Former England boss Fabio Capello has questioned Roberto De Zerbi’s reputation as a top coach despite his success at Brighton.
•De Zerbi guided Brighton to Europe
•Reputation has grown with club
•Credentials questioned by ex-England boss
WHAT HAPPENED?
De Zerbi has done an impressive job at Brighton since replacing Graham Potter in 2022, taking them to the Europa League in his debut season. But despite the Seagulls’ overachieving, Capello believes he is only highly rated because Pep Guardiola has publicly praised the Italian.
WHAT CAPELLO SAID
Speaking on his countryman, Capello said: “I would put De Zerbi in the third tier. There is a lot of talk about him as one of the top coaches because Guardiola sponsors him, but this year he is tenth or eleventh in the standings. What have you won in your career? Let’s look at the CV.
“He is a well-prepared coach, who asserts his ideas wherever he coaches and has a respectable sponsor like Guardiola. So far, however, no one has come forward despite his name being linked to the benches of the big clubs. And then with Brighton he has a €15 million clause: honestly it seems too much to me to free a coach.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Considering the size and budget of a club like Brighton, De Zerbi has undoubtedly taken them to new heights in his time as head coach. Until the former Shakhtar boss arrived, it was an achievement to stay in the Premier League but now fans will be disappointed if they do not secure a top-half finish. They have fallen off slightly in 2023-24 because of the demands in Europe but have still proven to be a match for the best England has to offer.
WHAT NEXT FOR DE ZERBI?
The 44-year-old has most recently been linked with the Bayern Munich job, although reports claim the players now want Thomas Tuchel to stay. Manchester United have also been mentioned with Erik ten Hag’s future unclear after a poor campaign for the Red Devils.
Goal.com
