How Brighton challenge the establishment | Behind The Scenes 📹

Sky Sports Premier League

How Brighton challenge the establishment: behind the scenes at the training ground and club philosophy

This video goes inside Brighton's training ground and hears from the manager, nutritionist, performance staff, a player and the captain about data recruitment, character checks, modern management, recovery, nutrition, academy facilities and long-term goals. The takeaway is that Brighton aim to challenge the Premier League elite through data, culture, relationships and marginal gains, with steady progress towards Europe and trophies.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWPremierLeagueYT Jamie Redknapp travels to the south coast and goes behind the scenes at Brighton & Hove Albion. He takes a look at Brighton's state-of-the-art training facility and speaks to players, staff and managers who all contribute to the Premier League club's success on and off the pitch. 00:00 - Introduction 01:15 - Fabian Hurzeler 07:13 - Nutrition and facilities 15:40 - Player development and high performance 21:25 - Olivier Boscagli 27:05 - Lewis Dunk premierleague football brighton ► Premier League highlights: https://bit.ly/PL2627HL ► MNF, FNF, SNF & Super Sunday analysis: https://bit.ly/SkyMatchAnalysis ► Gary Neville Podcast: https://bit.ly/GaryNevillePodcast ► Saturday Social: https://bit.ly/SkySaturdaySocial ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsPL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage

Transcript

to be regularly in the top 10 of the Premier League, to be pushing for European competition. We also want to win a major trophy. That is our long-term vision. >> Coffee good? >> I just want to say I don't want to interrupt the the interview, but >> one of the best, right? >> You can come off. >> I've got a job as a barista. You know, >> different rooms with different treatments around it. Hot and cold, plunge, pool. Dorchester Hotel. >> So this is >> this >> this is a men's first team gym. >> The first time I see him, we had a a Zoom call >> and I was waiting for him to tell me how good I am and you know trying to >> seduce you. >> Yeah. And like okay, you want to come with me? >> But it was the opposite. I called my agent after the meeting. I say, oh who's this guy, >> man? What's this? >> How's that going? >> That's the game now, isn't it? from when I even when I started to now. Everything they look at, what you eat, where you move to, you follow, blood test, anything. >> We've seen it all this morning. >> Thank you for letting us come down and see exactly what you're doing here. But it feels like a great time for Brighton. >> Yeah, it was definitely a a good week, a positive week. Um these kind of wins they they lift the energy, they lift the mood and um then you step into the game against Arsenal. Special day for the club 125th anniversary. Very a lot of attention on on on this game and um then to perform like this of course was a was a great finish from uh from from a great week. But overall I think for me it's more important that we all understand why we had this week. And we had this week because we we were brilliant at the basics. We had this week because we all understood that it's about outworking, out running the opponent. We have this phrase, we want to be really really difficult to beat. And if you want to be difficult to beat, you have to be good in every phase of of of a modern football game. So every phase means set pieces. No matter if it's offensive or or defensive, you have to be in highest level. Then in possession, you can be also very annoying to play if you're good in possession because it's difficult to to get the ball. It's difficult to press us and then the third phase you have to be very very good out of possession and being being difficult to play out of possession is if if you are intense if you're intense as a team but also as a as an individual players what I mean individual players is individual actions how you press for me the most important in the pressing is like the last two three steps the last two three meters before you arrive at the opponent >> then when you are in a jewel for example how do you defend the given goal do you block him do you not block him really really like the the basic things really a thing players can can do every time no matter if you have a good day or bad day there are some non-negotiables you can do every day >> it's like a a thing in football people talk about the incredible data and and how you recruit players here but then also a lot of that then falls on you >> yeah I think we we are known for very data based recruitment very analytical recruitment a lot of scouting regarding numbers but what we shouldn't forget gets we do a lot of research about the character. >> Sure. >> So much research about how does the player react when he's under pressure, how does the player react >> when when he's not playing, how he's in the locker room. So so much research about the character. And I think uh you need to find good balance between scouting, recruiting the right player with with the right potential who fits the style of play but also who has like the right character. I think we we proved it over the last month and years now that um we have clarity how we how we want to play a football that we have clarity how we structure