- 6 weeks ago
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on team news, league form and challenge of facing Manchester City
American Express Training Centre, Lancing, Brighton, UK
American Express Training Centre, Lancing, Brighton, UK
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00:00Good afternoon, Fabian. There's probably part of you that's sitting here thinking you should have six points after two Premier League games rather than one.
00:07But do you need to just remind yourself in moments like this that the performances are exactly where you want them to be and the wins will come?
00:15Yeah, on the one side, of course, this business is a business of results.
00:20So I get charged by results.
00:22But for me, it's very important that I never charge my team by the results. I charge them by the effort, by the work ethic, by the performance.
00:31And I always have to believe, like, if you keep on working, if you keep on watching your performance, if you keep on bringing the best work and the best effort on the pitch, then for sure you will get what you deserve in the end.
00:44And that's what we're trying to push you for.
00:45And the second thing is, like, what's very important when you have not the results you might deserve, like, quickly the mood can change, the atmosphere can change.
00:56And it's very important that we keep the positivity in this building, that we keep the energy level high.
01:01And the wins, like yesterday, they are so important.
01:04Of course, it's only a Carabao Cup game, but every win gives you energy.
01:07And you can feel it already today in the building, like, there's the energy we need, the energy, the positivity we want to have in this building.
01:15Because I'm sure long-term the results will come if we keep on working.
01:19That's our main focus.
01:20So we're not complaining that we don't have the points we might deserve.
01:25We are honest to each other.
01:26We also know there are things we can improve.
01:28But the main thing is we will keep on being positive.
01:31We will keep on working hard to get the results we want to have.
01:35And another very pleasing aspect from last night's win for you must have been that both Simas and Kostelas have got some game time.
01:42I mean, they're both still so, so young.
01:44But are they ready at least to perhaps even come on the bench for a Premier League game?
01:48Are they ready for that step up?
01:50I think we have to separate these two.
01:53So Stefanos is a little bit further than Babis.
01:58I think he proved it already yesterday.
01:59He proved exactly these things we saw in Jaini.
02:02He's a striker.
02:03He's there where you score goals.
02:05He's able of scoring goals from different angles.
02:09And that's something very special.
02:12And he showed it already in training.
02:14So we are very pleased with him.
02:15Also, Babis had his first minutes yesterday.
02:18He's a little bit behind Stefanos regarding the adaptation.
02:23But both are doing well in training.
02:26Both are getting closer.
02:27And I'm sure that Stefanos will be soon a big option for us.
02:34And Babis still needs a little bit more time.
02:35I appreciate you saying we need to think of them as two individuals rather than a parent.
02:40But the fact is they're both teenagers from the same country.
02:43Have they gravitated towards each other?
02:46Are they a little gang together at the training ground?
02:48That's something we try to avoid.
02:50Of course, it's a natural process that when you come from the same country, from the same
02:55culture, speaking the same language, that you might be connected.
02:59But it's very important that there are other teammates.
03:02And I think they recognize it and they're also quite integrated well into the group.
03:08They're not only talking to each other.
03:10So it's not only that we have the Greek group and then the guys from England and the guys from
03:15Africa, for example, the guys from Germany.
03:17So it's really like a togetherness and they talk to everyone.
03:21So I think it's important that on one side we give them the chance that they can integrate
03:25into our culture, the culture from Brighton.
03:27And also that they themselves try to integrate as quick as possible and this approach from
03:35them and the effort we can see every day.
03:37Is your gut instinct with a week to go that that's bright and done regarding any more signings,
03:43any incomings this window?
03:46I have a feeling.
03:47Yeah, sometimes I think it's not so clever to share always the feelings you have in the
03:54public.
03:54But overall, like I always said, I'm very happy with the squad.
03:58I'm in daily exchange with Tony, with Paul, with David.
04:03So overall, I'm very pleased how the process went so far.
04:06And let's see if there might be any more changes.
04:09And obviously crazy things can happen in the last week and clubs can get desperate and make
04:13big, big offers.
04:15But are you 100% confident that come September the 2nd, Carlos Beliba will still be a Brighton
04:21player?
04:21Yes, if there's a number more than 100, I even would say more than 100.
04:26So I'm confident.
04:28Just finally from me, obviously, you had great results against Manchester City last season.
