- Wayne Rooney praises Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton impact
- Brighton secure Europa Conference League qualification despite defeat
- Albion finish eighth after final-day loss to Manchester United
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has praised Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hurzeler for guiding Brighton back into Europe despite the club enduring a difficult spell during the middle of the season.
Brighton secured UEFA Europa Conference League qualification on the final day of the Premier League campaign, finishing eighth despite suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Manchester United at the Amex Stadium.
Brighton seal European football despite final-day defeat
Speaking on Match of the Day, Rooney highlighted Hurzeler’s resilience during a period where Brighton’s season threatened to collapse.
“In their history, and that after a sticky period in the middle of the season, Fabian Hurzeler… yeah, it wasn’t him,” Rooney said.
“He has a run of one win in 13 games and again, get through that, I think they would take pressure on it.”
Brighton’s form dipped dramatically during the winter months, with injuries and defensive inconsistencies disrupting momentum after a strong start to Hurzeler’s first season in charge.
Questions were beginning to emerge around whether Brighton could sustain their push for Europe, especially after slipping down the table during a difficult run of results.
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Rooney highlights Brighton’s mid-season turnaround
However, Albion responded impressively in the closing weeks of the campaign, picking up crucial victories against Wolves and Liverpool to put themselves firmly back in contention heading into the final day.
Rooney believes that turnaround reflects positively on Hurzeler and his squad.
The Englishman said: “They had a great end to the season, picked up a lot of points and now they have got European football and a good chance to win it.”
The former England captain’s comments underline how impressive Brighton’s recovery has been under Hurzeler, who took over ahead of the 2024/25 campaign following Roberto De Zerbi’s departure.
At 31 years old, Hurzeler became the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history when Brighton appointed him, and despite periods of inconsistency, he has delivered European football in his second season on the south coast.
Brighton will now prepare for a return to continental competition next season, with the Conference League offering the club another opportunity to continue its remarkable rise under chairman Tony Bloom.
After navigating a difficult run that could easily have derailed their campaign, Hurzeler has guided Brighton back to the European stage.
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