Football Daily - MNC: Palace demoted, Grealish Everton bound & Hürzeler on Brighton

Episode Date: August 11, 2025

Mark Chapman is joined by Rory Smith, Chris Sutton and Izzy Christiansen as the start of the new Premier League season draws ever closer.The panel discuss Crystal Palace losing their appeal against being demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport supported UEFA's assessment that they  breached multi-club ownership rules.Plus, will a move to Everton reinvigorate Jack Grealish? And Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler joins the podcast to look ahead to the new season and discuss Brighton's famed recruitment strategy.Topics: 00:19 - Palace's demotion to the Conference League 02:24 - Could Palace's demotion be a blessing is disguise? 09:08 - Are the European elite treated differently? 12:27 - Does this end with Palace winning the Conference League? 13:19 - Will Palace's season be defined by whether or not they keep Guehi and Eze? 22:03 - Is Jack Grealish on a season-long loan to Everton a good move? 30:42 - Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler joins the podcast 35:47 - Brighton's recruitment process 41:40 - Brighton's private pre-season 44:43 - What does success look like for Brighton this season? 45:56 - Is Hürzeler worried about big clubs circling his players? 53:38 - Should Brighton keep hold of their best players to challenge for trophies?   BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Wed - 2000 - UEFA Super Cup - PSG v Spurs Sat - 1500 - Premier League - Sunderland v West Ham Sat - 1500 - Premier League - Spurs v Burnley Sat - 1730 - Premier League - Wolves v Man City Sun - 1400 - Premier League - Chelsea v Palace Sun - 1400 - Premier League - Forest v Brentford Sun - 1630 - Premier League - Man Utd v Arsenal

BBC sounds, music, radio, podcasts. This is the Monday nightclub with Mark Chapman. On the Football Daily Podcast. Let's crack on with the Monday nightclub, MNC at BBC.co.com, if you want to get in touch with us. And I do wonder, and I'm going to start with you, Rory, because we're starting with legal matters. And I do wonder, we'll come on to all the exciting stuff, but it is a depression. sign of where we are at, isn't it? The palace judgment.

Yes. Yeah, I think it shows kind of the mess that football has brought itself in, to be honest. It's really hard not to have sympathy with them. It feels an awful lot like they have been done on a technicality. They've kind of missed an administrative deadline for legitimate reasons. They've then had the rules enforced, like technically, but maybe not in a spiritual sense.

Does that make sense? It feels like they've, they are, you know, what they did was wrong. you're not meant to do that. They missed a deadline, but it's very harsh to ban them for it. There has been no common sense applied, and it kind of all speaks to this thing of maybe it would be better if football clubs had one owner and that owner didn't own any other football clubs. Maybe that would make everyone's life a lot easier. The deal is, is he here, that they're going to play in the Conference League, not the Europa League, because today the Court of Arbitration supported UEFA's assessment

that they breached multi-club ownership rules. The caste rule in the key points were that regulations are clear and do not provide flexibly flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date as Pallas claimed. That assessment date was at the beginning of March, the 1st of March, and what UEFA and presumably Cass have upheld

is that other clubs, if they've been in this situation, have managed to sort out their ownership issues by a deadline. Yeah, and of course, I think you know, you go back to yesterday where Pallas won the Community Shield and if you're a player in this situation

to have that level of focus to perform knowing that there's a big decision being made today I think if you put yourself in a player's shoes it's an extremely frustrating position to be in because it's so hard to win trophies and in the space of what two, three months

they've beaten Manchester City at Wembley and the FA Cup they've beaten Liverpool in the Community Shield and then they've received that news and worked so hard to get into the Europa League which would have been absolutely massive Crystal Palace I know it's very soon but I'm starting to wonder whether it would be perhaps a bit of a blessing in disguise for them because

of the, you know, they haven't added to the squad yet in the transfer window, you know, with substantial evidence to suggest that they could compete in the Europa League. So perhaps this is a blessing, but I imagine that is quite soon to say that. But yeah, I think from a player's perspective, really difficult situation to be in. I mean, Crystal Palace, Chris, have constantly said that John Texter, the man who is now the soldier share in the club, had no influence over what Palace were doing. that really his investment was the minority investment and he had no involvement in the day-to-day running of the football club.

Now Cass went with UEFA's assessment that he did have decisive influence over not only Crystal Palace but also Leon. Palace argued that they'd received unfair treatment in comparison to Leon and also to Nottingham Forest who take their place in the Europa League. Can you understand their grievances? Yeah, I can understand

the grievances here it's a situation now though there is a decision which has been made rightly or wrongly and the club I think they can appeal it can't they I think I'm right in saying but the club I mean is he touched on the sort of footballing side of it

they just have to move on and get on with the season and in many ways it may actually galvanise the club you know might bring them closer together if that's possible I don't I don't necessarily see it as having an effect on the players and what have you

this is the best period in the club's history you know they've won an FA Cup they've won a community shield so I think there's still a lot of excitement it may be the best period in the club's history but it should be better the future should be better than what it is going to be yeah it should be but it is what it is and you know you still can't take away them winning the FA Cup still can't take away the great performance

in the Community Shield if you're a palace fan you love that and you know I think who am I to say this but you've got to focus on the positives as much as anything

it's not it's certainly not ideal oh god what's happened to you over the summer you've been playing a lot of cricket or something as well as yeah been aware and holiday male the son got married and all these things have

said that yeah gone on so no but I did but they you know from a player's perspective you can't you know they can't affect that that's you know that's that's a side what happened with Texter, whether he was sort of in the right or in the wrong, whether, you know, he had a foot in both camps.