04:34In particular, the home fixture for you, you're only in your third, fourth month as a Premier
04:38League manager at that point, and you managed to beat Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
04:43Where did that rank for you in terms of, you know, a vindication that you are good at what
04:49you do and progressing the way you wanted to?
04:51Surely highly ranked because I always emphasize that Pep is the best, maybe the best in the world.
05:00So it's always an honor to play against him and of course a joy to beat his teams.
05:06But I think it's a different game on Sunday, different team, people face in different phases.
05:16We are in a different stage, they are in a different stage.
05:19So that's the first thing.
05:20And the second thing, of course, you can take like a lot of positive things out of these
05:25games, but it's very important to always stay very humble after these wins, to be grounded
05:33and to keep working.
05:34And that's the main thing because it's a long way to go, it's a long journey to go.
05:41And not one game makes a difference.
05:43It's like the consistency that makes a difference.
05:45And that's something we really have to keep an eye on.
05:48You only can keep an eye on if you have the right approach to it, if you have the right
05:53work ethic to it.
05:55And that's what we try to focus on.
05:56Thank you, Sian.
05:57Gerne.
05:59Hi, Fabian.
06:00In terms of the wider team news, is there anyone coming back this week or anyone dropping
06:04out that we might not have expected?
06:06So far, not.
06:09So, Georgie wasn't involved yesterday.
06:11We would like to have him involved yesterday.
06:13So it might be, that's for him, a close thing.
06:17So, unsure.
06:20But for sure, he has an option to be available.
06:23Obviously, the win last night was really positive.
06:26But the amount of debuts as well that we saw to new players of varying ages, that's another
06:31positive on top of the win, isn't it?
06:33Yeah, I think that's the most important thing that we can give the players who came in new,
06:42who are young, to give them a chance to play.
06:44And again, I didn't give them the chance yesterday to play because we have Man City ahead of us.
06:50We gave them the chance to play because they deserve it.
06:53And they deserve it because, first of all, they are good.
06:55Second of all, they train well.
06:57So that's the main thing why they get the chance.
07:00No player here in this club gets a chance only because he's a player from us.
07:06They need to deserve to get the chance.
07:08And now they made the first step.
07:09And now it's about making the next step.
07:11And making the next step means like trying to improve every day, trying to use every minute
07:16you get.
07:16And that's what I demand from them now.
07:18They are challengers.
07:20They are competitors for the other team who played at the weekend.
07:24So there's a big competition now.
07:26And that's what I like.
07:28A lot of people have seen Stefanos score twice last night.
07:32And to them, that means he's ready to play in the Premier League.
07:35How do you define what being ready means?
07:37What we see daily in the training sessions.
07:42And on the one side, we're all happy.
07:45So we're all happy that he scores, that he makes his debut, that he shows why we signed him.
07:51On the other side, for me, it's always important to watch the games in context.
07:55So the game was already 3-0.
07:58The game was decided.
07:59The game was done.
08:01And then it might be more easier to get into a game with different intensity.
08:07than we have in the Premier League games.
08:09So it's very important that we have a context to his performance.
08:15But on the other side, for sure, every goal gives him self-confidence.
08:20Every goal gets him closer to the team.
08:22Every performance, every minute he receives, gets him closer to the team.
08:27And that's also what we see daily business and training.
08:30But like I said, it's step one.
08:33And there need to be more steps to be ready.
08:37Might be the next step at the weekend.
08:39Might be the next step that he gets some minutes in the under-21.
08:43So we will have to figure it out, together with the medicals, together with him,
08:47what is the next perfect step for him to get ready for us in the Premier League.
08:53In terms of Manchester City, you took four points off them last season.
08:57Obviously, they're always going to be a strong opponent.
08:59But so far, in what you've seen from them this season, or a small sample size,
09:03what have you made of their start?
09:04I think that they should also have six points when I look at their performances.
09:10So, regarding this, they're still a top team.
09:15They signed some great players.
09:18They played a little bit of a different style, with a different shape.
09:22So, overall, it's still Man City.
09:25It's still a team that tries to control the opponent in possession, tries to be very dominant,
09:31tries to press high, to change a little bit their pressing shape.
09:35So, yeah, it will be a new challenge, a new opportunity for us to prove ourselves
09:41that we can challenge them, and that's what we try to go for.
09:45And in terms of Pep, as a manager, I've known you've spoken about him before.
09:48What kind of key things have you learned from him that you can kind of try and apply
09:51to your own coaching style?
09:54Never be satisfied.
