[h=3]Oscar Garcia almost played for Albion[/h]9:00am Sunday 21st July 2013 in Albion
Oscar Garcia. He could have played for Albion, as well as now coaching them
* Albion's head coach Oscar Garcia nearly signed for the Seagulls as a player.
* The 40-year-old former Barcelona star has revealed he was close to a move to the South Coast towards the end of his playing career when he was at Espanyol from 2000-04.
* Oscar, who signed a three-year contract on Friday night, said: "I am a person that acts on feelings. Maybe the feelings I had to come here are because I couldn't come as a player.
* "After the offer that I had as a player, I always followed what Brighton were doing in the league and I wanted to know the people who were working here, the owners and the directors.
* "I wanted to listen to them, what they want from me. If they want to get to the Premier League and if they want to become a bigger club. All of these things made me sure that I had made the right decision.
* "People (in Spain) have asked why I have come to a Second Division club but I said before that I move my life by my feelings. The same people asked me last season why I went to (Maccabi) Tel Aviv and for me it was a very good experience to be there. I'm sure this will be the same good experience."
* Oscar has Spanish-speaking former Albion defender Nathan Jones as assistant head coach to help him adjust to English football.
* "For me, it's very important to have Nathan beside me, because he knows the club, he knows the league," Oscar said.
* "His knowledge of football is high and I wanted a person like him beside me, helping us, helping the players. I'm sure he will do a good job here."
Original article
* Albion's head coach Oscar Garcia nearly signed for the Seagulls as a player.
* The 40-year-old former Barcelona star has revealed he was close to a move to the South Coast towards the end of his playing career when he was at Espanyol from 2000-04.
* Oscar, who signed a three-year contract on Friday night, said: "I am a person that acts on feelings. Maybe the feelings I had to come here are because I couldn't come as a player.
* "After the offer that I had as a player, I always followed what Brighton were doing in the league and I wanted to know the people who were working here, the owners and the directors.
* "I wanted to listen to them, what they want from me. If they want to get to the Premier League and if they want to become a bigger club. All of these things made me sure that I had made the right decision.
* "People (in Spain) have asked why I have come to a Second Division club but I said before that I move my life by my feelings. The same people asked me last season why I went to (Maccabi) Tel Aviv and for me it was a very good experience to be there. I'm sure this will be the same good experience."
* Oscar has Spanish-speaking former Albion defender Nathan Jones as assistant head coach to help him adjust to English football.
* "For me, it's very important to have Nathan beside me, because he knows the club, he knows the league," Oscar said.
* "His knowledge of football is high and I wanted a person like him beside me, helping us, helping the players. I'm sure he will do a good job here."
Original article