John Keeley has hailed Albion's record outlay on Shane Duffy as a "brilliant deal".
Keeley is convinced the centre-half will provide long-term value for money at both ends of the pitch.
Former Albion No.1 Keeley knows Duffy (below) well from their time together at Blackburn Rovers, where he was goalkeeping coach.
The Seagulls splashed out around £3.5 million for the imposing 24-year-old in the final few days of the transfer window on a contract until June 2020.
Keeley believes it is good business. "Very much so," he told The Argus. "I think Brighton have got a brilliant deal for that, I rate him that highly.
"He's an international as well and will probably start playing regularly for the Republic of Ireland now.
"I think they've got a great defender and they've got him for a long time. He's only young. He will keep learning under Chris (Hughton) and his coaching staff.
"He's got great people around him now and it wouldn't surprise me even if he jumps up another league eventually, because he's that good."
It has been an awkward start for Duffy to his Albion career. He could not do much about a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle before enduring a tough Amex debut in last Saturday's 2-0 setback against Brentford.
He looked much more at home in Tuesday's 1-0 win against leaders Huddersfield in a powerful partnership with fellow 24-year-old Lewis Dunk.
"He is very aggressive in the air. He's good at defending, gets his head on things when balls come into the box.
"His array of passing is fantastic. He's great with the ball and he's a good team man as well, he's a winner.
"That's the main thing I liked about him. he wants to win, every day, even in five-a-sides in training.
"He is an all-round top guy, a very good footballer.
"When he first came to Blackburn the first thing we noticed was how good he is on the ball, very comfortable.
"His array of passing is second to none. He plays it short, he's comfortable playing it long, and the other thing is he has got a helluva shot on him from 30 yards.
"If he comes forward with the ball and steps in between the lines he has got a tremendous shot on him."
Duffy has replaced long-serving Gordon Greer, who is now back at Blackburn.
The ex-Everton prospect is a natural leader and could eventually emulate the Scot by becoming captain.
Duffy's leadership qualities were evident in the nervy closing moments against Huddersfield as he ushered the team further up the pitch to avoid inviting pressure.
Article continues after...[h=3]More Articles[/h]
"He will be a good character in the changing room," Keeley said. "He will be going round geeing people up. He hates losing.
"He will be quite vocal in the changing room I would have thought. He was at Blackburn.
"Maybe not so much here at the moment, because it's new to him, but I think Brighton have signed a really good player."
Keeley is back on the South Coast as head of goalkeeping at Portsmouth - his second stint at Fratton Park - following a fleeting return to Albion in the Academy and a spell in China.
He said: "I was working at Brighton for a month in February and then I got a chance to go to China and was there for four months.
"There's only two clubs I can work for from where I live in Rustington. Portsmouth's one, Brighton the other, so when Portsmouth came in I wanted to take it.
"Ben Roberts is a great goalkeeping coach here, a friend as well. We get on well, because I had him here at Brighton as a player.
"I was working for a team called Guangzou R&F in China. The manager is Dragan Stojkovic, who used to play for Serbia - a nice man.
"The goalkeepers in China are very poor and they can only have Chinese goalkeepers. They are not allowed to have Europeans, because 15 years ago there was a betting scam and all European goalies were involved, so the president banned them.
"Coaches are going out there now to get the reserve team keepers up to scratch. I was meant to be there for two years but I couldn't turn down the chance to live at home and work for a very good club like Portsmouth. I really enjoyed my last stint there.
"I'm with a really good manager (Paul Cook) and coaching staff. I enjoy going to work every day."
If Keeley is right, Albion are going to enjoy having Shane Duffy.
Original article
Keeley is convinced the centre-half will provide long-term value for money at both ends of the pitch.
Former Albion No.1 Keeley knows Duffy (below) well from their time together at Blackburn Rovers, where he was goalkeeping coach.
Keeley believes it is good business. "Very much so," he told The Argus. "I think Brighton have got a brilliant deal for that, I rate him that highly.
"He's an international as well and will probably start playing regularly for the Republic of Ireland now.
"I think they've got a great defender and they've got him for a long time. He's only young. He will keep learning under Chris (Hughton) and his coaching staff.
"He's got great people around him now and it wouldn't surprise me even if he jumps up another league eventually, because he's that good."
It has been an awkward start for Duffy to his Albion career. He could not do much about a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle before enduring a tough Amex debut in last Saturday's 2-0 setback against Brentford.
He looked much more at home in Tuesday's 1-0 win against leaders Huddersfield in a powerful partnership with fellow 24-year-old Lewis Dunk.
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"He is very aggressive in the air. He's good at defending, gets his head on things when balls come into the box.
"His array of passing is fantastic. He's great with the ball and he's a good team man as well, he's a winner.
"That's the main thing I liked about him. he wants to win, every day, even in five-a-sides in training.
"He is an all-round top guy, a very good footballer.
"When he first came to Blackburn the first thing we noticed was how good he is on the ball, very comfortable.
"His array of passing is second to none. He plays it short, he's comfortable playing it long, and the other thing is he has got a helluva shot on him from 30 yards.
"If he comes forward with the ball and steps in between the lines he has got a tremendous shot on him."
Duffy has replaced long-serving Gordon Greer, who is now back at Blackburn.
The ex-Everton prospect is a natural leader and could eventually emulate the Scot by becoming captain.
Duffy's leadership qualities were evident in the nervy closing moments against Huddersfield as he ushered the team further up the pitch to avoid inviting pressure.
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"He will be a good character in the changing room," Keeley said. "He will be going round geeing people up. He hates losing.
"He will be quite vocal in the changing room I would have thought. He was at Blackburn.
"Maybe not so much here at the moment, because it's new to him, but I think Brighton have signed a really good player."
Keeley is back on the South Coast as head of goalkeeping at Portsmouth - his second stint at Fratton Park - following a fleeting return to Albion in the Academy and a spell in China.
He said: "I was working at Brighton for a month in February and then I got a chance to go to China and was there for four months.
"There's only two clubs I can work for from where I live in Rustington. Portsmouth's one, Brighton the other, so when Portsmouth came in I wanted to take it.
"Ben Roberts is a great goalkeeping coach here, a friend as well. We get on well, because I had him here at Brighton as a player.
"I was working for a team called Guangzou R&F in China. The manager is Dragan Stojkovic, who used to play for Serbia - a nice man.
"The goalkeepers in China are very poor and they can only have Chinese goalkeepers. They are not allowed to have Europeans, because 15 years ago there was a betting scam and all European goalies were involved, so the president banned them.
"Coaches are going out there now to get the reserve team keepers up to scratch. I was meant to be there for two years but I couldn't turn down the chance to live at home and work for a very good club like Portsmouth. I really enjoyed my last stint there.
"I'm with a really good manager (Paul Cook) and coaching staff. I enjoy going to work every day."
If Keeley is right, Albion are going to enjoy having Shane Duffy.
Original article