09:55Always try to develop your team.
09:57Always try to bring in new adjustments, new elements into the game.
10:01And I think that's something what he's a role model for, so you never stagnate.
10:07He always has new ideas.
10:08He always adapts to the Premier League, and I think you need to do it.
10:12Of course, always believe in your own style of play.
10:15That's also what we do here, what I do.
10:18Have the biggest belief into your style of play, but always have small elements,
10:22adjustments to your main principles.
10:27Fabian, is that the biggest challenge for a coach,
10:30in terms of the development of football itself,
10:33the Premier League, constantly having to sort of anticipate
10:36what the next way is going to be, and how you can't stand still?
10:41I think it's not only a challenge, it's also a great opportunity
10:46to improve yourself, to never be satisfied,
10:50to always reflect where are we, where should we be,
10:54what is the future of the football.
10:55So I think the football changes from year to year.
11:00It's getting more physical, it's getting more athletic.
11:05There are always new ideas, so you always have to be ready.
11:09If you think, oh, I'm done, I'm perfect now, you're done.
11:13So it's very important that you always reflect, be honest to yourself,
11:18get external reflections, speak to the players, how they feel,
11:22see the development from the general game,
11:26see the general demands from the Premier League,
11:28what are the physical demands,
11:29what are the demands you need to have in possession, out possession.
11:33So it's always an ongoing process, and I think that's on one side a challenge,
11:37but on the other side always an opportunity to, of course,
11:42stick to your principles, stick to your biggest belief inside of you,
11:47but always adjust small, small things.
11:50In terms of the last 24 hours, a lot of people are talking about Stefanos,
11:54a lot of people are talking about the debutants and everything.
11:57I just want to ask you about Brian Gruder and the role that he played,
12:00and what are the positives you took from his performance,
12:03but also what are the challenges for him going forward?
12:07That's what Brian really wanted to see.
12:10Like, he was very dynamic, he was intense against the ball,
12:15he had some great excellence.
12:16He has something special, you could see it also yesterday,
12:19and when he played for us, he always has some special moments.
12:24The challenge for him will be to show these things consistently,
12:28to not be satisfied with one good performance.
12:31Like, yesterday, he gets a lot of love from the fans,
12:34and the fans like these kind of players,
12:37and I also like these kind of players,
12:38but it's very important to don't do it only in one game,
12:43to make it consistent, and that's something where we all have to work
12:46together with him to make sure that he can show this
12:50in every minute he gets for us,
12:52in every game he plays for us,
12:54that he shows these kind of things,
12:57the special things he has with his ability,
13:01the intensity he has in his body,
13:03the physicality he has.
13:04So, he has all the things you need to have to play in the Premier League,
13:08and he's still a very young player.
13:10So, being patient, being consistent,
13:12these are the main challenges for him,
13:14then he can have a bright future for us.
13:16You mentioned about players coming back.
13:18A couple of the long-term absentees,
13:20there's been quite a few reports about Julio in CISO,
13:23and where he's at,
13:24and whether he's leaving or not,
13:26or whatever.
13:26Could you clear that up in terms of where he's at,
13:29because I know he's obviously out injured at the moment.
13:31It's not a big injury,
13:34so he's back in the re-up training,
13:38he's back in training.
13:40So, like I said,
13:41it's very important that the players know our thoughts,
13:44know our plannings in the future,
13:48and there you always have an open conversation with Julio,
13:51and then we will see what happens in the next days.
13:55You talk about Brian being a favourite with the fans.
13:57How's Soli March doing?
14:01Well, well.
14:03So, I don't say perfect.
14:04I say good, well,
14:06because there always can be things we can improve with him
14:12regarding his injury,
14:14but it's very important we come back to the word positivity,
14:17and that he also stays positive.
14:20I think there are some phases during a rehab
14:24where you are mentally down,
14:26where you have like a setback,
14:28where you don't see the light in the end of the tunnel,
14:32but I think it's always important to stay positive,
14:35to see the support he has here,
14:37to see my support.
14:39We are all looking to see him back on the pitch,
14:42and we still have the biggest belief in him.
14:45And this belief he also needs to have
14:47in his own ability,
14:49in his own strengths,
14:50not only physical strengths,
14:51also like the mental strengths,
14:53that he will come back as a great Soli March,
14:55as the player he was before,
14:57because then he is an unbelievable player,
15:00and can help this club.
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