Brighton and Hove Albion 2023/24 season - The European adventure!

The consolation goal they scored takes the edge off, but West Ham could have easily been 4 or 5 up before that.
 
Signed Baleba from Lille for £23M (according to the BBC). The next big thing in a year or two?

 
Very well run club with good scouting, but has to be said they do benefit from the multi club model which means they can farm out players to Belgium before integrating them into Brighton. Should be banned that, really. An unfair advantage that only a few teams have.
 
City and Brighton are two clubs whose success is built on an undeniable leg-up from their ownership, nothing sustainable created their outcomes even though they're now cited as 'well run' based on the platform their investment gave them in the first place. I'm not saying that's the only factor - Moshiri has put a similar amount of money in at Everton and squandered the lot so it's easy to get wrong - but why is 'ambition' in football always linked to how much debt your owners are willing to underwrite? Do you think Luton are ambitious?

Moving this here as gone off topic in terms of De Zerbi but I'd argue Brighton are ambitious for a variety of reasons including building the new stadium, their recruitment system and sticking with Potter initially and the brand/identity of football which could have seen them relegated but ultimately worked out for them as it's now developed with De Zerbis help into arguably the best and most effective style in the league outside of Pep and Klopp.

I'd say Luton are/were ambitious yes, but are doing things in a sensible manner. You can be ambitious while being pragmatic.

Sometimes with Palace I don't really understand what the ambition is, because you have the talent in your squad as you noted but then don't replace the talent that leaves or don't have the succession planning in place to complement that talent and proposed ambition that the talent represents.
 
First time in Europe and Brighton have learned quickly. Top of their group (which looked tricky at the outset) on the back of four wins and four clean sheets.

Congratulations to the Brighton fans that post here.
 
Marvellous scenes, absolute limbs in the North stand. One of the best nights at the Amex I can remember. And thanks for the congratulations above
 
How good is Billy Gilmour? Absolutely controlled the game, has been superb all season and for the back end of last season too. Fantastic footballer who improves every game.

We paid £8m for him - and got £165m in return for Caicedo and Cucurella. £195m including our third choice keeper Sanchez.

Chelsea can have him back for £75m+ add-ons. Potential to be an elite midfielder if he continues improving at this rate.
 
How good is Billy Gilmour? Absolutely controlled the game, has been superb all season and for the back end of last season too. Fantastic footballer who improves every game.

We paid £8m for him - and got £165m in return for Caicedo and Cucurella. £195m including our third choice keeper Sanchez.

Chelsea can have him back for £75m+ add-ons. Potential to be an elite midfielder if he continues improving at this rate.
Why sell him back if he proves to be good? You look to be finishing above Chelsea in the foreseeable future
 
Why sell him back if he proves to be good? You look to be finishing above Chelsea in the foreseeable future

Because the aim is to be sustainable, it means we’ll always sell when the price is right at the player’s highest possible value; then reinvest a portion in the next prospects.
 
Very well run club with good scouting, but has to be said they do benefit from the multi club model which means they can farm out players to Belgium before integrating them into Brighton. Should be banned that, really. An unfair advantage that only a few teams have.

United did the same with Royal Antwerp for a while, John O'Shea played there as did Johnny Evans I think before they broke through into the first team. Also didn't you have a feeder deal with Fluminese, that's how you ended up with the Da Silva twins. No idea why you let any of the deals lapse.
 
Because the aim is to be sustainable, it means we’ll always sell when the price is right at the player’s highest possible value; then reinvest a portion in the next prospects.
I was wondering what happens with those huge fees if the replacement is always bought for much less - but then I remembered Brighton have huge debts, right? So I suppose those are being payed off?
 
I was wondering what happens with those huge fees if the replacement is always bought for much less - but then I remembered Brighton have huge debts, right? So I suppose those are being payed off?

Kind of. All of our major debt is in the form of interest-free loans from our owner Tony Bloom.

The point is more that most clubs in the league (every club?) runs at an operating loss. We have 31,000 seats at the Amex, and selling every single one for every game, plus TV money, plus negligible income from merchandising/match days and so on doesn’t begin to cover our outgoings.

Wages, outgoing transfer fees, operating expenses are far in excess of revenue. The only way the club can stay financially stable is to sell player assets at their highest market value.

Things have improved with the European success, adding approximately £20-25m to our balance sheet, but even that is smal compared to one big sale per season.

Bloom isn’t taking money out, and is largely using profit to reinvest in the club.

After so many years of hell, we are in paradise with probably the best owner in the country. Lifelong Albion fan, loved by the supporters and single-handedly bought us our stadium and funded our run to the PL/Europe.
 
Kind of. All of our major debt is in the form of interest-free loans from our owner Tony Bloom.

The point is more that most clubs in the league (every club?) runs at an operating loss. We have 31,000 seats at the Amex, and selling every single one for every game, plus TV money, plus negligible income from merchandising/match days and so on doesn’t begin to cover our outgoings.

Wages, outgoing transfer fees, operating expenses are far in excess of revenue. The only way the club can stay financially stable is to sell player assets at their highest market value.

Things have improved with the European success, adding approximately £20-25m to our balance sheet, but even that is smal compared to one big sale per season.

Bloom isn’t taking money out, and is largely using profit to reinvest in the club.

After so many years of hell, we are in paradise with probably the best owner in the country. Lifelong Albion fan, loved by the supporters and single-handedly bought us our stadium and funded our run to the PL/Europe.
Oh, I didn't know that. It seems risky to run consistently at a loss; what if you have a poor year and no player gets sold for one of those very high fees? Or do Brighton have a buffer for that? And I suppose they slowly pay off that debt? Cause it's another thing that could turn sour eventually if it's just left there.