The truth is, I don't actually know, but it seems pretty messy this whole situation. A decision has been made. But I think if you're a palace player, you still have a lot to look forward to. And in terms of, if you're the manager, Oliver Glastner, you want to keep this squad, this team together. Because, you know, we've talked many times on the Monday nightclub about Palace and where they finish in the Premier League. league this season, but now they've had this, you know, unbelievable season, winning the

FA Cup and they're moving forward. Can they get a top half finish? And there's no reason why they can't if they keep this squad together. Chris, do you not think, though, if they hadn't have won yesterday and then they received this decision today, do you think that would have been different? But they did, but they did win. But what I'm saying is if they didn't win yesterday, you know, they're on a downer this morning, they then received the news that they've been demoted into the conference league, then do you think there's a different dynamic? or out of the squad going into the start of the season? Not really. I think the dynamic from within the squad,

and if you're a player within that squad, if you're, you know, Eza, for example, I mean, they've got an issue with Mark Geh, I think he's entering the last year of his contract. It's whether these players have their head turned, their heads turned, and they have a better option and, you know, and can go to a bigger club, a club, you know, who are maybe going to challenge for a Premier League title or whatever. I think that's a very individual thing. If I was a palace player, though, and was part of the season they had last season, I'd be really looking forward to this season.

But Chris, is there not an element that, and obviously there's nothing that can be done about it. Now, I don't know what the appeal structure is. This was already going to Cass, so I guess you can appeal again, but then that drags on into the season itself. Is it not easier to – game seems a little bit different because he's allowed his contract to run down to that extent. Anyway, Steve Parrish said yesterday they can't really countenance losing him for free. With Eze, is it not easier for them to persuade Eze? to resist the overtures from Arsenal

if they can say we have the Europa lead rather than the conference lead. But that's a decision he has to make. And if Arsenal have turned his head that much, then I would be surprised if he did stay at Palace. But that, you know, that would happen

anyway. I don't think that's necessarily just down to whether you're playing Europa League football or conference football. I mean, the players aren't going to particularly look forward to playing in the conference as much as they would have liked to plan the Europa League. But, you know, I go back to what I said, it is what it is.

You've just got to get on with it. Why, you know, why would you want to burden yourself with that sort of negativity after such a brilliant season? But the other thing with this is, yeah, I suppose, is, and look, the Conference League was great for West Ham that season, and David Moyes, and Chelsea last season, although it felt like a procession with Chelsea, didn't it, until they got to sort of semi-finals and final.

but West Ham had a great Europa Conference League campaign and ended up winning and that was a great night for them Crystal Palace could have the same in the Conference League but I suppose the difference for Palace is they will always have that feeling I suppose of what if we were where we thought we ought to be and that what if could permeate through the club over the next few years that might be a bit dramatic to say that but it could

I think that time throughout this season will reveal whether you know this is a plus or a negative for Palace but I think what we can't move away from is the fact that Glasner has done an incredible job at Crystal Palace he's won two trophies with them and then you would probably back them to compete toward the latter stage of the conference league as well almost say they could win it if they keep the squad together

and then I think that would be you know possibly a third consecutive trophy and that shows huge success for Crystal Palace as a football club with a manager who's you know had time to build He's built up a team which has got some really talented players in. You know, one of the most exciting front threes in the league, I think, on form with Saar, Mattetta and Eze. And I think if they can stay fit and they stay at the club, I can't help but think time will reveal for Pallas, whether this will be a blessing in disguise or not. I know Pallas feel this, I think, or lots of people connected to Pallas feel like this.

Their fans will certainly feel this Rory. And maybe the sort of neutral observer will feel the same. that it's very hard not to look at all of this and think one rule for the big clubs and one rule for those that aren't the European elite. Yeah, not even necessarily the big clubs, but Red Bull. There was a big hoo-ha, I forget which year it was when Saltsburgh and Leipzig were both in the Europa lead, I think,

and Red Bull managed to kind of persuade UEFA that they weren't linked clubs by calling one of them R.B. That seemed to be the extent to which the Red Bull Empire did it. It's very obvious, I think the hardest thing to swallow for Palace will be legitimately the fact that, you know, City and Gerona were in the same competition last year. Manchester United and Nice. United and Nees and they took this blind trust route. Now obviously, and I think it was on Five Live that I heard this over the summer, that it would have been absurd.

Well, I hope it wouldn't have been anywhere else. Well, I wouldn't have listened to another radio station. I mean, goodness me. Lord forbid I should listen to anything other than BBC Sounds chap. But if Pallas had decided to put their ownership into a blind trust on March the 1st when the deadline was, the day that I think they played Millwall in the Cup, what on earth would we have thought? Like, this is a bit presumptuous that they've decided, oh, yeah.

We're going to win this. So we better kind of, it's nonsensical, it's kind of unfootballing. And then you combine that with the fact that, yeah, that Cittin Girona, United and Nice, the two red ball clubs, they've all been in the same competition. And you have gone, you look, it's fine. Oliver Mitzlaff runs, has a kind of executive role at both Leipzig and Saltsburgh. Oh, but now you say he doesn't, so it's fine. It's insane.

I don't, I don't, I don't quite, I don't quite understand what the difference. I understand what you're saying, but there must be a difference. It's to do with, I think it's a technicality difference. I think what happens in those cases is the clubs say, as I think Forrest did with Maranakis and the Blind Trust, or they were going to with Maranacus and the Blind Trust. They say that although we have the same person who is the investor, we have performed this legal measure

which means they no longer on the surface have control and that appears to be enough to satisfy UEFA because Pallas didn't file the paperwork because it would have been absurd for them to say on March the 1st we're going to win the FA Cup UEFA have kind of done them on a technicality so it looks best case scenario I guess that UEFA have literally no common sense

and worst case scenario as Chapas says that it's one rule for the clubs that have got quite a lot of heft and another for Pallas and Leon who were operated on a slightly lower scale, I guess. And that is a fair point that Rory said, Izzy, that I hadn't actually thought about it. If Pallas had done that on the 1st of March,

it's a bit like if somebody books a open bus parade three months before and, you kind of go, but you do go, well, hang on. It's booked in a wedding venue on your first date. That's what it is. In March, you're quite advancing the FA Cup, though, aren't you? Maybe your third date. But it would be seen that way, wouldn't it? Yeah, it would have been, but it is what it is.

