Latest news with #FabianHurzeler
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Brighton & Hove Albion coach Jack Stern joins Marco Knoop in leaving club
Jack Stern has joined fellow goalkeeping coach Marco Knoop through the exit door at Brighton & Hove Albion in an overhaul of head coach Fabian Hurzeler's backroom team. The departure of Knoop, who was also Hurzeler's coach for defending set pieces, was reported by The Athletic on Monday. A statement from the club this evening also announced the exit of Stern, with plans to recruit a new goalkeeping coach this summer as well as a set-piece specialist. Hurzeler said: 'On behalf of everyone at the club, I take this opportunity to thank Marco and Jack for their efforts. Marco is returning to Germany and goes with our thanks and best wishes. He made a lot of sacrifices to join me in England, and I will always be grateful to him for that. 'Jack and Marco have helped us to achieve a successful season in my first campaign at Brighton (eighth in the Premier League), and I wish both well for the future.' Advertisement Stern signed a new, long-term contract last August. A former Brighton season ticket holder in his youth, the 36-year-old coached at the West Bromwich Albion academy, in Canada with CF Montreal, and in the United States with FC Cincinnati before joining Brighton in January 2022. Technical director David Weir said: 'It's never an easy decision when people leave the club and I echo Fabian's sentiments, and place on record my thanks to both Jack and Marco. Jack has been part of a very successful period for the club, working under Graham Potter, Roberto De Zerbi, and Fabian. 'We thank both for their service, professionalism, and hard work and wish them well for the future.'
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Knoop and Stern to exit as part of backroom reshuffle
Goalkeeper coaches Marco Knoop and Jack Stern will leave Brighton this summer as head coach Fabian Hurzeler shakes up his backroom club have also confirmed the Seagulls boss will appoint a replacement goalkeeping coach and recruit a new set-piece specialist, with Knoop also responsible for defensive set-pieces in his one season at the joined the club in 2022 and had signed a new deal last summer."On behalf of everyone at the club, I take this opportunity to thank Marco and Jack for their efforts here," said Hurzeler."Marco is returning to Germany and goes with our thanks and best wishes. He made a lot of sacrifices to join me in England, and I will always be grateful to him for that."Jack and Marco have helped us to achieve a successful season in my first campaign at Brighton and I wish both well for the future."Technical director David Weir added: "It's never an easy decision when people leave the club and I echo Fabian's sentiments."Jack has been part of a very successful period for club, working under Graham Potter, Roberto de Zerbi and Fabian."We thank both for their service, professionalism and hard work and wish them well for the future."
New York Times
21 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Brighton Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key targets and the likely exits
Brighton & Hove Albion will not be as active over the next few months as they were in the 2024 summer window, when they splashed out nearly £200million on nine new players. There will, however, still be plenty of ins and outs — whether permanently or on loan — to refresh and revamp a large and mainly young squad. The recruitment tactic of looking one or two windows ahead means some additions to head coach Fabian Hurzeler's pool of players are already in place. Brighton have sold key figures for significant fees in recent summers and the possibility of that happening again this time cannot be ruled out… Assistant technical director Mike Cave leads on recruitment, chief executive Paul Barber concentrates on sales and technical director David Weir on dealing with agents and internal communications, including contract renewals. Hurzeler has an input regarding the ins and outs and while owner-chairman Tony Bloom does not get involved in any negotiations, the final verdicts rest with him. He considers recommendations and whether the numbers stack up. Ultimately, it is Bloom who decides whether or not a deal gets done. Defence stands out as an ageing department in need of attention, both centrally and at full-back. Ferdi Kadiolgu was the only defender among those nine signings last summer, and then the Turkey international full-back did not feature after November because of a toe injury that required surgery. Centre-back Eiran Cashin then arrived from Championship side Derby County for £9million in the winter window but only made two substitute appearances for a combined 19 minutes. Concentrating on the centre of defence first, Lewis Dunk will be 34 in November. Brighton's long-serving captain suffered more injury problems than ever before last season. Adam Webster, 30, had similar issues. Cashin, 23, is a year younger than the club's official player of the season Jan Paul van Hecke. The Dutchman stood alone as a stabilising influence. More competition and cover is desirable for regular left-back Pervis Estupinan. On the right side of defence, Van Hecke's compatriot Joel Veltman also turns 34 in the middle of next season, and Tariq Lamptey is out of contract this summer and could leave. Central midfielders Jack Hinshelwood and Mats Wieffer filled in at right-back for periods during this past season. It helps to have adaptable players, but the squad is light on specialist full-backs with long futures at the top level ahead of them. Hurzeler wants more physicality in the squad. His first season in the Premier League has highlighted the importance of intensity and athleticism. The current group is brimming with technically-gifted talents, but Brighton looked brittle and lightweight on occasion last season. He does not like a lot of change, preferring stability for an essentially young group to grow together. Advertisement The centre-back situation is set to be addressed on July 1 with the signing of left-footed Olivier Boscagli, once his contract with back-to-back Dutch champions PSV expires. An agreement has been reached with the 27-year-old Frenchman. Boscagli has been a target for some time, as reported by The Athletic last November. The Athletic's David Ornstein also revealed in mid-May that Brighton hold an interest in versatile Brazilian Cuiabano of Rio de Janeiro-based Copa Libertadores holders Botafogo. Offers with add-ons worth a total of £5.88million ($8m) and £6.72m were turned down for the 22-year-old, who can play on the left side as a winger, full-back or midfielder. As reported by The Athletic last month, Brighton are pursuing 18-year-old Olympiacos striker Charalampos Kostoulas. They have offered the Greek champions in the region of £30million, plus fellow forward Abdallah Sima (who has never played an official match for Brighton, spending his four years on their books out on a series of season-long loans, most recently to Brest in