[Albion] Roberto De Zerbi

[Coldwaltham Seagull]

I know I keep saying this but has he actually behaved that poorly in comparison to the rest of the Premier League? I reckon with today's press conference he's reached 5 times that he's told the press he has a contract at Brighton and he keeps reminding everyone that our squad is weaker than it was last season because of injuries and losing our central midfield - he's not wrong on either counts is he? It's hardly Poyet going on MOTD or Conte going on the rampage at the end of his Spurs reign and calling the whole club copouts.

I'd be HUGELY surprised if RDZ turns up at Chelsea in the coming few months. He's not even 4th favourite and there isn't even a job available. He's ambitious, we've become more ambitious under him, his agents will have been approached for every interesting role on the market and his next move will be hugely important, not a cash grab.

For me, there's three ways this summer plays out:

1) He doesn't get offered any of the HUGE jobs (Liverpool or Bayern) and stays with the backing of Bloom and Barber.
2) He gets the Bayern job. They offer him the time and all of the finances needed to create a superclub in his image
3) The merry-go-round does something weird and reveals an opportunity in Italy he can't turn down and he goes back home.

Whatever happens, just enjoy the rest of the season and keep your fingers crossed for option one. He's by far the best manager this club has ever had - ride that train until we get to the last stop. And who knows, when we reach the end of our ride with RDZ, there may be a bullet train waiting to take us to a wonderful new future.

Well put. For what its worth I don't think RDZ has really done a lot wrong, aside from allowing a few clickbait journalists to put words in his mouth- a lesson perhaps in that sense, but not enough to warrant some of the bed wetting I've seen

 

[GJN1]

I'm torn. If De Zerbi were the coach of any other club I'd properly hate him. In fact, I wonder if I like him now, to be honest.

 

[portlock seagull]

If you SAID IT AT THE TIME, I’m afraid you were WRONG AT THE TIME. The flag was to mark a new era post-Potter, and did its job very well. I don’t know how much the flag cost but in the context of the PL, it must have been peanuts. Money well spent IMO, and I've no idea why you’ve such a bee in your bonnet about a bit of symbolism that served its purpose well.

It looked shit and still does, hardly the most original design was it. These things cost hundreds, if you’d ever put your money where your mouth is you’d know. Waste.Of.Money. And enviro resources.

 

[portlock seagull]

I always assumed the flag thing was those fans saying FU to Potter rather than adoration for RDZ.

It was ill-conceived at best then.

 

[Exilegull]

Ok so he´s saying the exact opposite he said less than week ago. Honest Roberto. I guess he´ll turn more and more cuddly as we ambitiously lose our way to 12th place because no one will want him then. Finally had enough of him last week and done with him making sure he always get the spot light. Looking forward to his replacement in May

 

[Beanstalk]

I'm torn. If De Zerbi were the coach of any other club I'd properly hate him. In fact, I wonder if I like him now, to be honest.

Weird.

I'm yet to hear a bad story about his personality or man management, we're playing stunning football, he got us into Europe and then made us competitive enough to win the group of death, and he's regularly noted as a big reason players want to play for us over other clubs. He has a backroom staff who not only go absolutely mental every time we score/win, but they include a Gregg Wallace doppelganger and the nicest middle aged father figure you're likely to find in football (Andrea Maldera, the man who only uses his Twitter account to thank photojournalists for taking nice pictures of him).

Genuinely though, why don't you like our current and most successful manager?

 

[Lawros Lip]

I know I keep saying this but has he actually behaved that poorly in comparison to the rest of the Premier League? I reckon with today's press conference he's reached 5 times that he's told the press he has a contract at Brighton and he keeps reminding everyone that our squad is weaker than it was last season because of injuries and losing our central midfield - he's not wrong on either counts is he? It's hardly Poyet going on MOTD or Conte going on the rampage at the end of his Spurs reign and calling the whole club copouts.

