When Fabian Hurzeler took over as Brighton & Hove Albion's head coach, he declared his intention to "challenge the establishment" in English football. Two years later, the question remains: has he delivered on that promise?
"Last season we did it, maybe not throughout the whole campaign, but we certainly achieved a lot of great things," Hurzeler told Sky Sports, as Brighton prepared to embark on their second ever European adventure. The Seagulls are set to compete in the UEFA Conference League, a milestone that underscores the rapid progress the club has made under his leadership.
In just two Premier League seasons, Hurzeler has overseen victories over giants such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, openly criticised Arsenal’s tactical approach and Mikel Arteta’s philosophy, engaged in high‑profile clashes with Pep Guardiola, and accumulated a string of touchline bans. These incidents illustrate both his fiery personality and the impact he has had on the league.
At 33, the former St Pauli manager brings a palpable passion to the dugout, a trait that has become synonymous with his proactive, high‑pressing style. That enthusiasm has helped Brighton secure consecutive eighth‑place finishes – a record for the club in the modern era – but it has also landed him in trouble. During his stint at St Pauli, he once received seven yellow cards before February, a pattern that has continued in England. "It definitely won't change," Hurzeler said when asked about his disciplinary record.
"I want to be a winner, I want to win things for Brighton, I want to achieve something special together with the fans." The upcoming Conference League offers Brighton a realistic chance to translate recent league form into tangible silverware. While rivals Crystal Palace lifted the trophy in May, Hurzeler’s ambition is less about copying their achievement and more about proving that Brighton can compete on multiple fronts without compromising their identity. "We have high expectations of ourselves. We want to play a season the fans will always remember, but we also need to show as a club that we can handle a heavy fixture list successfully," he explained.
"We constantly talk about taking the next step, growing as a club, and we have to demonstrate now that we can be successful while maintaining our style and intensity." The squad has undergone a major transformation this summer. Brighton introduced 11 new faces, while long‑serving players such as Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke, Danny Welbeck and James Milner departed. The resulting roster is now the fourth‑youngest in the Premier League, a fact Hurzeler believes works to his advantage. "I want to be myself, I don’t want to play a role, and my age definitely helps when it comes to understanding the players," he said.
"I speak their language because I was there not long ago. I may not have played at their level, but I understand their doubts, their fears, what every player feels." That empathy will be crucial as Brighton integrates another batch of promising signings. Centre‑back Luka Vuskovic, acquired from Tottenham for £50 million, has already shown why he was considered a smart investment.
Hurzeler trusts the club’s recruitment model and his coaching staff to extract the maximum from these newcomers. In the opening three league games of the current season, Brighton recorded a win, a draw and a loss. Despite the mixed results, the team created more clear‑cut chances (15) and posted a higher expected goals (xG) figure (7.4) than any other side, while only Arsenal (24) and Manchester City (26) have taken fewer shots than Brighton’s 33.
"It’s now our responsibility to really integrate these new players. They are here for a reason, and we have proven in the past that we have one of the best recruitment systems in the world, so they have potential and they will show this potential," Hurzeler asserted.
His appointment was initially a surprise, replacing Roberto De Zerbi, but after two seasons he is no longer an unknown quantity. The rigours of the Premier League have shaped him, forcing him to contend with some of the world’s finest managers and the relentless pressure of a long campaign.
When things go awry, Hurzeler looks inward rather than pointing fingers. "I can say I’m a better manager now than I was before, not only because I reflect on my mistakes but also on my decisions, my progress and my development," he said.
"I have great staff around me, great experts, great support from all of my staff members and from the players." That reflective approach was tested midway through last season when Brighton endured a dreadful run of just one win in 13 league matches. Rather than blaming others, Hurzeler took full responsibility. "I’m not going home and blaming anyone else.
If we lose, it’s my responsibility, and I reflect on my decisions, I reflect on the training week, so I really try to get better after every game, and that’s how I do it," he explained. He believes the turnaround came from focusing on controllable factors, maintaining belief, and demanding greater reliability from his squad. The lesson was simple yet vital for a team aspiring to disrupt the Premier League hierarchy.
"In the Premier League you need reliability, you need to be really good in the small matches," Hurzeler emphasized. Committed to finding that consistency, Hurzeler signed a new three‑year contract in May.
His decision was driven as much by his personal bond with the club as by its potential. "I see my future here, and that’s why I extended the contract, because when I started here, I felt integrated into a family," he said. "You don’t leave your family; you want to achieve something with the family, you want to take the next step, you want to grow as a club, and therefore I want to be part of it." He remains convinced that the journey is far from over. "I still feel that the journey is not over, we are in the middle of a journey and we can achieve great things," he asserted.
"I have this belief and now we have to show it." Brighton's fans can look forward to a season that could define a new era for the club, as they aim to combine domestic solidity with a genuine shot at European glory under Hurzeler’s visionary leadership.