France's Ligue 1), for a teenager who is regarded as one of the hottest young talents in Europe. Backup goalkeeper Carl Rushworth wants to leave unless his chances of game time improve. That is unlikely, with Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele blocking the path of the highly-rated 23-year-old, who is under contract until 2027. There is certain to be plenty of Championship, and possibly even Premier League, interest in Rushworth. Valentin Barco's loan move to Strasbourg in the winter window included an obligation to buy. The 20-year-old left-back's form at the Ligue 1 club under English manager Liam Rosenior has earned him a place in the Argentina squad for World Cup qualifiers this month against Chile and Colombia. Advertisement Brighton never look to sell any of their biggest assets, but not standing in the way of players if an opportunity arises to further their career elsewhere is part of the recruitment model — as long as the price and the circumstances are suitable. The most obvious candidates for attracting attention this summer, in no particular order, are Joao Pedro, Carlos Baleba and Kaoru Mitoma. Definitely, and a high number, too. As Brighton have developed as a club, so too has the size of the squad and the number of players that are farmed out elsewhere each season. That has become part of the model. Some players go out on loan once, twice or multiple times with a view to either breaking through back aboard the mothership or enhancing their resale values. A new trend last season was Brighton having the confidence to lend players to Premier League rivals, as was the case with Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester), Evan Ferguson (West Ham) and Julio Enciso (Ipswich). One prime candidate to make a step up in level, in terms of where he goes out on loan next, is Kamari Doyle. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder thrived in the second half of the campaign just gone with neighbours Crawley, even though they were relegated from League One, English football's third tier. A trio of youngsters whose transfers are already done and dusted will link up with the club this summer. Brighton landed Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas from Nurnberg at the end of the winter window for more than £20million, then loaned the 19-year-old back to the German second-tier club for the remainder of their season, only for him to miss its final two months through injury. Two more signings were then announced in March: 18-year-old South Korean winger Yun Do-young from Daejeon Hana Citizen for an undisclosed fee, and fellow wide man Tommy Watson, now 19, from Sunderland for £10million. Advertisement Yun will be loaned out, Tzimas and Watson, who scored the late winner in the play-off final last month to get Sunderland promoted back to the Premier League, will be assessed in pre-season to determine their next steps. Brighton made a combined profit of nearly £200million across the past two seasons (a Premier League record of £122.8m in 2022-23, then £73.3m). Spending nearly £200million on those nine signings in the summer 2024 transfer window will have a negative impact when the 2024-25 accounts are published next year, but there are no PSR (profit and sustainability rules) worries, with lifelong fan and sports betting entrepreneur Bloom as committed to the club now as he has been since taking charge 16 years ago. Brighton are bottom-half wage payers in the Premier League and last summer's big spend was a one-off after major sales in the previous two summer windows, but the purchase within that outlay of Georginio Rutter from Leeds United for a club-record £40million illustrated a steady increase in the sums they have been prepared to pay to improve the squad as they look forward to a ninth straight season in the top flight. (Top photos: Cuiabano, left, and Boscagli; Getty Images)
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Brighton goalkeeping and set piece coach Marco Knoop leaves club
Marco Knoop has left Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler's backroom staff. Knoop followed Hurzeler to Brighton from St Pauli last summer to work as first team goalkeeper coach and set piece specialist. Announcing his departure on social media, Knoop said: 'I've been privileged to be a part of this amazing football club this season. We've made some incredible memories and while I leave with a heavy heart and will miss Brighton, I'm proud of our efforts this season, helping the club to one of their best ever finishes. Fabian is an amazing head coach and I'm convinced he'll bring real success to Brighton.' Advertisement Knoop, previously a goalkeeper coach at FC Nordsjaelland, Fenerbahce and Borussia Dortmund, added: 'Now is time to enjoy the summer, and spend some quality time with my family, before discovering what a new chapter brings next season.' Knoop's arrival at Brighton coincided with existing goalkeeping coach Jack Stern signing a new, long-term contract. Hurzeler used Knoop for defensive set plays and assistant Jonas Scheuermann for attacking set pieces during the season. Brighton are recruiting a specialist set piece coach this summer, as it is a part of the game that has been identified as an area for improvement. Brighton had the fourth-best record defending set pieces and the fifth-best record scoring from them as they finished eighth in the Premier League in Hurzeler's first season, the second-highest placing in the club's history. (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
The National
2 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Matt O'Riley transfer uncertainty as Everton 'keen' on ex-Celtic star
It's claimed the Premier League club would be interested in signing the Brighton midfielder just one year on from his move from Celtic. O'Riley endured a staggered season for Brighton with injuries impacting his availability and limited minutes when fit under Fabian Hurzeler. Sky Sports now reports Everton would be interested in a deal for O'Riley should Brighton sanction a transfer exit this summer. According to the outlet, it is unclear whether Brighton would allow a deal and be willing to sell the midfielder. It's thought O'Riley is viewed as a player prepared to make a telling contribution at the club next season. O'Riley notched two goals and three assists in his debut season in the Premier League. He also started six of the last eight games for the club last season. Read more: It comes after reports O'Riley is a transfer target for clubs in Italy, Germany and sides in the Premier League. Fabrizio Romano posted last month: "Matt O'Riley could be one to watch in the summer as Brighton midfielder is now attracting interest from Serie A, Bundesliga, Premier League clubs. "Approaches started eyeing an opportunity on the market to try sign the talented central midfielder." A potential O'Riley transfer this summer could have consequences for Celtic. Indeed, the Parkhead club were said to have been given a 10 per cent sell-on fee when they sold the 24-year-old last year.