And I just think, you know, I keep putting myself in the player's shoes. And I think if you're going to play in the Europa League, you win the FA Cup, you're playing the Europa League, you're absolutely buzzing. And then this news comes out. And I just think, like I said earlier, I think time is going to tell how this will evolve with the Palace dressing room. I do think as he's right, though, I think that there is a very good chance that this ends with Palace winning the Conference League. And that they should not be in the Conference League. They should be in the Europa League. It's ridiculous that they're not.

It's ridiculous that UEFA couldn't say, look, this is clearly just an administrative oversight. Like, text has sold his bit of Palace. He sold it to somebody else. It's ridiculous that UEFA couldn't do that. But it may well be that, I don't know if it kind of makes it bitter sweet or just sweet or just bitter. But it may well be that at the end, Palace will be one of the strongest three teams in the conference league. There is a very good chance, especially the Qepeze and maybe gay, that they end up with another trophy next season. And it might be that the fans come to think of it, you know, as an unfortunate but kind of happy.

incident, I guess. Does what you feel about, just moving sort of to the football with Palace this season after they won the Community Shield yesterday, Chris, does what you feel about Palace this season depend on what happens to Gaye and Eza? I think so.

For Palace to lose both of those big hitters, that would, you know, that would be an enormous blow. Probably the two, biggest figures in the team. Metetta's been phenomenal for a couple of seasons. They've coped in the past. So, I mean, you know, coping after Elisei went to Bayern Munich

and Sa was a really smart piece of business in that respect. And it's always been the way with Pallas, losing the best players. But things are different now, I think, after the FAA Cup and the way that they play and the sort of feeling in and around the club. So where I think Pallas, in previous seasons has been a club where the best players stay there for a while but then always move on to, you know, to bigger clubs. I do think that there is a slightly different feeling and a situation from a player's perspective where you have more of a pull to stay at the club because you feel that you do have an opportunity of competing higher up in the league. I don't think that's been the case, you know, certainly in the necessary.

the last decade, where you feel that Palace could, you know, possibly finish eighth next season in the Premier League? I think that's a possibility now. Yeah, I would agree with that. But the problem, I suppose, is that stability is not very sexy over the summer, is it? Do you know what I mean? It doesn't, the stability doesn't tend to get football fans excited, whereas maybe in Crystal Palace's situation, if they can hold on to,

to the players stability is great because their starting 11 or their presumes tying 11 is great and wins trophies Yeah it does and I think football

you know there is the if the transfer window wasn't open we wouldn't be having this conversation obviously because the two best players or the highest performers at Palace in Gei

and Ezet are obviously you know being looked at by other clubs and rightly so but I think when you look at Palace and look at what Oliver Glasner's done and the stability

that you speak about there he's built the team into this kind of machine they've become really accustomed with the way they want to play with wing backs you know they've got two players in the midfield

normally Wharton Hughes commander whoever plays in there who can dictate games if the game is going their way but on the flip side they're kind of with Palace and the way they play

is if those players are not firing in the front line and they're not playing well they look really bad but when they're playing well everyone's like wow palace are unbelievable and I think that's where

You know, Oliver Glasner's stability and kind of mindset in building Crystal Palace into this team that's won two trophies already. I think success for Palace next season looks top half of the table again and competing to the latter stages of the Conference League. I'm uncomfortable with me playing the Chris role now that he's all cheery because he managed to marry off one of his kids. But this has been a summer in which the traditional bid sits that we think of as being the bid six have basically said, right. Remember that really fun season you had where Forrest Challenge for Europe and Villa were in the Champions League and Newtassel won the Terrabour Cup

and Pallas won the FAA Cup we didn't enjoy that we didn't take all of your players that's basically what's happened you've seen you know Brentford have been picked clean Wolves have lost Tunae and 8 Noree obviously Brighton have sold yet more players

to Chelsea because that's what happened and it is kind of a sad reminder of what football what the Premier League can be like the idea that Palace have just had this amazing day against Liverpool, where they were the deserved winners of the Community Shield. Second honour in five months, second honour in 120

years. They should be one of the teams that we're looking like you say, Chappers, and thinking, look, what did they achieve the season? They might win a European trophy, they might finish can they push the top seven, can they push the top six? And yet we've got kind of what, two and a half weeks to work out if they can keep hold of their two best players or they just have to rebuild again. And that is really sad to things.

There's nothing new. No, but it's absolutely not new. This has always been the case. It just, absolutely Chris, you are completely. right, but it does feel like it's been quite pronounced this summer. Just one final one on Mark Gehe. I suppose there are quite a few things for him and Palace

to take into consideration here, because it's a big year for Gehie individually with the World Cup ahead of it. So whilst a move may be on the horizon, he'll probably want to make sure he's going to be playing. So if Liverpool are interested in him, then is he going to get

past Canate and Van Dyke, depending on what the situation is there. Palace and Steve Parrish has said this. They can't afford to allow players of his calibre to leave on a free. They need to get a fee for him with 12 months of the contract to go.

There are a few different things that actually might make this a little bit more complicated. What would be the price on Mark Gay? About 50? 50 maybe. It seems to be what Palace won. Yeah, around 50. What did Newcastle bid for him last year?

More than that, wasn't it? Wasn't it north of 60? I think it was about 61. Which is north of 60. Which is just north of 60. Just north. Brilliant. It's not far north.

Brilliant stuff. Just in the northern region of 60. No, I think the thing for getting, I think it comes down to him as an individual as well because he's the captain of Crystal Palace. He's cemented in that back three for Palace. I think they look so solid with him and Laquois and Richards. Obviously, he played yesterday against Liverpool. And I think that he's got now a choice to make.

