[Albion] Are YOU falling out of love with Roberto De Zerbi?

Flounce · Apr 17, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
Why are you talking about Hughton? No one else is.

Pretty obvious to any Brighton fan that we’ve built slowly. CH had a poor squad, Potter an increasingly better one. RDZ then took Potter’s squad to Europe before having the two most important players sold from under him.

In truth RDZ was the best salesman those two players could have wished for, he was touting how they deserved better than us from the moment he walked through the door, so to claim they were sold from under him is plain daft.

He knew very early on that they might be sold, where we did fall down was not bringing in anywhere near PL ready replacements when they did go. He has every reason to be a bit pissed about that but I don’t think the club would have sold Caicedo if Chelsea hadn’t paid an obscene amount for him and had Caicedo effectively going on strike to get away.

Exilegull · Apr 17, 2024

sussex_guy2k2 said:
Do you honestly believe he picked them? Based on how we recruit, do you honestly believe he got this without approval from absolutely everyone?

Everything said by Roberto and Tony about the Fati, Dahoud signings point in the direction of Roberto choosing them. Igor maybe not but I read Roberto loves Brazilian players Igor has a lot of marks of RDZ player in his passing and control.

hans kraay fan club · Apr 17, 2024

EliasTaproot said:
The almost 50% against RDZ are just completely baffling. Depressing stuff, it goes to show that some people will just never be happy.

This sort of ridiculous statement is what feeds the click-bait.

50% are AGAINST RDZ?

Which of those 3 poll options are indicators of being AGAINST the manager of our club?

Exilegull · Apr 17, 2024

Iggle Piggle said:
His honesty is the equivalent of your Mrs saying "How do I look" and you responding "Jesus Christ love, you look like you've fallen out the charity shop"

Where I thought he really took the piss was when he opined recently that Sanchez was no longer at the club. I wonder why that might be?

Yes that was incredible nearly spat out my coffee when he started to mention important playing leaving us starting with naming Sanchez ffs he was doing ok or good for years before dropped for League One goalkeeper and officially made scape goat. Think Verbruggen is upgrade anyway but clearly Roberto doesn´t agree as he mentioned Sanchez important player leaving. Get annoyed just thinking of it. So done with this man

Machiavelli · Apr 17, 2024

AZ Gull said:
I completely disagree that a narrative has been "spun from nothing". I think what your post ignores is that RDZ has actively contributed (created?) much of the speculation in the first place by his comments in multiple press conferences over a significant period of time.

1) He made numerous barbed comments about the club and their lack of recruitment activity

2) Only 17 days ago (in the pre-match Liverpool press conference) he was specifically asked "...can you guarantee you will be here next season?" and his reply was "..first of all I want to speak with my club...I have not decided yet what is my future....anyway, I want to speak with Tony, with..my club...to understand their plan, then we take the decision together."

It is, quite simply, significant news that a Premier League manager is (by his own comments) unhappy about the level of support (in the transfer market) from his club, to the extent that he is undecided whether he wants to continue to honour his contract. OF COURSE the media is going to report that, and it will get discussed in various football podcasts, on talk shows etc. But it's almost entirely of RDZ's own making.

I'm more with @Garry Nelson's Left Foot than you on this one. You're right though that the narrative hasn't been spun from nothing and that it is news that a PL manager has gone public about where he'll be next season. That news isn't 'significant' though, it's just about the ridiculous noise surrounding football and particularly PL football.
But you've extrapolated certain things from you're bolded comment -- namely that he's unhappy with the level of support in the transfer market from the club. I think he's saying quite clearly that he wants to know what the transfer plans are for the summer before he commits to managing us for another season. We've just returned record profits for June 22 to June 23 accounts, and you can guarantee that the 23-24 accounts will look healthy. How many other clubs -- particularly those with top half expectations -- are turning profits? What if it's the club's plans to sell Mitoma, Joao Pedro and Enciso over the summer?
As stated a few posts back, I'm less concerned about what managers say in press conferences, and would prefer RDZ's honest approach. Note also that chairmen (although thankfully not TB) are remarkably adept at binning managers off when results don't meet expectations.
If I had to put money on it, my hunch is RDZ will be with us next season and, if not, the club will receive healthy compensation for his departure.

Nobby Cybergoat · Apr 17, 2024

I'm still classing him as the best manager I've ever seen us have.

This year so far, i'm putting down to us selling one too many players and stupid numbers of injuries.

There are questions for RDZ to answer about his ability to adapt to situations, but I think he's done enough to have the benefit of the doubt

Gabbiano · Apr 17, 2024

There seem to be some on here that believe that since he delivered the clubs best ever finish and some truly remarkable achievements last year in the PL and this year in Europa, we must therefore ignore every other aspect of his behaviour.

Didn't we learn from Poyet?

