Not much surprises Jason Steele as he prepares for his 16th season in English football, but he was stunned by Fabian Hurzeler’s first meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion’s players.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper is one of five members of Brighton’s first-team squad who are older than their 31-year-old manager, Hurzeler. “After the first day I went back home to my wife and said there is no way I am older than the boss, which is credit to him,” says Steele. “To be able to capture the room and have that aura and charisma… he has definitely got that.
“The moment he took his first meeting it was, ‘Wow, this guy is here and he is ready’. Everything about him screams boss and that is the biggest compliment I can give him — the respect we have had instantly for him.”
Hurzeler’s early weeks in charge of Brighton have provided an indication of the characteristics that the youngest-ever permanent head coach or manager in Premier League history will bring to the competition.
He has spoken about challenging the establishment and outperforming bigger clubs with greater resources. He did that at St Pauli, leading the Hamburg-based side with an average budget to the 2. Bundesliga title last season.
Youngest permanent PL managers
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