Do you want to go and battle it? out for a team that's going to compete at the top of the Premier League, at the top of the Champions League or do you want to play every week? And there's a chance if he moved to the likes of Liverpool, he wouldn't play. And that would be a risk ahead of a World Cup, but you'd like to think that the decision wouldn't

just be based on the World Cup next summer. It's based on what's best for Mark Gaye. And to be honest with you, if I'm giving my opinion on it, I'd just like to see him stay at Palace. But I know financially that might be the best option for Crystal Palace as a club. Would he, I mean, presumably though, he has all

power there, do you not think, Chris, in the sense of, if he doesn't want to move and wants to wait 12 months, then he will, and presumably can't, like, Palace wouldn't go, well, you're not going to play. No, no, of course. So the power's all with him. Yeah, absolutely. It's his prerogative, and as much as, you know, he'll, you know, say he loves Palace, he'll do what's best for himself.

What would you do? if you had the options if I could if I could move to a Liverpool or and I'm not as negative as Izzy I wouldn't look at the I wouldn't look at the

your leg on thick now I wouldn't start there yeah but you back yourself don't you I think you are you know we all understand pecking orders and I think that he's certainly proven himself you want to win the big trophies don't you so I'd yeah if I was him I'd

I'd move on but you know it's his decision and you're quite right he could hang it out at Palace for another another season and walk away and probably well not probably he would make a hell of a lot more money doing that I guess the thing that he'd look at with Liverpool

is Van Dytis 34 and Cunate is not likely the evidence suggests that Tannate will have spells out over the course of the season Joe Gomez is there as well who's also based on what but TNAT has not played all 38 Premierly

games, I think, in his time at Liverpool once. There are occasional injuries to Kanata. I'm not criticising him. It's not a character flaw. Just a thing that happens. I think that Liverpool would be looking at Van Dyck and maybe thinking there's a point at which you want to manage the minutes. I think Gaye plays on that side of defence

by choice, doesn't he? He plays on the left-hand side. Canate not necessarily always fit, not got the best record, so maybe you look at that and think over the course of like a 50, 60 game season there is enough football for me to play. He plays on that side. I mean, come on, you're better than that. What do you mean?

He does. He does. He does. He does. He plays a left side in centre half, yeah. Chris, do you think he's on the right? Well, he couldn't play on the right then? Well, I don't know. I think he probably could. He plays in a back three at Palace. I mean, if we're, you know, we're going to go down that route. You know, I'm sure he could cope if he had to play on the wrong. That's on the left side of a back three.

That's even further left, Chris. That's almost on the back. Well, you'd know about that. They're very confused. Yeah. It's the Monday Night Club, Rory Smith. Chris Sutton. Is he Christensen on it. MNC at BBC.co.uk, if you want to get in touch with us.

Jack Grealish to Everton on a season-long loam that's likely to happen. Is that a good move for you, is he? It's a good move, yeah. For both parties? I think it is, yeah. I think he's chomping at the bit to play. I think under a manager, such as David Moyes, I think you have very wise head there to sort of manage, you know,

Jack Grealish's creativity on the pitch and he'll want to play with freedom at Everton I think the Everton fans will absolutely love him and I think he will love the Everton fans as well Chris I think yeah

I mean the problem Everton have is they can't if you're a top player you don't want to sign for Evidence if you're a top top player you just don't want to sign for Everton and that's just the way it is

you look at the players who Everton have signed this season and David Moyes has talked about his disappointment in the in the transfer market but you know jack greelish i know you're saying god and all that but he's got a point to prove he hasn't played well the last couple of seasons he had you know he hasn't played the games he hasn't been a regular starter at manchester city the season previous to that he was he was he was brilliant you know are everton going to get uh jack greelish um the player

who was at aston villa and and his brilliance decided games i don't i don't know he's 29 you know He may feel he has a point to prove And if they get Jack Grealish and his pomp, then that is a great piece of business. If you look back at David Moyes, took Jesse Lingard, didn't he? Yeah. To West Ham and turned, you know,

his sort of career turned around in a positive way. Dewsbury Hall's gone in there. I think he played as a number 10 at the weekend. Here's a player who has a point to prove. I wasn't given Everton a kicking there. It's just where they are, where they are at. you know at this moment in time so I think on the face of it

it does look like a good piece of business but which version of Jack Grealish are Everton going to get that would be my worry you could make an argument Rory that Jack Greelish didn't really have an opportunity to show what he could do

last season in particular but even the previous season was difficult yeah I think Guadiola said didn't he that for two years he's not really had the minutes that he would have wanted or that he kind of needed You started seven league games for City last season. Yeah, and he had options to go. I think he had an offer from Turkey, one of the Istanbul bid three.

I don't know which one. And I think there's been an offer on the table from Napoli as well. I'm not quite sure what Antonio Conte would have made of Jack Grealish. That maybe is probably the sort of thing we don't need to find out. I think this is an amazing transfer for everybody. I think that the Premier League is better when you have kind of those maverick talents at clubs who will build teams around them. I think the idea of Jack Grealish,

Everton won't have any problem filling what I think we have to call the Hill Dickinson. I think that might be the name. It's not that catchy, Bramie Moore Dock. They won't have any problem filling it because Evertonian is desperate to go to the new stadium. It'll be a big thing. But if they were to have a problem filling it, chappas,

which they won't, then Jack Grealish would help because he is a player that you will go and watch. Because although he maybe isn't the most reliable all of the time, he gets you on the edge of your seat, and it's better for there to be players like that at as many clubs as possible. So I think it's great for him, it's great for Everton,

it's good for City, it just works. I am excited to see what Jack Grealish does in an Everton shirt. Totally agree. Yeah, I think he's a player, like you say, he's got a point to prove.

And, you know, I think one thing you can see from Jack Grealish is that he, you know, he maintains high level of fitness. He's got a lot of intrinsic motivation. And I just think, you know, maybe it just didn't work out for him.

