- Jun 27, 2012
- 13,876
More from that new interview with Barber this morning in the Argus.
https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/sp...ieving-signings-will-get-time-to-prove-worth/
https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/17...b-done-by-chris-hughton-since-joining-albion/
"Chris has done a fantastic job"
Chris has done a fantastic job over four-and-a-half years. Any Premier League manager who goes through a period of losing games without scoring is going to be criticised.
"The pressure will build naturally. It comes from fans, media, pundits, but it also comes from the manager himself. Chris sets and demands and maintains very high standards, not just for his players but also for himself.
"All we've ever said is we will support Chris in every way we can in every transfer window and match to match. That hasn't changed during this period.
How they work together - NO CLACKERS REQUIRED.
"Chris and I have this little routine where I don't call him after every game but I message him, make sure he is okay, win or lose.
"Is there anything he needs, the team needs, anything we can do to help.
"Even down to the level of detail of do we want to do anything different for home games. Flags, extra loud music, the dressing room decorated differently.
"Chris has been steadfastly consistent throughout the season. He wants things to be the same, the team to prepare the same way in the warm-up, the music to be at the same volume.
"He doesn't want us to introduce flags or clackers, all those sorts of things that we could do if we felt it was going to make a fraction of a difference.
"The most important thing he has said all the time throughout his four and a half years here is get as many people as you can into the stadium and please ask them to get behind the team, win or lose.
"That is Chris. You've seen him when he celebrates a goal. He's pretty restrained most of the time and he is like that in the preparation to games.
"Away from home I always make sure I'm in the team hotel the night before a game just to be there in case he needs anything or the team need anything and we can take that pressure away.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the time nothing and every so often there might be a noisy party downstairs and we have to say to the hotel any chance you can get the volume turned down, the players are resting.
"Chris maintains a very strict and calm regime. Even in this more difficult spell and particularly the second half of the season he's been the same.
"That's not to say he doesn't rabble rouse in the dressing room but that's his business, not our business.
"Likewise he might have a call to me that's longer than normal if we've had a difficult weekend but likewise it's with the same tone of voice, the same sort of calm authority. All we can do in these situations is support."
Barber on Hughton's character
"People's characters are people's characters and, under pressure, you want them to be themselves and true to themselves. That is less worrying for the players than if they are suddenly confronted with the manager behaving completely out of character.
"I'm not sure that necessarily helps or motivates in a way people might think. Likewise, I think if things are going well, you don't want that manager to get carried away and believe anything is possible beyond what we know is possible.
"I actually think consistency is better than not but, of course, we know at the end of the day we are in the entertainment business, we are aware of that, so is Chris and so are the players.
Those pragmatic performances at Wolves and Spurs - Its hard and not particularly exciting"
"Sometimes though in the Premier League you have to be pragmatic, to put in the kind of performance we put in at Wolves (0-0) and for 88 minutes at Tottenham.
"It's hard and it's not particularly exciting if you are a Brighton fan but the support in both those games was fantastic and the reception the players got was magnificent.
"I think the 3,000 fans at each game really appreciated we were up against high quality sides, particularly against Tottenham, and the players performed at a very high level to stay in the game for as long as they did.
"We were beaten by a brilliant goal by a world class player, that's the Premier League. That wouldn't happen in the Championship."
Big signings - "shouldn't be surprised if one or two don't work out" - you have to be patient
"Some players adjust and settle in very quickly but you have to be patient, you have to keep working with the players.
"Chris does, his staff do. The players themselves try to help each other settle in.
"Sometimes people lose form and confidence because the settling in process takes more time than they would like and we would like.
"But we have showed over the years we are a patient club. We will give people time and when you have gone to the lengths we have to recruit the sort of players we have, a lot of due diligence is done.
"You don't get every one right, it's impossible to get every signing right. Even some of the best players in the world have moved countries and clubs and not performed.
"They are still the best players in the world when they leave or are amongst them and there are countless examples at some of the biggest clubs in the world where some transfers just haven't worked out.
