the opposition when under no pressure opening us up.

 

[Weststander]

Assume with amount of football Ds Zerbi watched he knew who and what we needed . Also he would have been making decisions on players out on loan. Undav was one he wanted back and would think he had spoken to him. Who is going to make these decisions now. Apart from watching a few games on TV unlikely a new manager will be able to have an opinion

That might suit. A head coach instead of a manager, who doesn’t open up to the fans.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

A lot of not normally critical nsc posters have slagged off the ability of Igor in recent weeks, others Webster’s obsession with passing to the opposition when under no pressure opening us up.

See I like Webbo, and he’s been great in the last two games. He’ll need to lead tomorrow in Dunk’s absence. Good cover.

Igor just does not play close enough to whoever his CB colleague is, which leaves a space for opposing players.

 

[Weststander]

See I like Webbo, and he’s been great in the last two games. He’ll need to lead tomorrow in Dunk’s absence. Good cover.

Igor just does not play close enough to whoever his CB colleague is, which leaves a space for opposing players.

Against the Chavs, I thought NSC was giving Webster pelters for awful defending and passing to them?