But you can't forget what he achieved at Manchester City as well, especially in the second year he was there. He played a massive role. rolling in the treble. Obviously last season fell out of favour and he's got a superb opportunity now to galvanise his career

and I think under the stewardship of David Moyes I think that's key as well. Will he get his freedom back? Rory you were one who sort of seemed to think that you would have thought he would would have stifled him a bit a little bit like Braveheart took away his freedom? I hadn't necessarily made the Braveheart parallel

but I'm prepared to go with it Chris I've got to admit. Yeah, I think he will. I think Moise will will give him licence to play as he wants to play as he should play and he won't be a player who means that Everton

he won't make the difference in every game but there'll be matches that Jack Greelish is able to dominate that he is able to kind of express himself in a way that he couldn't as City. I think that there are, this isn't get me in trouble with Everton but I think sometimes there are players who are best when they are the star player

even if it means dropping down a level and currently in current football Manchester City occupy a higher like strata of the Premier League than Everton do and I think for Greelish to have chance to be that kind of central figure that main character I think he thrives on that

I mean going down a route that's probably will be a half-hour debate or more really but is that because the system at City doesn't allow for an out-and-out star because of how they're

expected to play. So as Chris says if you give an individual license to not necessarily do what they want, but you know, go for it a bit, have a bit of freedom. Does that encourage the star player? Yeah, I mean the city, the system is the

star. The coach is the star at Manchester City. It's Pep Guardiola. It's all about kind of his vision being played out on a pitch. And I think weirdly with Greelish, it felt as though he was not given license to do the things that maybe Savino was given the license to do or even Docu. They were allowed to carry the ball and to dribble,

whereas it always seemed like Greelish was playing somehow inhibited, and I don't know whether that was a confidence issue for him. You think that was all pep, though, and that's like you're saying, and then it maybe became, sort of got in his head a little bit, and became a confidence thing. And he, as I said, if he had that one brilliant season at Sydney, I think the first season that he didn't really establish himself, second season he did.

And if it's Jack Greelish, you know, from, when he, at the end of Aston Villa, Everton have won a watch, haven't they? But you just don't quite know, as he, 29, whatever he is, whether he will still have that motivation, if he does have. I mentioned Jesse Lingard. I think that's, you know, it's quite a good comparison. When he went to West Ham, people were thinking, well, you know,

he's not going to perform, he did. And David Moore's a really smart piece of business. Dewsbury Hall, another one. I think Greedish will probably play off the left. That at Dewsbury Hall will play in behind the frontman, whether it's a Beto, or they sign the boy from a Villaryreale. didn't they? And Jai, who played off the left last season, will probably go to the right-hand side because he can play both sides.

So I think if you're an Everton fan, you're quite like that, but you're still unsure about, you know, Dewsbury Hall and Greilish and whether they're going to hit that level. Well, definitely have the motivation, again, going back to the Mark Gaye conversation in the World Cup year. That's it, exactly, and, you know, put himself in the, under the eyes of Thomas Tuchel as well. And I just think with Everton, the transition into the new stadium as well.

I think they don't want to go sort of too hard too soon. I think Rory is spot on with the way that Grealish operates well as the Maverick, and I think Everton have always operated with a type of maverick in their team. And I think they're finding that balance and kind of easing the kind of emotion, moving away from Goodersen Park into the new stadium. I think Grealish will be one of the guys, like Rory said, that gets the fans off their feet. And I think Grealish will absolutely love the Everton fans

because of the noise that they make, and especially inside the new stadium, I think it's a brilliant move for both club and playing. We are back with the Fantasy 606 podcast. Whoa, well, Chris, I've got to stop you there. We have changed our name this season to the FPL podcast from BBC Sports. All you need to do is search for FPL, and if you already subscribe to our podcast, you don't need to do anything at all. Chris, have a guess what the code to join the BBC Sport League is. Was it 5E?

It's BBC FPL. Oh, yeah. Come and play the game with us as we continue to teach Chris about fantasy Premier League. The FPL podcast from BBC Sports. Listen on BBC Sounds. This is the Monday Nightclub with Mark Chapman. On the Football Daily podcast. Rory Smith, Chris Sutton and Izzy Christensen with us on the Monday Night Club.

We are going to talk Brighton next. Delighted to say there, head coach Fabian Hurtzler. joins us live and judging by what I can see on the screen. Are you still at work, Fabian? I'm still at work, yeah. Still in the office. So what? Right, behind you, what's that?

Is that the calendar behind your head? Have you got all the... It's a calendar and the reminder for all the birthdays from my staff and players. Yeah, I didn't know that. How are you feeling personally going into your second season? What do you feel you learned from your first season? So far, I think it was an incredible experience. The Premier League is a very demanding environment, but also extremely rewarding.

I've learned a lot both as a coach and as a person. And of course, there were challenges, adapting to the intensity of the league, managing expectations, dealing with setbacks. But for me, that's part of the job. And I see every challenge is an opportunity to grow. I'm very proud of the way the team developed throughout the season. The players, they show a lot of effort. They give everything.

I'm very grateful to do my staff for their dedication and the hard work they have done behind the scenes. And there were definitely some moments to remember, like important wins, great performances, and especially the support from our fans, what always means a lot for us and for me. And now it's about building on what we've learned, improving in key areas, preparing for for the next season so there's still a lot of work to do but we are all very excited

about what lies ahead. Is there anything that took you by surprise? Once the season finished and you sort of reflect as you actually thought, God, I wasn't prepared for that. I go back to Ruben Ambrim, not long after he took over at Manchester United and along the lines of, oh my God, not another pre-match, post-match interview.

Was there anything similar that you found over the course of the season? So, of all, I think the media is quite similar like in Germany so I could deal with this quite well I think that the most thing that surprised me is the quality from from the players the quality from from the other coaches they all the clear style of play was always a very very high challenge to prepare your own team and then bringing the consistency on the pitch or the consistency in the results and performances there was one thing where we had a little bit of lack of that was the thing

that I would say surprised me the most. How much were the experienced players in your squad vital to what you did last season and indeed going forward this season? Milner and Welbeck and Lewis Duncan into their 30s. You know, we always look at bright young things in the Premier League,

but you can't underestimate the importance of those experienced players that you have, I'm guessing. They are key players for me. So not only on the pitch, also beside the pitch, especially with their experience, especially to help the young players giving and understanding what it means to play in the Premier League. So we have Louis Tang played a lot of games. We have James Miller, we have Danny Welbeck.