"People shouldn't be surprised if one or two don't work out."
https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/sp...ieving-signings-will-get-time-to-prove-worth/
https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/17...b-done-by-chris-hughton-since-joining-albion/
"Chris has done a fantastic job"
Chris has done a fantastic job over four-and-a-half years. Any Premier League manager who goes through a period of losing games without scoring is going to be criticised.
"The pressure will build naturally. It comes from fans, media, pundits, but it also comes from the manager himself. Chris sets and demands and maintains very high standards, not just for his players but also for himself.
"All we've ever said is we will support Chris in every way we can in every transfer window and match to match. That hasn't changed during this period.
How they work together - NO CLACKERS REQUIRED.
"Chris and I have this little routine where I don't call him after every game but I message him, make sure he is okay, win or lose.
"Is there anything he needs, the team needs, anything we can do to help.
"Even down to the level of detail of do we want to do anything different for home games. Flags, extra loud music, the dressing room decorated differently.
"Chris has been steadfastly consistent throughout the season. He wants things to be the same, the team to prepare the same way in the warm-up, the music to be at the same volume.
"He doesn't want us to introduce flags or clackers, all those sorts of things that we could do if we felt it was going to make a fraction of a difference.
"The most important thing he has said all the time throughout his four and a half years here is get as many people as you can into the stadium and please ask them to get behind the team, win or lose.
"That is Chris. You've seen him when he celebrates a goal. He's pretty restrained most of the time and he is like that in the preparation to games.
"Away from home I always make sure I'm in the team hotel the night before a game just to be there in case he needs anything or the team need anything and we can take that pressure away.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the time nothing and every so often there might be a noisy party downstairs and we have to say to the hotel any chance you can get the volume turned down, the players are resting.
"Chris maintains a very strict and calm regime. Even in this more difficult spell and particularly the second half of the season he's been the same.
"That's not to say he doesn't rabble rouse in the dressing room but that's his business, not our business.
"Likewise he might have a call to me that's longer than normal if we've had a difficult weekend but likewise it's with the same tone of voice, the same sort of calm authority. All we can do in these situations is support."
Barber on Hughton's character
"People's characters are people's characters and, under pressure, you want them to be themselves and true to themselves. That is less worrying for the players than if they are suddenly confronted with the manager behaving completely out of character.
"I'm not sure that necessarily helps or motivates in a way people might think. Likewise, I think if things are going well, you don't want that manager to get carried away and believe anything is possible beyond what we know is possible.
"I actually think consistency is better than not but, of course, we know at the end of the day we are in the entertainment business, we are aware of that, so is Chris and so are the players.
Those pragmatic performances at Wolves and Spurs - Its hard and not particularly exciting"
"Sometimes though in the Premier League you have to be pragmatic, to put in the kind of performance we put in at Wolves (0-0) and for 88 minutes at Tottenham.
"It's hard and it's not particularly exciting if you are a Brighton fan but the support in both those games was fantastic and the reception the players got was magnificent.
"I think the 3,000 fans at each game really appreciated we were up against high quality sides, particularly against Tottenham, and the players performed at a very high level to stay in the game for as long as they did.
"We were beaten by a brilliant goal by a world class player, that's the Premier League. That wouldn't happen in the Championship."
Big signings - "shouldn't be surprised if one or two don't work out" - you have to be patient
"Some players adjust and settle in very quickly but you have to be patient, you have to keep working with the players.
"Chris does, his staff do. The players themselves try to help each other settle in.
"Sometimes people lose form and confidence because the settling in process takes more time than they would like and we would like.
"But we have showed over the years we are a patient club. We will give people time and when you have gone to the lengths we have to recruit the sort of players we have, a lot of due diligence is done.
"You don't get every one right, it's impossible to get every signing right. Even some of the best players in the world have moved countries and clubs and not performed.
"They are still the best players in the world when they leave or are amongst them and there are countless examples at some of the biggest clubs in the world where some transfers just haven't worked out.
"People shouldn't be surprised if one or two don't work out."
