On Monday, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed his gratitude towards Graham Potter for his positive impact on the team, following Potter’s recent dismissal from Chelsea.
Potter had left Brighton to take over as the manager of Chelsea on a five-year contract in September but was let go on Sunday after a short stint of fewer than seven months at the helm.
De Zerbi filled the managerial position at the Amex Stadium and has been making waves with his team’s results and playing style. He has even been linked with vacant managerial positions at both Chelsea and Tottenham.
Currently, Brighton are in sixth place in the Premier League and have made it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they are set to face Manchester United.
“It’s difficult when you don’t know the situation in another dressing room, in another team,” said De Zerbi ahead of his side’s trip to Bournemouth on Tuesday.
“I have a big confidence in myself for sure but I think I am lucky to have these players and I have to say thanks to Graham Potter because I found a team with a very good mentality, very good attitude.”
Potter’s departure on the same day Brendan Rodgers left Leicester means there have been a record 13 managerial changes in the Premier League this season.
De Zerbi believes more focus should be placed on the players and decision-makers at clubs, rather than managers always taking the blame.
“It’s bad news for the coaches because I think you give too much importance to the coaches because the players are always most important,” added the former Sassuolo coach.
“I don’t like when the coaches are sacked because the responsibility is not only of the coaches – (it is also) the players, the club.”
Source: Post Nigeria