They all play the high amount of games and they all can share their experience. They all are all more on the pitch and beside the pitch. They all can give their experience to the young players. And I think that's something what we should never underestimate that these leaders are so important for a club like Brighton. Beside their leaders, they're also great players. So especially Danny Welbeck, short of great season, he scored, I think, the most scores he ever scored in the Premier League. He played the most games he ever played.

So it doesn't mean that all they get, that you get more tired. I think that he is like an old red wine that all they get, and I think he proved it last season. So overall, I always have like clear categories. I have like the leaders, the all experienced players. I have like the team players and then the individual creativity players and I think you need to have a good mix

and we have it at the moment here in Brian. Sorry, can I just ask one final question? And it's to do with Danny Welbeck as well. What you actually had, you've got a squad where you spread your goals around, don't you, Fabian. It's not necessarily here is our out-and-out goal scorer. And if two, three or four players

can each contribute 10 or so, that's, is that your, you know, are you happy with that? Of course, I'm also happy with a player who scores like 20, 20, 20 goals. I think the more players can score goals, the more unpredictable you are as a team. And definitely we showed in last season that we can score out of every phase.

So, I mean, it's a set piece. It's out of possession and transition moment. No matter it's having the ball, controlling the opponent in possession, we are able to score out of every phase of the game and therefore we have a lot of players who can score goals and that helps many

games for sure. Fabian, losing Drow Pedro must have been a bit of a blow and we all know the Brighton model and the analytics and what have you. Do you get a say in the signing

and who you can bring into the club? Yeah. So to replace the likes of, you know, Joe Pedro. It's always a togetherness and I really appreciate the work with Tony, with Boba, with David Weir because I think we really have a good communication, we listen to each other. Of course we have a different model to approach players, to recruit players. It's very data-based recruitment, but in the end it's always a decision we do together.

So of course, first of all, there are the data, but then it's about the profile from the player, then it's about the character from the player and we do a lot of research regarding the character side from the players then we do a lot of work to see the players playing how they behave under pressure how they ask for the ball when

they're under pressure how they react on setback so it's not only about the data for sure data is one thing and it's a big thing here but then it's also getting understanding for the character getting understanding of the profile from the player does he fit into the locker room is he integrating

quite fast can he integrate quite fast into the local room and I think these are things we also take a lot of care and therefore it's always a togetherness always a decision we do together and that's something what I really appreciate. Fabian when you arrived in the Premier League you must have had a well you probably have a vision as a coach of how you want to see your team playing and how you want to progress through the seasons how much has last season affected your pre-season preparation for the coming season based on what you experienced in the league last season? I think you always do a re-analysis, a reflection from the last season.

We analysed everything, what was good, what was bad. I think on the consistency we have to work, like I said, we had a phase where we had a lot of winnings in a row. we had a phase where we're not able to win for seven, eight games. So it was a lack of consistency, a lack of performance. There was one thing what we tried to work on. And then for sure you go through all the chance you could see the goals you concede, where we have to work on.

So it's a lot of analyses you do during the summer break. And then you try to come back and work on these things where we have to improve. But I think the most important to find a balance. Of course, we want to improve the things. We need to improve, but on the other side, it's also don't lose the things, what makes you strong. And we were really strong in possession. We were really good in dominating the opponent. We had some really nice plays, and we don't want to lose our identity.

And our identity will be always be very active in possession, try to control the opponent in possession, but be very intense out of possession. And we showed a lot of great things last season, but we know there's still some things to improve. so definitely the last season had an impact and an effect on the preseason, for sure. Do you do that analysis before you go away for a summer holiday or is it when you come back? Yeah, it's always before because then hopefully you can switch off. Otherwise, I would never switch off

because then I always have to analyze in my mind. So we do it immediately after we finish the season. We were sitting together with the analysts. We were sitting together with us. as a coaching team together with the person who were responsible for the club so for me

there was always a cent it's like of course there's a break but in the break the real work starts for a head coach and that's how I see my approach Did you find that helpful

did you find that you could switch off because you'd kind of done that stuff did you find that you were kind of sitting on a sun lounger somewhere and thinking oh I know what to do about the corners did you put your phone away? Yeah it's helpful of course

like I tried to switch off in some moments but honestly it's it's quite challenging to really switch off. Of course, you always have like ongoing ideas in your head, ongoing processes. You want to stay in touch also with your staff members. You want to stay in touch with the players, what they're doing. And I think that that's an ongoing process. Of course, there's also, there are also times where you switch off your mobile phone where, especially me, I can really relax in the mountains. That's one of my places where I can calm down.

And there were also moments where I enjoy just being on my own with my friends and my friends. Do you find that you're kind of looking out of this beautiful mountain vista and actually secretly thinking about Danny Welbeck's positioning? I have to disappoint Danny Welbe. When I was looking to the mountains, I focused on the mountains and the pure purity of the nature. But on a similar theme, how are you after a game then? I mean, are you able, let's say you've played Saturday at 3 o'clock,

Are you able, you know, by the time it gets to 9 o'clock on a Saturday night or whatever, to park it? Depends on the game, honestly. I'm not a good loser. I'm honest. I'm not a good loser. So when we lose, I have to think a lot about the game. The night is quite short. So you're thinking about your decision making.

You're thinking like what we can improve. When you win, you might have a nice night out with your friends, with your family. then it's quite more enjoyable but honestly it depends on how we play it depends on how the game is going it depends when it's the next game so it really

changes through the season but I try to switch off your pre-season I would argue is quite unusual isn't it compared to quite a lot of Premier League clubs I think six of your eight friendlies have been behind closed doors haven't they you had a 10-day

private training camp as well Is that your choice? Is it club choice? Is it a bit of both? Because that's quite private, isn't it? I think it's important that the players feel they can be their own also pre-season. So for me, we can use the pre-season to build a team chemistry. And it's a very important thing for me to create the social bond within the team.

