[Albion] Who's the best manager Brighton have ever had?

[el punal]

The OP is going to be relevant to more recent managers, the younger you are means your choice is limited. I go back to the Archie Macauley days, and no, I don’t think he was particularly good. So narrowing it down to these :

Pat Saward - did a great job in getting us promoted in 1972 on a very limited budget. That told in the next season when we came straight back down.

Peter Taylor (without Clough), a genius at spotting young talent and developing them - think Peter Ward. He assembled one of our best ever teams but left a season too soon and did not reap the deserved rewards.

Alan Mullery - took over Taylor’s team and did absolute wonders taking us from Division 3 to Division 1 in four years (1976 - 1979). Such a shame he left in such acrimonious circumstances.

Micky Adams - our first season at Withdean, back home in Brighton, just everything clicked. After all the horrible years preceding we at last rediscovered our mojo. Shame about his second stint.

Gus Poyet - what an unbelievable manager. Put out a side that no other team could cope with back in 2010/11. Our man to lead us to the Amex. It was so sad that his ego and arrogance told in the end because I reckon he could have taken us to the Premier League.

Chris Hughton - saved us from relegation in 2015 and rebuilt the team with some brilliantly talented players. The season we got promoted to the Premier League was probably my favourite. Such really happy memories of many unforgettable games.

Roberto De Zerbi - wow! I have never been so astounded at our style and quality of football that was produced from January to May 2023. Highest ever finish and our first ever European tour. If only that could have been replicated last season - alas, not to be.

So, my best manager? In the shortest time possible Robert De Zerbi. It was never going to last, but boy was it fun.

 

[Zeberdi]

I think RDZ was our best manager to date but I’m not prejudging Hürzeler negatively so changed my vote to FH in fairness..

(The pole question is also in past tense. Has FH left us already?)

 

[sakooshi]

The pole question is also in past tense. Has FH left us already?

No it isn't:
"Who is (present tense) the best manager Brighton have ever had (present perfect)?"

 

[sakooshi]

No it isn't:
"Who is (present tense) the best manager Brighton have ever had (present perfect)?"

Past tense would be "Who was (simple past) the best manager Brighton ever had (simple past)?"

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Mullery v1 for me. That period completely changed my perception of the Albion as a club and what we could achieve.

I was tempted to vote for RDZ for the European tour as it was probably the single greatest achievement of my lifetime.

 

[Hotchilidog]

It's really difficult to choose as the successful manager have all brought something substantial to the table. I started my Albion supporting life with Micky Adams MK1 and I don't think it can be overstated how important he was in the post-war years once we had found a home at Withdean. There was no way the Albion should have had the success that we did during his spell, ramshackle ground, no money and a draining battle with Lewes Council and the government off the field.

Despite the obstacles a team was created in Adam's own feisty image, tight-knit, combative and driven. It really was a special tie to be an Albion fan. It was so much laying the foundations for our modern success but he did at least usher in the diggers so that the work could begin.

I could easily make a case for Gus, Chris, (whisper it GP) and obviously RDZ, but I'll give Micky my vote.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

I don’t know if it’s a trick question but surely the best manager that has ever managed Brighton is Brian Clough?

 

[Weststander]

Come up on the rails with a majestic 5.4% of the vote, The Messiah Potter.

 

[Robinjakarta]

Mullery for me. Those seasons in the mid to late 70's with Mike Bamber and Mullery were glorious. He also kept us up when all the experts predicted our relegation. Hughton's achievements were eerily similar; missed out on promotion by a whisker, stormed up the following season and then defied the sceptics by keeping us up for 2 seasons before departing.

Could have been me saying that. Mullery, yeah, and he's still with us unlike those two recent journeymen.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

But we haven’t “had” Hürzeler yet in any meaningful sense of your poll so can’t imagine why you would include him in a poll that basically is judging a performative record of all the coaches we’ve had to date..

Anyway your poll, you can ask what you like - just seems daft to me to ask people to make a judgment about a manager that hasn’t even played a match yet.

"Best manager Brighton have ever had" doesn't necessarily mean "Best at Brighton". Which is presumably why 4 people at the time of posting have voted for Clough.

If we appointed Klopp or Guardiola tomorrow they'd both shoot up my list of our best ever managers even if they only took a dump in the toilets at Lancing and then resigned immediately.

Notwithstanding that, I voted for Hughton.

 

[Silverhatch]

Voted Mullers because I was young and mad and the Albion was pure f***ing enjoyment. Beer, Girls & Football.

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

Saward, Mullery, Gritt, Poyet, Hughton, Potter, RDZ
Voted for Saward, my favourite season 1971/2

 

[Leekbrookgull]

No Gritt,no Brighton.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I have different answers depending on how I define best. Highest performance potential makes it RDZ, getting us into the Premier League and keeping us there makes it CH, MM is another great shout considering the players he was working with.

There is/was no one best, but I’m voting RDZ because while it was the right decision to let him go, he had the highest motivational ability of any coach we’ve had so far. I can’t in good conscience vote for FH yet, but I’m hoping that by the end of next season I’ll be able to rate him higher.