a club, how we want to run the football club. I think where so much alignment between the people above me, the people below me and then I'm in the middle and uh therefore I really feel that I'm part of something. >> I'm part of a of a family. I'm part of something where I can help to contribute, but I also know I'm just part of something. >> What does it look like um for a modern day manager? cuz I'm sure you my dad was a coach for over a thousand games and I remember >> as a kid him it was like bringing the if he lost he was in such a bad mood like my mom would say listen Jamie don't say anything stupid which I normally wouldn't my brother he used to put in his foot his foot in his mouth all the time >> but it was it was tough and I think he actually subconsciously put me off wanting to be a manager because like the natural progression from playing obviously is coaching but you had obviously 10 years of a jump start on people because you did your badges so early. I know you had it, you know, when you got injured and you own player. How how do you what is modern day management now? How much do you take home? How much are you looking at videos at 11 12:00 at night? What what does it look like for you? You're weak. >> So So first thing like I can 100% understand you're your dad. So when when I'm when I'm losing, I'm also really really bad loser and it's it's hard and very tough to speak to me afterwards. to answer the the second question. For me, it's about people's business. And it sounds a little bit old school. Um, but for me, it's really about connection, relationships with staff members, with with player. That's for me, it's connection over performance. And when you have the right connection, when you get the trust, when you get the belief from the players, from the staff members, then I think uh that's more valuable than than anything >> else. Um so, so therefore really try to to keep working hard on this. And in my opinion, like football didn't change. It's still about doing these basics, right? It's still about building a good relationship to to towards staff members, towards players. And of course, we grow up maybe in a new generation now with a lot of social media with a lot of distraction, with a lot of opportunities, not only for us, also for for players. But for me, it's always coming back to the basics. building the right connections and on the pitch doing the basic stuff winning your personal jewels doing counter pressing out work out run the opponent and of course of course >> doing things at the laptop analyzing games it's also part of my of my work and of course I also >> how do you switch off though >> or do you have do you not really have an off button if you go for dinner I got this question a lot for me it's like it's it's my passion it's my obsession I love I love coming into this building here I love coming to to I I wouldn't say work it's like doing my passion like I love watching football games it's really my passion obsession and there's nothing >> better where where I can see myself >> yeah so look thank you for your time and and also I hope the coffee good >> I just want to say I don't want to interrupt the the interview but >> one of the best right >> you can come more often >> I've got the job as a barista you know when when I get when I get the phone call from Sky no more you'll see me here >> you've got everything here this is >> to be an elite football. This is perfect. It is, Paul. So, your day, what does it look like? Are you sometimes like peeking over making sure nobody's eating unhealthy or or are you quite relaxed with them? I suppose they're so professional, the players now, aren't they? >> Yes. I mean, the main thing, I'm not the food police at all. No. And so, yeah, we have a very healthy relationship on on that aspect. What I like to think. >> So, my day is all about making sure all the supplements are all the players have their like supplementation strategies. So make sure in the changing room everything is set up and that all the fridges have you know enough fluid so they are hydrated all the time and then apart from that I'll just come in the morning with the chefs and make sure like everything is running smoothly. The day will change depending on what's the need like sometimes I'll be measuring body composition sometimes I'll be having oneto ones with some players that need extra support. when you said body composition. So you know be like a fat test making sure that some that's what we called it and we had we had we had a few that we had to be careful with. >> I think body composition is just like um another thing that we need to take care of but for me it's not the main important thing on nutrition. It's just like a number and if we need to work around certain things like for example improving muscle mass that's that's something that's really important. For example, a player that comes from another type of football from another league and they come to the Premier League and they definitely need to get like some muscle so they can withstand with the tackles during the game, right? So then the priority is not about oh you know you need to lose fat. That's always what is in their mind. It's about like gaining muscle. Gaining muscle might come with gaining a little bit of fat. >> So it's just like making players comfortable with with that process. >> How are you looking chef? >> Good. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, it's kicking off at 3:00. How many can I have of those before the game? >> Well, it it will depends on, you know, the weight of the player, things like that. But two or three with enough maple syrup and >> bananas like carbohydrates get this bad reputation because of all the information you find on social media. But then for actual like high performance, that's the nutrient that we are trying, you know, we're trying that the players eat enough. I was in that played for Liverpool in the 90s and they were the winning everything and they after training you used to come back to the ground and you had a choice of two things. You'd have a cheese toasty, >> okay, >> or a cheese and ham toasty and that was it. >> Morning Sophie. >> Good morning. How are you? >> You seem very busy in here. So obviously players come in straight away, come and see you, test the bloods. What What are you looking for? >> I do CK measurements, which is basically a marker of muscle damage. >> This is probably obviously for injury prevention, I guess, and making sure that each player doesn't load too much. And yeah, >> and so you're you're obviously the first port of call, but maybe almost the most important so the manager knows who he can work and who he can't. >> Yeah, exactly. I'll always feed back as soon as like I get all the data into our team and then they'll go up and speak to the manager. So, >> how you doing, mate? Good. >> Good to see you. Been all right. See you, too. Good mate. We have a little tour. >> Yeah, let's do it. >> It's been nice. Got some nice access. Spoke to the gaffer. >> Just seen where the players obviously come in in the mornings, get their bloods done. This is uh >> Yeah, super forward think. I love this here. This this message, challenge the establishment. >> So, this is essentially like our overarching mission at the football club on the men's side. And in fact, in Fabian's first ever press conference he did when he joined us, he he used that quote >> and it was something that we as a club were sort of working towards anyway, but this really became the statement. >> So this is obviously where the meetings and >> yeah tactics will take place. >> Exactly. So the players will have a meeting every morning before training. and Fabian will talk through the the training plan for the day and then depending on what day it is, depending on what day in the week it is. In the afternoons, the players will often have a series of other meetings, individual unit based meetings, some in here, some in some other spaces. But this really is part of the the start of the day, the 10:00 meeting. Everyone here, players and staff, this is our objectives for the day and let's crack on. So this is the main spa. Different rooms with different treatments around it. Hot and cold plunge pool. >> But a Dorchester Hotel. I mean, it can't be bad, can it? >> And really like the main purpose for this was obviously recovery first and foremost, >> but again that sense of togetherness. Like the options are the players go home and they relax at home or they come here and they just chill and they sit in a jacuzzi, hot tubs and just chat chat about life, chat about football and that's that's those bonds that we want to really try. >> So what you got? This is obviously a red light sauna. >> Yeah, we got >> you got steam room. What's this? What's this? >> Cold plunge pools there. The jacuzzi here. >> We've designed the building to be aspirational. Um the first team wing is quite distinct from the academy wing. the academy wing itself. You start at the end of the corridor as a as a very young boy or girl and you work your way through the corridor to the older age groups. Each stage that you go, there's a little bit more dressing rooms a little bit bigger. The facilities in that dressing room a little bit more significant. Um and then eventually you get to a point where if a professional contract is offered, you've got that opportunity to make the the crossover if you like to the under 21 group and then ultimately the first team. So every part of the building is designed to push people to be the best that they can be. >> So this is how this >> this is a men's first team gym. So we've actually got three gyms on the training grounds. One for the boys academy, one for the women's first team and girls academy, and then this is solely for the men's first team. So we've got our stadium pitch over there where our under 21s play. Yeah. And then this is predominantly the academy. The first team wing was on the other side of this. So this is the academy academy academy offices and classrooms there. And then we've got the dome here which the academy particularly use in the winter months. >> And then this is the paddle court. So this is where staff can come and have some time, >> connect, refresh, just enjoy each other's company. Everybody talks about Brighton and one one thing that always comes out is data, right? So when I think about data as a obviously I played football I understand it to a certain extent but what exactly is data and how do you then does Tony yourself how do you get a player by data? >> I think for us what data has allowed the club to do is um survey the market like internationally really quickly. So I understand where there is talented young