I'd be HUGELY surprised if RDZ turns up at Chelsea in the coming few months. He's not even 4th favourite and there isn't even a job available. He's ambitious, we've become more ambitious under him, his agents will have been approached for every interesting role on the market and his next move will be hugely important, not a cash grab.

For me, there's three ways this summer plays out:

1) He doesn't get offered any of the HUGE jobs (Liverpool or Bayern) and stays with the backing of Bloom and Barber.
2) He gets the Bayern job. They offer him the time and all of the finances needed to create a superclub in his image
3) The merry-go-round does something weird and reveals an opportunity in Italy he can't turn down and he goes back home.

Whatever happens, just enjoy the rest of the season and keep your fingers crossed for option one. He's by far the best manager this club has ever had - ride that train until we get to the last stop. And who knows, when we reach the end of our ride with RDZ, there may be a bullet train waiting to take us to a wonderful new future.

Fair assessment but I just hope we don’t think we are on route with option 1 when option 3 suddenly crops up unexpectedly just as next season is about to begin.

 

[Beanstalk]

I always assumed the flag thing was those fans saying FU to Potter rather than adoration for RDZ.

I understand it was a very genuine gesture to get behind Roberto by some very nice and well meaning fans, including some members of the FAB.

 

[Beanstalk]

Fair assessment but I just hope we don’t think we are on route with option 1 when option 3 suddenly crops up unexpectedly just as next season is about to begin.

Understandable. I thought the shock departure of Potter to Chelsea was the derailment of our upwards trajectory. BOY OH BOY WAS I WRONG.

I love RDZ and want him to remain manager for as long as possible. I also understand that as a fanbase, even if we appreciate it, we underestimate the ambition and meticulous detail of how the club runs. If what you say becomes true, the next manager will be a more ambitious hire than Roberto was, and the targets won't change because of it. Just a different train.

 

[Weststander]

Re his previous appointment - you can't blame De Zerbi for not sticking out Year 2. The Russians were shelling his house at the time.

Potter would've toughed that out.

 

[Clive Walker]

Not RDZ related but some good news upcoming.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Not RDZ related but some good news upcoming.

Monorail?

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Not RDZ related but some good news upcoming.

£122.8m profit?!

 

[Clive Walker]

£122.8m profit?!

Was the bit re barber to be precise.

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

I understand it was a very genuine gesture to get behind Roberto by some very nice and well meaning fans, including some members of the FAB.

I stand corrected. Mind you I'm sure it also irked Mr Potter just a bit too, he seemed to think we should have been grateful for what he achieved (which we would have been had he left us in the off season).

 

[Justice]

Not RDZ related but some good news upcoming.

Mitoma back? Pedro back? Young Hinsh back?

 

[ozzygull]

I have been thinking, (I know it is not good for me to do it) but in the post Liverpool press conference RDZ said something like "Nothing could take away the history the club made last season and his connection with supporters"

I wonder if it is the first time he has managed at a club "Like Brighton" we are unusual in the fact our owner is truly loved by the fans, we understand and appreciate the massive expense and risk with his own personal wealth to get us to where we are and we trust the process 100%, because the communication about how he would run the club was clear right from the start and because of our history we would not want it any other way.

Most clubs have a faceless ownership and if they have a successful manger, the fans will put massive pressure on the owner to do everything, even if it is not healthy for the long-term future of the club to keep that manager. You only have to look at the entitlement of other fans. For example, if Chelsea ever gets a successful manager again and he says publicly he is not backed and then left, their fans would be all over the owners complaining that they should done whatever to please him.

If we were forced to pick a side between RDZ and Tony Bloom there is only one winner, Tony Bloom

 

[Weststander]

SSN just ruled out Liverpool for RDZ.

Leaving just Bayern, West Ham and Barca I suppose. Bayern have a shortlist of two … RDZ and Nagelsmann.

 

[beorhthelm]

not convinced DeZerbi has done enough to attract a top draw club. once the summer comes, the injured come back and there's maybe a decent transfer budget, i wonder if he stays on for another crack at Europe.

 

[beardy gull]

Andy Naylor thinks he will stay another season. I’m minded to agree.