Brighton Has Appointed a New Head Coach to Succeed Graham P

After Graham Potter left for Chelsea, Brighton appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new head coach.
De Zerbi was previously in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine but stepped down in July following Russia’s ongoing invasion of the country.

The 43-year-old assisted them in winning the Ukrainian Super Cup in 2021 and began his managerial career in his home country, taking charge of Palermo, Sassuolo, and Benevento.

Following a strong start to the 2022-23 season, the Seagulls are fourth in the Premier League table.

‘I am overjoyed that Roberto has agreed to become our new head coach,’ said Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.

‘Roberto’s teams play an exciting and courageous brand of football, and I am confident that his style and tactical approach will complement our current squad perfectly.’

De Zebri has signed a four-year contract at the Amex, making him the club’s third manager since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017, after Chris Houghton and Potter.

Brighton says in a statement on their website that his formal media introduction has been postponed until Tuesday as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral is on Monday.

Following Potter’s departure to Chelsea, several names were linked with the Brighton job, including Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou, Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers, and Bodo/Kjetil Glimt’s Knutsen.

Deputy chairman Paul Barber, however, stated that De Zebri was their first and only choice, adding, ‘We looked at a range of excellent candidates but Roberto was our number one choice from the start and the only person we spoke to.’

‘It’s no secret that our chairman is constantly on the lookout for potential coaches, both in our domestic leagues and across Europe and the world, as part of our succession planning work.’

‘We believe Roberto is the ideal cultural and technical fit for Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as the right person to continue the club’s progress and work with this outstanding group of players,’ said the club’s chairman.

With the season now in its first international break, De Zebri’s first game in charge will be against Liverpool at Anfield on October 1st.