Like Sunderland, Brighton are safe from relegation, but probably not good enough for Europe – how would you summarise your season so far?
Consistent inconsistency has cost us a lot. We’ve had moments where we’ve looked like world beaters, but also moments where it looks like we’ve never kicked a ball before.
It has been a rough start to 2026 but it looks as though we are starting to turn a corner now. Hopefully, we can push on for the rest of the season!
Fabian Hurzeler is the youngest manager in the Premier
League and looks to be trying to win games with Brighton playing attractive football. How is he viewed amongst your fanbase?
It’s a mixed bag for sure. Things got pretty toxic after we lost at home to Palace a few weeks back. He’s had to face some real tough vocal scrutiny from a vast section of the fan base, but he is keen to prove people wrong and succeed at the club.
It’s sometimes hard to see the vision, but I think it just comes with having a pragmatic coach who doesn’t have just the one stubborn game plan.
Brighton are the best example of a club in the Premier League who have brilliant succession planning with players. As interest may come knocking for some of Sunderland’s prized assets, how have Brighton always dealt with this so well?
I think we’ve been blessed to have the data that Tony Bloom’s company provides, meaning we’ve been able to attack certain markets that weren’t as popular. I think we’ve are beginning to be victims of our own success now, with clubs likely putting a premium on any talent we come for because they have seen so many success stories.
It’s going to be super interesting to see how we stay ahead of the curve with people wishing up to it. We’ve done well because we’ve always seemed to be a few steps ahead and have had really good succession planning.
Now we’re over halfway into the season, who would you say have been Brighton’s best players?
I’ve been really impressed with Ferdi Kadioglu this season. We didn’t see much of him last year after bringing him in for a decent fee, so he’s kind of felt like a new signing this season. His constant energy and willingness to help all over the pitch is fantastic to watch, so long may that continue.
Bart Verbruggen has also had a fantastic season this year after having an operation on an injury he was carrying last year. It will be hard to keep hold of him for much longer, I think he could be one of the best goalkeepers in the world in years to come.
On the flip side, who would you say has been underwhelming so far this season?
I think he’d be the first to admit it, but Georginio Rutter has been so far off the player we know he is this season. He’s really struggling to get his confidence back and get a consistent run in the team.
Kaoru Mitoma has also not quite hit the numbers that would be expected of him, and now he’s picked up another slight injury so it remains to be seen what he can do for the rest of the season.
Tommy Watson left Brighton on loan in January after failing to make a Premier League start. How do you think he got on when you did see him play?
We haven’t seen much of him at all. I was super excited when we brought him to the club and thought he could make an impact this year.
We’ve only really seen him in the Carabao Cup against lower league opposition, so it’s hard to make a judgement call at the moment.
I’m slightly concerned that he also doesn’t seem to be getting much game time in the Championship with Millwall. I hope he can come back, have a good summer and pre-season, go again and prove why we brought him in.
If you were Regis Le Bris, what would you do to exploit Brighton’s weaknesses?
I know Sunderland won’t do this at home, but honestly, I’d say allow us to come at you and soak up the pressure and hit us on the counter.
We seem to struggle against teams who sit deep, so if you bring the game to us, I think we will have more success than if you were to just let us control the game. I know that sounds counterintuitive.
How do you think Hurzeler will approach the match tactically at the Stadium of Light?
I think we will come into the game with a confidence about us, given the last few positive performances.
One of Fabian Hürzeler’s favourite buzz phrases is “football with intensity”, and I think we will need exactly that to silence an always lively Stadium of Light.
Are any players missing and what do you think the starting XI will be?
I think Mitoma is out, unfortunately. It’s a shame we let an aforementioned winger go out on loan when we were already light in that position.
I think it will be: Verbruggen; Wieffer, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh; Welbeck.
The two sides drew 0-0 back in December – what is your prediction for the score this time around?
I think there will be lots of goals, with two teams who want to take the game to each other. 3-2 to the Albion.