Back in the day a lot of people said McGhee was shit. One of the primary causes of that was Leon Knight. "He can't manage him" etc .Looking back, no one got more out of him that MM. Then you look at the quality of player he got us promoted with.

Unpopular, but certainly one of the better managers we've had. For full disclosure I put Hinshelwood j"ust because" in the poll..Marney in midfield. Think the kids call it gaslighting.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

For me I think the mantle of best manager should be given to someone who is transformational, takes the club at one level and transforms it into something entirely better, through style of football, position in the league and results. We've been spoilt of late to have had several in that category, so for me as a supporter since the mid-80's I have to shortlist it to Adams, Poyet, Hughton and Potter - each taking over a team in relegation danger and completely changing the paradigm, taking it to the next level, and producing teams that were fantastic to watch (at least in the championship in Hughton's case). I'm sure 70's Mullery should be in there too but before my time. I think I rank them Poyet, Potter, Hughton and Adams, but its close, ultimately the way Poyet took over a dreadful L1 team, got them playing champagne football at that level without a load of signings, and then took us to the Championship playoffs was great to watch.

RDZ is winning this poll on recency bias, personality, not departing as badly as the others, and a style that when it came good produced performances up there with the very best, but at the end of the day we're not as good now as when he joined. Thoroughly enjoyed his time as manager and had some great highs but can't see him in the conversation for best manager ever.

 

[stewart12]

Back in the day a lot of people said McGhee was shit. One of the primary causes of that was Leon Knight. "He can't manage him" etc .Looking back, no one got more out of him that MM. Then you look at the quality of player he got us promoted with.

Unpopular, but certainly one of the better managers we've had. For full disclosure I put Hinshelwood j"ust because" in the poll..Marney in midfield. Think the kids call it gaslighting.

yeh McGhee tried his best with Knight (I would perhaps say Knight's best form came under the brief sting with Coppell but I largely agree with your point). Knight proved to be almost impossible to manage with many trying and failing- he was simply a bad apple. I remember Knight particularly disliked being put out on the wing but we were scrapping for survival and needed numbers in midfield and in reality couldn't accommodate a 5 foot 4 lone striker- Knight was never prolific in the second tier because he didn't work hard enough at his game and defenders in that league could suss him out easily- he was more effective out wide as our most technically gifted and creative player- he just couldn't see it

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I've said Brian Clough, only because of what could've been and what he went on to achieve

 

[BluesRockDJ]

This is, obviously age generated. I voted for Mullery because, apart from building a great promotion squad (pre foreign imports), used to love travelling on the Seagull Special train with him and the players.................wouldn't happen today !

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don’t know if it’s a trick question but surely the best manager that has ever managed Brighton is Brian Clough?

I can go for that, although I went for none because none of them have won anything when managing the Albion. Seems perfectly logical to me, but there is a reason for that.

Every time this thread pops up I shake my head sadly. I see from the replies that @Zeberdi has also had issues with it. Fancy that And best wishes, Zeb. I'm still not ready to re-engage. I hope you can forgive me.

OK, I'll play. For getting us a promotion to tier 2 (a dizzy height for us historically, at the time) and keeping us up with a tiny rented stadium and not a pot to piss in, according to someone I put on ignore years ago, the Morris Dancing wum, thanks to 'Dick Tight' (context is key, as Mrs T always tells me), step forward, drinking pints of whiskey, Mark McWhoHe?!

Sadly I already voted for our longest serving manager.

The frightening thing is there are only 5 on the list I didn't see us play under. Can that be bettered? Calling @The Oldman @GT49er

 

[Zeberdi]

I can go for that, although I went for none because none of them have won anything when managing the Albion. Seems perfectly logical to me, but there is a reason for that.

Every time this thread pops up I shake my head sadly. I see from the replies that @Zeberdi has also had issues with it. Fancy that And best wishes, Zeb. I'm still not ready to re-engage. I hope you can forgive me.

OK, I'll play. For getting us a promotion to tier 2 (a dizzy height for us historically, at the time) and keeping us up with a tiny rented stadium and not a pot to piss in, according to someone I put on ignore years ago, the Morris Dancing wum, thanks to 'Dick Tight' (context is key, as Mrs T always tells me), step forward, drinking pints of whiskey, Mark McWhoHe?!

Sadly I already voted for our longest serving manager.

The frightening thing is there are only 5 on the list I didn't see us play under. Can that be bettered? Calling @The Oldman @GT49er

I’m sure you will see this because I know you are reading my posts. So I’ll say this in the nicest possible way H - If you are going to ignore someone then just ignore them. Posting these ‘it’s not you but me’ indirect ‘complimentary but‘ comments about me across the boards these past weeks, is not just highly patronising and disingenuous, it’s bizarre even for you. I think it is safe to assume that until you stop telling everyone that you are ‘having to’ ignore me despite you being such a reasonable chap and all that, you are doing nothing to improve things. Unless you are actually willing to engage, leave me out of your missives please.

(And Contact me by private message when you decide you are wanting/ ready to talk and I will willingly listen but until then I will not engage with you either )