Seems that Fonseca is already lined up for that one. I feel for RDZ as he's clearly brilliant, but David Ornstein recently implied that there may be a prevailing sentiment that he's quite difficult to work with. I wonder if this is putting off prospective owners who don't much fancy the hassle.
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[Albion] Who do you want to become our new manager?
- Thread starter Bigtk
- Start date
um bongo molongo
Well-known member
Have they? Crikey, it’s hard to keep up
That's not really the full context of what he said though is it, and the context here is important.
He was referring to his choice at the time Chelsea made their approach - he had the option to stay, extend his contract and reap the benefits of the hard work already put in (he had a great relationship with TB/PB, a squad that knew his methods and were getting results, credit in the bank with supporters...)
The alternative was to take on the calamity club, with mental owners and twattish fans, many of whom didn't want him there and a squad full of prima donnas that chewed up managers.
So yeah, If he'd wanted the easy life, he'd have stayed (there is also the matter of a truck load of cash involved too of course).
If many of the comments on here are to be believed, coming back would be far from the easy life anyway (which is OK, because as he has previously said, he's not into making decisions just for the 'easy life')
Last edited:
- Feb 22, 2014
- 2,806
I don’t particularly want Potter back but if he is appointed I will continue to fully support the club. That is far more important to me than throwing the toys out of the pram.
Actually I would find it very funny after the money Chelsea paid for him to get him back for nothing. It would probably bring a knee-jerk bid from Chelsea to gazump us anyway.
Actually I would find it very funny after the money Chelsea paid for him to get him back for nothing. It would probably bring a knee-jerk bid from Chelsea to gazump us anyway.
B-right-on
Living the dream
Hughton showed loyalty and stuck with us to the end of his capabilities.
Potter is a Judas who jumped ship, with the entire crew, for a bigger bag of gold leaving us in the shit.
Yes we got a better manager but not only had that absolutely zero to do with Potter, but it could have worked out much worse.
Another difference.
OzMike
Well-known member
Corrected for you.
Stato
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2011
- 7,366
Not quite. His comment in full was:
"If I wanted a nice easy life, I could have quite easily stayed working at Brighton in the Premier League and signed a new contract and been absolutely OK. And I wouldn't have had too many questions about myself or pressure or sacking or anything like that, but the reason to come here, one of the reasons to come here as there were many, it's a fantastic football club, potentially one of the best in the world that can compete for any major trophy."
To be fair to Potter, that was probably a fair and honest assessment of his situation when he left us. However, De Zerbi then arrived and upped expectations. He was not satisfied and insisted that the players and the board believe that we were also a football club that could compete for major trophies. We can't now fall back on someone who has made it quite clear that a certain level will suffice for Brighton. Of course TB will be realistic about our ambitions, but he will want someone who has some ambition, not for himself, but for the club.
I was happy with Potter's work while he was here. He did tremendous stuff in quickly adapting the squad to play in a different way. There were long testing periods where results didn't match performances, but let's remember that the absolute decimation of Man Utd that had Ronaldo laughing was under Potter, not RDZ. Upon leaving, it became apparent that the 'know your history' chippiness was perhaps a result of complacency. He, like Gus Poyet, believed that there was a ceiling for this club, but where Poyet tried to force Tony's hand to break it, Potter just accepted it as inexorable.
Although his assessment of our place in the food chain was probably realistic, having now had the inspirational RDZ, we can't go back and settle. Paul Barber has spoken of how De Zerbi challenged everyone in the club to go further and how managing this was difficult, but totally worthwhile. He and Bloom now know that at this stage in the plan, if we are going to continue to over-acheive, they need to appoint a manager that they need to rein in, not one that they have to follow behind jabbing with a cattle prod.
B-right-on
Living the dream
But that's still not the full context is it? It's one of several disparaging comments about Brighton and/or the fans (History lesson/people are entitled to their opinion etc...), him jumping ship and this is from someone who (apparently) has a degree in Emotional Intelligence.
Compare RDZs comments about the fans and his consistent and persistent praise of us even after the end, the way BHAFC and RDZ parted company to Potters comments about the fans and the way he left.
Football is an EMOTIONAL outlet for me and many others. It's a passion. I don't feel the same watching F1 or Wimbledon.
Yes this has brought back some of the bitterness of Potter leaving with the suggestions that he, even remotely, could come back.
I have absolutely zero bitterness towards RDZ.
Why? I have no idea, I just know how I feel. I would eventually get behind a Potter BHAFC, but it would be at the expense of some of my passion for the club.
Again Why? Fvck knows.
B-right-on
Living the dream
Excellent post and summary. Put much better than I did.
el punal
Well-known member
Jakob Moder!
Kosh
'The' Yaztromo
Stato
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2011
- 7,366
pigmanovich
Good Old Sausage by the Sea
Just looked up how Lens did under him, and it's not shabby: Haise took over midway through the 2019-20 Ligue 2 season, in which Lens finished 2nd, one point behind champions Lorient; they finished 7th in Ligue 1 in 2020-21 and 2021-22; 2nd in 2022-23, qualifying for the Champions League, one point (again) behind champions PSG; and 7th this past season, qualifying for the Conference League playoff round. Lens finished 3rd in their Champions League group behind Arsenal and PSV, one point behind PSV, and dropped down to Europa League, where they lost the knockout round playoffs to SC Freiburg 3-2.
Worth noting that in that promotion season he only oversaw two league matches as the remainder of the season was called off due to Covid.
He was linked to us when Potter left...
www.sussexlive.co.uk
RC Lens manager Franck Hais gives little away when asked about Brighton links
Brighton are searching for a replacement for Graham Potter after he signed a five-year deal with Chelsea last week and RC Lens manager Franck Haise has been linked with the head coach role
www.sussexlive.co.uk
He was "allegedly" on our list in 2022... What he's achieved since then has been impressive.
He is very good, the stuff he's done at Lens is nothing short of remarkable. Taking them from a pretty unattractive Ligue 2 side to within a point of pipping PSG to the title is sensational. Finished 3rd in a competitive UCL group this season (ahead of Sevilla) but got knocked out to Freiburg in the Europa after conceding 2 goals in injury time to flip the scoreline on it's head.
He tends to play with 3 at the back, with two of the CBs playing as roving drivers into midfield (something Igor and Webster are very good at already), though he has described his style as tactically flexible based on the players at his disposal. His team's tend to be good defensively, and quite fun going forward, but it may be that his side relied on the outstanding quality of Loïs Openda last season where he hasn't been able to get the same tune out of Elye Wahi this year and it has affected the amount of goals Lens have scored.
Whilst it is not the thrilling appointment I'd have hoped for following on from a manager like RDZ, it would be a great fit, and a soft yes from me.