And you can't create a social bond if you know you get always observed by the media, by supporters, by fans, by different. people. So therefore, I'm a big fan of building this social bond, new players coming in, we need to integrate them, and therefore we also need to spend time together and spend time in a very trustful environment. And I think that's what I want to give to my players. There are no secrets behind the things we are doing. But I'm a big fan of this team chemistry and I think you can build it better and players behave more in their natural way if they know There's nothing what they get charged for in the media or from others.

How, I mean, you've brought six players in so far this summer. You've got some really young talent that you've brought in. How difficult or how long is it to integrate, would you say, some of those young talent? Is it a fairly lengthy process? It's a process for sure. It's not going from one day to another. It depends also on the different characters from the players. So not every character is the same.

Not every player is the same. So you really have to take care of the individual demands and needs from the new players coming in. Some players are more open-minded. They step into a room and they try to communicate with everyone. Some players are more shy. So you need to get an understanding. I think we saw it last season. There were some players, for example, like Minté, they came, they immediately played.

They immediately integrated into. group and then there were some players who needed more time to adapt and I think that's our responsibility to give them the right environment that's our responsibility to give them the time they need to adapt and in the end I always say the football language is everywhere the same language so really try to take care that they understand our style of play that they can show their their potential on the pitch and then we need to give them time to integrate as quick as possible but like I said we used the pre-season in a quite effective way to bring them together so that they can spend time together, not only on the pitch,

also beside the pitch, to really build this team chemistry. And I saw that the new players had quite nice integration into the team. And I think all leaders really help with these kind of things. What does success look like for Brighton this season in your view? That's a good question. Of course, we are a club of high expectations. We always try to be very ambitious. The owner has high expectations on us.

But I think that's also how we want to be seen, not only as a nice club, but a nice reputation. We also want to be successful. And, of course, we have internal goals we want to reach. And on the other side, we know that we really have to focus on the individual development from the players. So if we improve the individual players,

I'm sure that the whole crew, will get better when the interval to players improve and that's what we showed last season. So we built quite a strong foundation in the last season and now it's about improving details. It's about making the next step for the players who already played for one season. So for example, yes, it's very important that they make the next step. So we have high expectations on them and I think they also have high expectations on themselves. They want to do the next step and then we can grow with a team. we can grow as a club

and then I'm quite sure that we can play a season to remember. Do you spend a lot of time worrying over the next couple of weeks that... Worrying. Worrying that clubs... No, are you not worried

that the clubs will circle any more of your players? No, no chance. So I don't feel fear, I'm honest, like I'm not afraid of anything because the only thing we can do is like be the best version we can be every day, like work as hard as we can.

All the other things we can't influence. We really have to focus on us. We really have to focus on our values. And if you give the best effort you can give every day, if you try to be the best version, you can be every day, no matter if it's a tough moment, no matter it's a player, no matter it's the head coach, then I'm sure that we have big potential,

then I'm sure and very convinced that we can play a big season. And for sure, we can't spend the money like the big teams, but one of our biggest values together, is. And if we stay together, and if we try to push our limits, if we try to increase the boundaries, then I'm sure that we can compete with the big teams. But what Mark said there, is it not only natural, you have to sell Joe Pedro, you know, a really influential player in your team? And you talk about, you talked a minute ago about, you know, wanting to be successful. But if you, you know, if you.

lose key players, it's only natural to be frustrated if you don't feel that you have that sort of adequate replacement. I understand the model, but you want success as well. So it's not easy marrying those two things together, is it? It's not easy, but we proved in last season that we're also a very competitive team without Shao Pedro. For sure, Shao Pedro is an unbelievable player. we can't replace him with one player but we can replace him as a team and that's our focus we don't talk about problems of course we can talk about problems about selling the best players about selling and purposes to be young but it's about finding solutions and we are a club we always find solutions and i'm sure also in the future we will find solutions that's our model we have to

accept it i think also that the club proved that we are not only selling players there were big offers for other players in this summer and in winter. There were big offers for Mitoma. There were big offers for other players and we proved that we're not selling every player. So I think we also have to see these kind of things. Of course there were

some big players who left the club with Pervis with Chihuahoua but like I said there are new players who are coming into the club and with the preparedness we have with the team chemistry we have. We can we can compete with the big teams

and we can compete with teams who might be individually better than us. Fabian, what time do you leave the office then? Let's see when we are finished. When we're done, then you're off, are you? I think there will be one point, yeah, where I have to go home. Fabian, you need the last person there?

I think when I leave some of the securities might be here, so I always say goodbye to them and they're also the first persons I met in the morning. So, yeah, I have a good relationship with them. So they're the last man standing with me. What time are you in in the morning? Quite early.

I try to have like a routine. So most of the times I try to be there around 6.30, going into the gym with other staff members, having a good gym session, and then getting ready for the day. So that's my routine in the morning. Listen, thank you very much for giving us your time. Go well this season. Hopefully we'll talk again during the day.

season. Really appreciated Fabian. Thank you. Enjoy you winning. Bye-bye. Thank you. Fabian Hursler with us on the Monday nightclub, is he? Has he gone? Yeah. Why, what were you going to say about? No, no, no. It's just when somebody is still on the call

but you're phrasing them, it's a bit awkward for them, isn't it? Well, it's not as awkward as if you're about to hammer them. Definitely not. Definitely not. Always at the end of the show. Has Chris left? Yes, he has. Right. Thank you. We'll talk on the way up to the car, chapter. Well, he's an incredibly impressive guy. You know, I love the philosophy. And one thing I wish I'd asked him about was that the running stats of Brighton last season were through the roof.

