The Right Choice to be next Brighton manager after shock Roberto De Zerbi exit will be revealed within 24hrs…
Another spiky-haired Italian and Kieran McKenna are two of the favourites to replace De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi leaving Brighton this summer has always been a distinct possibility, but the understated manner of the exit still came as a shock.
Announced via club statement the day before the Seagulls’ final day of the season against Manchester United, De Zerbi leaves after almost two seasons in Brighton.
He guided the club to sixth in the Premier League last season, before overseeing a run to the Europa League last 16 earlier this year.
As was the case when De Zerbi replaced Graham Potter, Brighton have always prided themselves on the thoroughness of their succession planning.
They will have their potential replacements meticulously planned, with a flurry of names already being discussed.
Here are five of the leading candidates and how they would fit it at the Amex.
Kieran McKenna
Kieran McKenna is going to be linked with virtually every major job that comes up until he eventually leaves Ipswich.
Having taken the Tractor Boys from League One to the Premier League in two seasons, the former Manchester United coach is among the highest-rated young managers in football.
But Brighton are known to hugely admire McKenna, whose bold attacking football, penchant for developing young talent and relative youth all align with their hugely-successful principles.
His preferred 4-2-3-1 formation aligns with the set-up De Zerbi has utilised throughout this season and he has helped significantly improve Brighton loanee Jeremy Sarmiento as part of his promotion squad.
McKenna has taken a largely unchanged side from the third tier to the first, with eight players starting both their promotion-sealing matches from League One and the Championship.
This ability to improve players will be hugely desirable to Tony Bloom and Brighton, who earned record profits this season thanks to their policy of signing and developing talented South American youngsters like Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
It had been assumed McKenna would want at least one season in the top flight with his Ipswich side, who speak about him with an almost god-like devotion, but watching Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United’s Premier League experiences this season may encourage the 38-year-old to seek more stable ground.
He has been linked with Manchester United in recent weeks, but there is every chance he would find the less-pressurised atmosphere at Brighton significantly more appealing.
Another day, another spiky-haired young Italian head coach. Francesco Farioli has only been in charge at Nice for a season, but he has taken the Ineos-owned side from ninth to fifth in Ligue 1.
Still just 35, Nice is the Italian’s first managerial job in a top-five league after two stints in Turkey with Fatih Karagumruk and Alanyaspor.
But he started his career as a goalkeeper coach having studied philosophy and sports science at university, joining De Zerbi at Benevento in 2017 and following him to Sassuolo the following year.
Farioli reportedly comes recommended by De Zerbi, but he is far more defensive than his compatriot.
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