Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto de Zerbi has insisted that the “hard core” of the dressing room has been key to their success this season.
The Italian boss has been speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport after an impressive campaign so far which has Brighton competing for Europe and into the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Seagulls have been thrilling to watch since De Zerbi’s arrival, with the Italian installing a more attacking, thrilling style of football on top of what his predecessor Graham Potter built before him.
He’s done that with the squad that had already been assembled before his arrival, bringing in several players who hadn’t been given a shot by Potter beforehand.
It’s worked out well for him, with the likes of Pervis Estupiñán, Kaoru Mitoma, and Evan Ferguson coming into the side and shining this season.
The changes he has made have been superficial rather than root and stem, though, and he says that the core which was there when he arrived has been key.
“Another luck I had is that I replaced a coach who had done a great job at Brighton,” he said.
“I slowly turned everything around, but it didn’t take away from the fact that I had a team that had courage, and knew how to stay on the pitch and work.
“I put in 3-4 new players: Estupinian hardly ever played, Colwill never played, Steele never played, Mitoma never played, Ferguson never played, and Gross never played full-back. These are big differences because it is always the players who move.
“The real secret is the hard core of the dressing room: people like Dunk, for me he is one of the five best center-backs in Europe, Gross, Veltman, Welbeck, Webster, Lallana, March, Steele.
“Brighton doesn’t have to be careful when I leave, but when this group of players leave or go away.”
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