I think it was 80% of the games that they played, they outran the opponent. And I think that says a lot. And I think that is one of his non-negotiables. Remember listening to him when he arrived at Brighton last season. He wanted to be the hardest working team in the Premier League. And, you know, when you bring in new players, you integrate them. You have to be really careful, you know, how much you put them through to. early if you are going to be that team that's going to be

absolutely physically dominant but it's a key part of how he wants this team to look it's a key part of how they compete and yeah excited to see them play this season one of the things I thought was quite interesting he said there Rory was the talking about consistency where they would go on a run

of winning six or seven but would then go on a run of losing five or six and maybe if they get that consistency a bit more then that European football will come their way Yeah, I don't know how much that's, it's related to an extent to the kind of the fixtures as they fall, that I've not looked at in kind of which order Brighton play everybody,

but if, you know, if they have a run of some of the traditional bid six or whatever, particularly away from home, their form will dip, they will get fewer points. But the thing about Herzl's Brighton, certainly, and kind of deserbies before that and potters before that, is that they tend to go to Anfield and the Etter had and the Emirates and those stadiums and give the traditional big boys a game. They will always, as is he said, they will fight, they will run, but they can play too. And there will be a point, I think, where if they can keep hold of, I mean, the great unspoken there was Carlos Belabor, wasn't it? That's the one that might still be an outgoing, I suppose.

But if they can keep hold of enough of the core squad, add to it well, well enough, you feel as though they should be able to kind of just tweak it a bit so that instead of having a run, like you say, of seven really good games, then five really poor ones, it's suddenly eight. and four or nine and three and that's when you're competing for European football and I do wonder kind of at the hierarchy of Brighton whether seeing Newcastle in the Carrabah Cup, seeing Palace obviously with the rivalry there

the heated M23 rivalry whether seeing Palace kind of get into Europe even if it's not necessarily the competition. You upset people with that. I know people get very cross about that rivalry. Even seen like Forest and Villa and Newcastle competing for fourth, fifth and

whether there is a bit of extra pressure on Brighton, whether they may be thinking actually we should be able to push that little bit further. It's maybe not enough for them to get a creditable top 10 finish anymore. Maybe they should be setting their sights just that little bit higher. I think it's so hard for Hertzza

with the model which they have and I know he sort of has to say it but if you keep losing key players year in and year out have you got a sufficient replacement and that's that's the difficulty and they always keep showing that they have yeah yeah but but then it's like rory says i do i don't often agree with him but then what is

you know how do you define success is it is it keeps at the you know ninth 10th place or whatever is that is that enough seller player models good analytics are good we'll get another one in we'll develop is that enough i don't i don't i don't know you know maybe you know it's interesting Tony Bloom is put money into hearts and he's talked about hearts I think in the next 10 years winning the top flight in Scotland should it not be the same with Brighton, I'm going to win the Premier League. Are you trying to get one of us to say something disparaging about Scottish football?

No, no, no, I'm not. It sounds like you are. No, no, but it's the same. It's all about analytics and the principle. But, you know, while hearts are the third biggest club in Scotland, where am I going with this? But Brighton, the expectation, you know, must be at some stage, you know, for Brighton to win a cup

or, you know, something along those lines, to do better than what they are doing. And yet they're still successful. So I'm not actually knocking the club. But, you know, if you're a Brighton fan, you want to see a league cup, an FA Cup, or something as a bit of a reward? I think as much as Chris has just been interested in me in additive.

I think there is kind of a point there, which is that Brighton have been in the Premier League for a while now and you could see in those early years there was real growth so they would lose three or four players they'd add five or six and the squad got stronger but it does feel in the last maybe two years, maybe three they've kind of levelled out a bit and I think the problem they have is that maybe to make that

leap up to the next level where you're suddenly kind of competing consistently for say fifth place is either 300 million quid or you really have to kind of get every single transfer right, not just kind of they fit in well, but this has clearly been kind of a stroke of genius from the data and all the analysis

that goes into it. And I guess that we shouldn't lose sight of the success that Brighton are having and have had, because we said this about Palace, that this is the best time in Palace's history. This is also the best time in Brighton's history. You know, they are an established top 10 Premier League team. That has not been the case before.

It's just that they're at that level where the next step is incredibly hard. But do you think the next step could have already arrived at Brighton had they kept hold of the likes of Caycedo? The players that they've sold for a lot of money. If and Yao Pedro this season obviously he's gone to

Chelsea but if he was still at Brighton for the next season and they still had Caesado just hypothetically speaking would that have them been the squad that then went on to get Brighton over the line with a domestic trophy for example? Yes. I think that's probably right. Yeah. If you put

Caiado and Joe Pedro into this Brighton team they they would challenge for trophies but I think the difficulty and this has been an issue at Newcastle to get those players they need to know you'll sell them that's the reality of it if you go to it

if Brighton's pitch is come and help us grow and you'll stay here for X number of years and we're going to win a trophy the players might think that you're not my destination you're not the club that I dreamed of playing for I need to know there's a way out

and I think one of the things that a certain class of teams and they tend to be sort of more traditionally large than Brighton have really struggled with is having the ability to say to players we understand that

for you we're a stepping stone so why don't we grow together and then when the time is right and the money's right you'll go so I think if they kept Caicedo it maybe doesn't marry up entirely but if you keep Caesado

maybe you can't San Joie Pedro because he's looking at you thinking nope not going there I want to end up playing for Chelsea I don't want to end up playing for Brighton yeah he did say they're not back bids I think for Mitoma as well but is there a point

is there a point where if you're a Brighton fan And, you know, you're pleased with the way things are gone in recent seasons. But is there a point where you think, come on, we've got to, why can't we make that next step in terms of ambition? Chris, it's the, it's not, it's not even started. And we are invoking the first mention of Alan Kerbishly and Charlton. This is a personal best. Never dream for anything more. Never aim for the stars.

Yeah, probably. There is probably a point where if Brighton spend, you know, the next five years finishing eight, maybe there will be fans who think, look, we need to kind of take a different approach. approach here to try and kick on. But at the moment, I think they remember where they came from, they remember what they were, and they know exactly what Tony Bloom and Star Lizard and James Tan Analytics and all the data side of it has done for them.

Nice to have you back and positive, Chris. Thank you very much. Thank you, Rory. Thank you, Izzy as well. That's it for the Monday Night Club. If you missed any of the show, you can watch it back on the Eichler.