Sorry, I'm just curious how that works. I'm not trying to spoil your fun here, I can imagine these must be amazing times for a Brighton fan. :)
 
Oh, I didn't know that. It seems risky to run consistently at a loss; what if you have a poor year and no player gets sold for one of those very high fees? Or do Brighton have a buffer for that? And I suppose they slowly pay off that debt? Cause it's another thing that could turn sour eventually if it's just left there.

Sorry, I'm just curious how that works. I'm not trying to spoil your fun here, I can imagine these must be amazing times for a Brighton fan. :)

Almost *every club* runs consistently at a loss - and yes, it’s always risky if clubs get over-ambitious or reckless. Just look at Leeds. If we have a poor year and don’t make big transfer income, we have a generous and savvy owner who has hedged against this with a modest spend - plus money in reserve from previous sales. We don’t buy £70m players, and have a wage bill which is commensurate with our finances. This is the key thing.

These are indeed amazing times!!! :)
 
Almost *every club* runs consistently at a loss - and yes, it’s always risky if clubs get over-ambitious or reckless. Just look at Leeds. If we have a poor year and don’t make big transfer income, we have a generous and savvy owner who has hedged against this with a modest spend - plus money in reserve from previous sales. We don’t buy £70m players, and have a wage bill which is commensurate with our finances. This is the key thing.

These are indeed amazing times!!! :)
Thanks for explaining. It sounds like a lot of clubs' finances are accidents waiting to happen then.

Anyway, thanks for explaining and good luck with the rest of the season!
 
Thanks for explaining. It sounds like a lot of clubs' finances are accidents waiting to happen then.

Anyway, thanks for explaining and good luck with the rest of the season!

Thanks mate - you too and Merry Christmas!
 
Kind of. All of our major debt is in the form of interest-free loans from our owner Tony Bloom.

The point is more that most clubs in the league (every club?) runs at an operating loss. We have 31,000 seats at the Amex, and selling every single one for every game, plus TV money, plus negligible income from merchandising/match days and so on doesn’t begin to cover our outgoings.

Wages, outgoing transfer fees, operating expenses are far in excess of revenue. The only way the club can stay financially stable is to sell player assets at their highest market value.

Things have improved with the European success, adding approximately £20-25m to our balance sheet, but even that is smal compared to one big sale per season.

Bloom isn’t taking money out, and is largely using profit to reinvest in the club.

After so many years of hell, we are in paradise with probably the best owner in the country. Lifelong Albion fan, loved by the supporters and single-handedly bought us our stadium and funded our run to the PL/Europe.
Think the fact that players(and coaches) rarely perform at their previous levels after leaving Brighton speaks volumes about the structure in place. That being said, you'll start seeing a drop off in valuations if the current trend continues.
 
I'm just waiting for Enciso to return. I want to enjoy watching him play before he moves to City.
 
For some reason I can’t post tweets but Ornstein is reporting that Brighton have cleared a work permit for and are in talks with St Pauli about appointing Fabian Hurtzeler as the new manager.

Big risk but could be exciting
 
For some reason I can’t post tweets but Ornstein is reporting that Brighton have cleared a work permit for and are in talks with St Pauli about appointing Fabian Hurtzeler as the new manager.

Big risk but could be exciting
Can’t say I know much/if anything about him. 31 year old American coaching in the BL. Massive risk but could be exciting yeah.
 
For some reason I can’t post tweets but Ornstein is reporting that Brighton have cleared a work permit for and are in talks with St Pauli about appointing Fabian Hurtzeler as the new manager.

Big risk but could be exciting

Alternatively he could be the new Jesse Marsch though.

 
Can’t say I know much/if anything about him. 31 year old American coaching in the BL. Massive risk but could be exciting yeah.
I had to google him a week or two ago when his name first emerged, but all I know he's taken St Pauli from the bottom of Bundesliga 2 to the Budesliga in 1 and a half seasons. Plays with a back thee and is highly rated. This is a very Brighton appointment if it all goes ahead.
 
Can’t say I know much/if anything about him. 31 year old American coaching in the BL. Massive risk but could be exciting yeah.

Second BL, but he got them promoted as champions. He’s US born to a Swiss and a German and moved to Germany when he was 2 years old. De Zerbi is his role model. Yes, this appears to be happening.
 
He’s younger than Lewis Dunk!
 
I had to google him a week or two ago when his name first emerged, but all I know he's taken St Pauli from the bottom of Bundesliga 2 to the Budesliga in 1 and a half seasons. Plays with a back thee and is highly rated. This is a very Brighton appointment if it all goes ahead.
Second BL, but he got them promoted as champions. He’s US born to a Swiss and a German and moved to Germany when he was 2 years old. De Zerbi is his role model. Yes, this appears to be happening.
Thanks both. Would be interesting to see how he does.
 
I had to google him a week or two ago when his name first emerged, but all I know he's taken St Pauli from the bottom of Bundesliga 2 to the Budesliga in 1 and a half seasons. Plays with a back thee and is highly rated. This is a very Brighton appointment if it all goes ahead.
So McKenna turned them down so they went for German Kieron McKenna
 
I’d be surprised if he does well purely because I think their philosophy of buying cheap and selling expensive may be hitting a wall soon. I think their squad is drastically worse than it was before last summer. Still some good players but it’s quite thin. If he does do well then Brighton really need to be studied commended. They’re being stripped for parts (player and back room staff wise) every summer and coming out fine.