Hurzeler: Brighton Can Win Conference League After Upsetting Establishment

Fabian Hurzeler says Brighton are ready to win trophies after upsetting the Premier League's establishment

Fabian Hurzeler has challenged his Brighton squad to turn their top-flight progress into silverware as they prepare for only their second European campaign. The Seagulls will compete in the Conference League next month, and the head coach believes they can go all the way.

Competition: UEFA Conference League
Head coach: Fabian Hurzeler, in his third season at Brighton
Recent finishes: Two consecutive eighth-placed Premier League finishes
Summer signings: 11 players arrived, including £50m centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham
Key departures: Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke, Danny Welbeck, James Milner
Next match: Coventry vs Brighton, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports

What was said

"Last season we did it, maybe not through the whole season, but definitely we had a lot of great achievements."
— Fabian Hurzeler, on challenging the establishment

"It definitely won't change. I want to be a winner, I want to win things for Brighton, I want to achieve together with the fans something special."
— Hurzeler, on his touchline passion

"We have high expectations of ourselves. We want to play a season the fans will always remember, but we have to see as a club that we are capable of playing a lot of games in a very successful way."
— Hurzeler, on the Conference League challenge

"We always [talk] of making the next step, growing as a club, and therefore we have to show now that we are capable of being successful and achieving things without losing our style and intensity."
— Hurzeler, on balancing success and identity

"I want to be myself, I don't want to play a role, and my age definitely helps regarding understanding the players."
— Hurzeler, on his youth as an advantage

"I always say I speak their language and I understand their thoughts, because it wasn't that long ago when I played. I didn't play on their level, but I understand their feelings, their thoughts, maybe their doubts, their fears, what every player has."
— Hurzeler, on connecting with his squad

"It's now our responsibility to really integrate these new players. They are here for a reason, and we proved in the past that we have one of the best recruitment systems in the world, so they have potential and they will show this potential."
— Hurzeler, on the summer signings

"I can say that I'm a better manager now than I was before, but not only because I reflect on my mistakes; I reflect on my decisions, I reflect on my progress and my development. I have great staff around me, I have great experts, great support from all of my staff members and I have great support from my team and great personalities."
— Hurzeler, on his personal growth

"I'm not going home and blaming others. If we lose, it's my responsibility, and I reflect on my decisions, I reflect on the training week, so I really try to get better after every game, and that's how I do it."
— Hurzeler, on taking responsibility

"In the Premier League you need to have reliability, in the Premier League you need to be really good in the small matches."
— Hurzeler, on the lesson from last season's slump

"I see my future here, and that's why I extended the contract, because when I started here, it felt like I got integrated into a family. You don't leave your family, you want to achieve something with the family, you want to make the next step, you want to grow as a club, and therefore I want to be part of it."
— Hurzeler, on signing a new three-year deal in May

"I still feel that the journey is not over, I still feel we are in the middle of a journey and we can achieve great things. I have this belief and now we have to show it."
— Hurzeler, on the future

Hurzeler's words reveal a manager who has moved beyond mere survival. He no longer talks about establishing Brighton as a Premier League club; he talks about winning trophies. The Conference League is the obvious opportunity, and he knows it. He also knows that the club's model — buy young, develop, sell high — only works if the integration is seamless. The £50m arrival of Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham is the latest test of that system.

His admission that he is "a better manager now" is significant. Two seasons ago he was a surprise appointment from St Pauli, known more for his touchline bans than his tactics. Now he speaks with the authority of a coach who has faced Pep Guardiola, beaten Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, and survived a 13-game slump that would have broken many. His decision to stay, signing a new three-year contract in May, signals that he believes the project is still ascending.

The numbers

League position: Eighth in each of Hurzeler's two seasons
Current season (after three games): One win, one draw, one defeat
Big chances created: 15 (most in the Premier League)
Expected goals (xG): 7.4 (highest in the league)
Shots faced: 33 (only Arsenal with 24 and Manchester City with 26 have faced fewer)
Squad age: Fourth-youngest in the Premier League
Summer arrivals: 11 players
Luka Vuskovic fee: £50m from Tottenham

Deal details: Vuskovic arrival

Brighton completed the signing of centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham for a fee of £50m. The 18-year-old has already been described as a smart buy and is expected to integrate into a young defence. The deal fits Brighton's recruitment model of investing in high-potential players.

Departures and squad overhaul

Eleven players arrived at the Amex this summer, while several established figures left. Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke, Danny Welbeck and James Milner have all departed. Their exits have lowered the average age of the squad, which is now the fourth-youngest in the Premier League. Hurzeler sees his own relative youth as an asset in managing this group. "I speak their language," he said.

Why Hurzeler's youth is Brighton's secret weapon

Brighton's squad is packed with young talent, many of whom are adjusting to the Premier League for the first time. Fabian Hurzeler is only 32, making him one of the youngest managers in the league. That proximity in age to his players allows him to communicate in a way that older managers cannot. He understands their doubts and fears because he experienced similar emotions not long ago as a player. This is not just a nice story; it is a tactical advantage. Young players need clarity and empathy. Hurzeler provides both. His track record at St Pauli, where he collected seven yellow cards before February, shows he is not afraid to fight for his team. That passion translates into a dressing room that trusts him. The data backs up his approach. Brighton have created the most big chances (15) and have the highest xG (7.4) in the Premier League this season. They have also restricted opponents to just 33 shots, a testament to their organised pressing. The results will come if they maintain this level. But the challenge is consistency. Last season's 13-game slump, where they won just once, exposed a lack of reliability in smaller matches. Hurzeler has acknowledged this: "In the Premier League you need to be really good in the small matches." If Brighton can fix that, they will not just challenge the establishment — they will join it.

Talking points

Can Brighton realistically win the Conference League in their second-ever European campaign, or is Hurzeler setting expectations too high?
Is a £50m fee for an 18-year-old centre-back from Tottenham a masterstroke or a risk given Brighton's need for immediate defensive solidity?
Hurzeler says his age helps him understand players — but does his touchline passion cost Brighton points through bans and distractions?
With 11 new signings and four senior departures, has Brighton's squad become too inexperienced to handle a European and domestic double workload?

What happens next

Brighton travel to Coventry on Sunday for their next Premier League fixture, kicking off at 2pm live on Sky Sports. A win would maintain their promising start and build momentum ahead of the Conference League campaign, which begins next month. Hurzeler will also continue integrating his new signings, with Vuskovic expected to feature more prominently as the season progresses. The next few weeks will reveal whether Brighton can truly balance domestic and European commitments.

Frequently asked questions

What did Fabian Hurzeler say about Brighton's ambitions?

He said Brighton want to play a season fans will always remember and that they must prove they can be successful without losing their style and intensity.