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The grass is not always greener...

The grass is not always greener...

BBC News11-02-2025

What was the most impressive thing about Brighton knocking Chelsea out of the FA Cup?Some would say the Albion bouncing back from their heaviest league defeat in 57 years seven days earlier. Others might go for the control and volley from Kaoru Mitoma which won the game - or the terrific performances of Tariq Lamptey and Georginio Rutter.For me, though, it was the unrelenting commitment shown by Seagulls supporters to booing Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez and Moises Caicedo any time they touched the ball.Do not underestimate the concentration and effort levels needed to maintain that sort of performance over an entire 90 minutes. And it was treatment all three deserved thanks to the classless manner in which they left Brighton.Cucurella forced through his transfer before saying it had been his dream to play for Chelsea - despite his publicly stated dream having always been to play for Barcelona.Likewise, Caicedo demanded a move to the club he supported as a boy, seemingly forgetting his love of Manchester United was already all over the internet.Sanchez, meanwhile, burned his bridges before Chelsea came calling by throwing his toys out of the pram when replaced as Brighton number one by Jason Steele.Compare that Albion fan reaction with the reception Alexis Mac Allister gets whenever Liverpool play Brighton. Mac Allister left in a respectful, classy way which means he will always remain popular at the Amex.Given it seems Todd Boehly's only idea for improving Chelsea is to copy Brighton, the club can surely expect future bids from Stamford Bridge for players like Carlos Baleba or Jan Paul van Hecke.Saturday night provided a lesson to the current Albion crop that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.However, if you do move, do it in the right way.Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

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