I'm not RDZ out by any means but I find the interviews concerning (both about the club and other issues for example "I don't like 80% of the referees"), the fact that he seems to have a big fall out with a player every 6 months concerning and his lack of discipline on the touchline concerning. Not to mention the lacklustre performances recently, but I do believe he will turn that around with some players coming back.

Flawed genius perhaps, but he needs a moment to reflect on where he actually is in his career right now and how he got there.

Bold Seagull · Apr 17, 2024

Iggle Piggle said:
His honesty is the equivalent of your Mrs saying "How do I look" and you responding "Jesus Christ love, you look like you've fallen out the charity shop"

Where I thought he really took the piss was when he opined recently that Sanchez was no longer at the club. I wonder why that might be?

Because Chelsea courted him, his form dipped and the manager decided to pick another player in his place.

RDZ still picked RS, and he still got the Wembley semi-final, clearly a player RDZ still wanted around. Amazing the narratives that come out.

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo · Apr 17, 2024

The Optimist said:
Don’t we love gingers after Steve Sidwell?

What about Kerry Mayo, surely the Ginger Prince was the first to tug on those heart strings.

Exilegull said:
Everything said by Roberto and Tony about the Fati, Dahoud signings point in the direction of Roberto choosing them. Igor maybe not but I read Roberto loves Brazilian players Igor has a lot of marks of RDZ player in his passing and control.

Even if they were RDZ driven signings, they wouldn't have been signed off higher up without their numbers stacking up in the clubs databases. TB was cautious over Fati because of the cost, Dahoud could have been a driven by RDZ, he mentioned before that he wanted to sign him when at Sassuolo.

Besides which, as has been mentioned before in interviews with PB, recruitment is a team effort. The club have multiple targets for most positions and have them tiered based on various factors including how good they are, the likelihood of them being available, how they'd fit in at the club etc. The recruitment team and the coaches sit down and discuss players and identity those they ideally want to go for.

The manager can also throw names in if its a player that interests them, Hughton wanted Kayal at Norwich when he was there and signed him here, Potters first move was to recommend Adam Webster be signed. Both may have already been identified by the club but may not have been as high priority targets until the manager at the time spoke up.

It has never been the recruitment team just pick players from the database and give them to the manager/head coach. No decently run club is going to take that approach and leave a manager with a player they may not want, and they also won't just sign a player on the whim of the manager without doing the due diligence first (well not unless you've adopted the Chelsea scatter gun approach)

Guinness Boy · Apr 17, 2024

Iggle Piggle said:
His honesty is the equivalent of your Mrs saying "How do I look" and you responding "Jesus Christ love, you look like you've fallen out the charity shop"

He's answering the same questions in his second language twice a week. I'd have started peppering in filthy jokes and references to Barber's wife by now.

Coaches should be on the training pitch. The modern media circus is a joke. To some extent this probably also fuelled the stereotypes of Geography Graham and Nice Guy Hughts.

Thunder Bolt · Apr 17, 2024

Bold Seagull said:
Because Chelsea courted him, his form dipped and the manager decided to pick another player in his place.

RDZ still picked RS, and he still got the Wembley semi-final, clearly a player RDZ still wanted around. Amazing the narratives that come out.

i blame Ben Roberts for Sanchez trantrums, whispering in his ear.

Exilegull · Apr 17, 2024

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo said:
What about Kerry Mayo, surely the Ginger Prince was the first to tug on those heart strings.

Even if they were RDZ driven signings, they wouldn't have been signed off higher up without their numbers stacking up in the clubs databases. TB was cautious over Fati because of the cost, Dahoud could have been a driven by RDZ, he mentioned before that he wanted to sign him when at Sassuolo.

Besides which, as has been mentioned before in interviews with PB, recruitment is a team effort. The club have multiple targets for most positions and have them tiered based on various factors including how good they are, the likelihood of them being available, how they'd fit in at the club etc. The recruitment team and the coaches sit down and discuss players and identity those they ideally want to go for. It has never been the recruitment team just pick players from the database and give them to the manager/head coach.

No decently run club is going to just recruit players that the manager may not want, and they also won't just sign a player on the whim of the manager without doing the due diligence first (well not unless you've adopted the Chelsea scatter gun approach)

But maybe this time we did sign a player on the whim of the manager because nothing and I mean nothing indicates we did enough scouting with Dahoud. Mentioned as perfect for our style of play looks like a Championship player for a month or two gets sent off never seen again and shipped away with barely a word mentioning his departure it was a key signing and a terrible one

Bold Seagull · Apr 17, 2024

Gabbiano said:
There seem to be some on here that believe that since he delivered the clubs best ever finish and some truly remarkable achievements last year in the PL and this year in Europa, we must therefore ignore every other aspect of his behaviour.

Didn't we learn from Poyet?

I'm not RDZ out by any means but I find the interviews concerning (both about the club and other issues for example "I don't like 80% of the referees"), the fact that he seems to have a big fall out with a player every 6 months concerning and his lack of discipline on the touchline concerning. Not to mention the lacklustre performances recently, but I do believe he will turn that around with some players coming back.