players be it in South America be it in Africa. So to do that really quickly and then to identify which of those players might be right for Brighton. But that's just sort of one component of it. >> And the other components of as we discussed earlier sort of the recruitment element, selling the project, selling the city, helping them understand what coming to Brighton entails, what it would look like, how we can help them fulfill their potential. And then when they arrive here, that period of on boarding them and embedding them into a new country maybe or definitely a new league, these things are all part of the recruitment process. >> Sure. >> And we've we've we've tried to refine and just improve those incrementally over time and that's what it's allowed us to to have a pretty good success rate. everyone at the club and everyone at the training ground has a certain role to to do as part of a team. And so, yeah, the elite part of it is is really apt because we're in the Premier League. It's the toughest football league in the world. And we're up against some of the best teams and the best players in the world. And we have to be on top of our game. And literally every hour that we are here, the players, the staff just need to be maximizing what they can do um in their working environment. >> How you doing Mike? >> Hello mate. Nice to meet you. How are you? >> How are you? Good, thank you. >> Good to see you. Thank you for your time. >> No problem. >> So tell me your role here. >> Uh so it's head of player development and high performance. So essentially three things really. Um drive individual player development and that's holistically. So both on pitch and off pitch and the resource we put around that. Uh secondly is to help build a high performance culture with Mike and Fabian. >> Um you know and create an environment where people can thrive and and we maximize performance. And then the third one growing capability of staff and and um >> and and I suppose providing an environment where our players are supported by the best people really. I've had 30 years in pro rugby, 20 with the All Blacks. Uming and it was time for a change for me. >> Um yeah, look, I think what rugby does really well is individual player ownership. You know, they drive and own their programs and that's something we're trying to create here. And end of the day, it's how you work with people. It's connection first. You hear Fabian talk a lot about togetherness. It's one of our values. So, we've worked really hard on, you know, a really deep connection, players, staff, uh accountability, um and everybody getting that collective buy in. And so what's our identity? And then we've we've done a lot of work around our values and our standards, how we want to operate, how we want to turn up every day. And you got to be really consistent in those. We want to do things differently. That's clear in our vision, our identity. So they're the things that we're really tapping into. >> Yeah. I had a lot of injuries when I played, but I wish if I had my time now, like even getting like pre-activation and getting yourself ready before training is so important, isn't it? >> It didn't happen when I came here. >> Didn't happen. And I said, I want I want to change it really >> because for me this this period now is like you're getting mentally and physically prepared for the training. Also mentally, >> you know, we always do a video session and now they have time. I wanted to think about okay what do we train now it's what did I saw in the video so not only physically preparation also like mentally if you don't do it what do they do they in the locker room on their phone >> and then okay let's go the train you know so I think the mental side is also so so good >> because like this in my opinion like conscious learning works you see it you see it then you think about it you feel it outside and then we try to reflect it inside again afterwards that's for me like our learning work. >> I'm head of play performance team. So was a performance and medical department but we've combined that really into sort of one sort of aligned and collaborative department really. I think that's really important. >> I'm a player here. What would I need you for? How would you help make me an elite player at Brighton? >> I oversee a team of staff. So you've you know you've been here today with >> I saw getting bloods and >> yeah we've got a lot of specialists. So I my team's doctors um physios therapists performance coaches. So one of one of the coaches now um nutritionist performance data scientist. So we're a big team of staff that work to support the players in terms of the health, the preparation, the performance. >> So you say you at Man United. So who what managers do you work with there? >> Uh started in 20078. So um Sir Alex >> really was fortunate. Oh, amazing. Yeah, obviously >> he must have a couple of stories about how he was >> telling you what to do. Was he but but he would let you it felt like he was the sort of manager would let you do if he trusted you and let you do your thing. >> Huge trust in the staff and he you know he he really embraced that and you know forward facing to the players. He he backed his staff massively in terms of that. I think that was one of his his incredible strengths was that man management and and doing that. But my first so