Flawed genius perhaps, but he needs a moment to reflect on where he actually is in his career right now and how he got there.

When you say learn from Poyet, I think we did, but not in the sense of things said to the media. I think what TB learned from Poyet was that if you give a manager everything they want, control over transfers, who is sold, who is bought etc. etc. and they fail to deliver but take no responsibility for that, then it is time to move on. I dare say Poyet's sacking was likely on the cards regardless of his "ceiling" quote that fateful evening. My impression is TB went all in with Poyet, got taken in by him and was let down. I don't think any manager since has had the freedom Poyet had.

chickens · Apr 17, 2024

Unlike others here, I haven’t heard a single whinge from RDZs mouth.

I’ve heard him give his views on the reasons for our drop-off in form and on the whole agreed with him.

Similarly, he had correctly pointed out that we needed to strengthen in January. We didn’t, and the injuries kept on coming. I hope we’re looking at bolstering our medical department as much as our playing staff over the summer.

I’m hoping RDZ is with us for next season at least, and while I understand the frustration of recent results, all that’s happened is that we’ve hit the limits of our squad depth.

Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo · Apr 17, 2024

Exilegull said:
But maybe this time we did sign a player on the whim of the manager because nothing and I mean nothing indicates we did enough scouting with Dahoud. Mentioned as perfect for our style of play looks like a Championship player for a month or two gets sent off never seen again and shipped away with barely a word mentioning his departure it was a key signing and a terrible one

How do you know we didn't do the scouting? You've got no idea what the club did when looking at Dahoud, it doesn't strike me as a move TB and co would suddenly make though, to abandon our well thought out recruitment process for one player just because the manager wanted him. Not every transfer will be perfect no matter how much scouting we do, and how much the player stacks up within our databases. Look at Alireza Jahanbakhsh, we tracked him for years before finally signing him, he had everything going for him to be a success here, by all accounts he was a hard worker in training, top bloke and well liked in the squad and had been a vital part of every club he'd played for previously. It didn't work here for him. It happens.

chaileyjem · Apr 17, 2024

Bold Seagull said:
I can’t get my head around your expectations if you’re seeing this season as underachieving.

Must be record numbers of teenagers being used and minutes they’ve chalked up, sometimes our key player needing to play right back.

Huge credit goes to the coaching staff for making you believe kids would give us the depth that top 7 in your eyes was par and not massively overachieving.

I think RDZ feels that he could have done more , perhaps should have done more . Its fine margins . Several conversions of draws to wins and Europe would be there . That doesn't mean its not been a brilliant season and i'm of course aware of all the other factors in play - luck, the summer sales, how competitive this league is, injuries - but i still think we should be looking at Sheff Utd, Burnley (x2), Fulham, even Liverpool (H) and thinking What If ?
What if we'd gone away to Roma and comeback with only a 2-0 defeat ? Wolves (A) in the Cup - an equaliser there, winning on penalties, even the FA Cup might have opened up for us.
Don't you think Barber/Bloom - even though they talk the right story in terms of progression in public and of course are fully aware of Albion re: wages, income - think similar ? Hence underperformed.

Thunder Bolt · Apr 17, 2024

chickens said:
Unlike others here, I haven’t heard a single whinge from RDZs mouth.

I’ve heard him give his views on the reasons for our drop-off in form and on the whole agreed with him.

Similarly, he had correctly pointed out that we needed to strengthen in January. We didn’t, and the injuries kept on coming. I hope we’re looking at bolstering our medical department as much as our playing staff over the summer.

I’m hoping RDZ is with us for next season at least, and while I understand the frustration of recent results, all that’s happened is that we’ve hit the limits of our squad depth.

Some fans like a bit of drama to discuss like a soap opera. Journalists know this so blow up any comment which feeds that need, for clicks.

chaileyjem · Apr 17, 2024

Justice said:
He’s not on the pitch, half the problem is we haven’t invested in strikers we signed Welbeck to fill a hole and he’s now leading the line he’s just not going to score the goals needed. We are a club that doesn’t believe in buying players just because they are better than what we have.

Not sure what that means . We've bought lots of players in last 2-3 years that have strengthened the squad there and then and are "better" (whatever that means). - Cucurella, Pedro, Estupinan, Mitoma, Verbruggen

BLOCK F · Apr 17, 2024

hans kraay fan club said:
This sort of ridiculous statement is what feeds the click-bait.

50% are AGAINST RDZ?

Which of those 3 poll options are indicators of being AGAINST the manager of our club?

Spot on, you beat me to it.

Beanstalk · Apr 17, 2024

Can't believe the negativity towards our most successful manager of all time from so many.

He is my favourite Brighton manager of my lifetime. And it's going to take the biggest of all flounces to change that.

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[Albion] Are YOU falling out of love with Roberto De Zerbi?

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