Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Fabian Hürzeler has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Brighton and Hove Albion 4 – 0 Aston Villa
Sunday 23 August, Amex Stadium
Fabian Hürzeler — Brighton & Hove Albion (home)
12/12 · Identity level fed: Purpose
“I think we defended well. We had really good out of possession. The first minutes we struggled a little bit. Aston Villa had the ball a lot, they controlled the game, but then more and more we get the control of the game back. We scored some nice goals. Of course, the first goal a little bit of luck with Maxi, but afterwards we scored some nice goals. It helped us, it helped our game, it helped our intensity. And then, of course, the red card was a game changer as well. But overall, all the goals we scored were at 11 v 11, so that’s positive. In the second half we were quite serious, I would say. We had the ball, we controlled the game, we didn’t give away the ball too easy. We created some chances, so I think it was a quite mature performance.”
“I think that was definitely key, our intensity, winning personal duels to set the trap and then the right moment to step into it. It’s about the last step, it’s about how do we accelerate before we arrive at the opponent? I think these are the key details and I think that’s what the boys did really well today.”
“It’s always important. It’s always helpful to win games. But in the end, it was only one game now. It was a good start and now we have to understand why we had this kind of game, and now we have another big challenge ahead of us against Tromso on Thursday.”
“I think that was the message, to have a good balance between ball speed and also making the right decisions. We still had a few chances. Of course, we wanted to score, but in the end for us the clean sheet was very important. And that was good.”
“We were effective out of possession because we had some good ball wins, we won the second balls, and that was quite positive. But overall, I think it’s very important to understand that there was hard work against the ball, there was intensity in the one-against-one duels, making the last step in the right moment, try to go for the ball win. So we were there in the right moment. We had then also, I think, the luck that we get into a flow, and when you’re in a flow then a lot of things can happen, especially with our team because we just have this quality as well. But overall now we have to stay humble. We have to keep working hard because on Thursday we have the next challenge.”
“We need every player. I think that’s part of our identity, that’s part of Brighton, that we will get always young players and players full of potential, and it’s up to us to develop them. So let’s keep pushing them.”
“That’s now up to us to keep these standards. To keep this intensity. To understand why we had this victory. Because in the end, it’s about hard work, it’s about intensity, it’s about doing the basic things right. I think that was the key today and that’s why we set the standards high. That’s also what I said to the boys, and it’s about now always trying to go to your limits because otherwise we have no chance in the Premier League.”
Hürzeler wins four nil and spends the answer on standards. He is honest about the opening minutes, when Villa had the ball and controlled the game, and honest about the luck in the first goal and the effect of the red card, pointing out that all four goals came at eleven against eleven. He names what did the damage: intensity, duels won, the last step made at the right moment. Then he sets the price of staying there. Brighton have to stay humble, keep working and go to their limits, because otherwise they have no chance in this league.
Source: Brighton & Hove Albion official site, “Albion v Aston Villa reaction: Fabian Hurzeler delighted with 4-0 win” — brightonandhovealbion.com
Matchweek 2
Chelsea 4 – 3 Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunday 30 August, Stamford Bridge
Fabian Hürzeler – Brighton & Hove Albion (away)
12/12 · Identity level fed: Capability & Purpose
Frustrating part is that we controlled the game, scored three goals away and had lot of chances but we lost. We didn’t find the right balance between controlling the game and being good defensively. It was small margins and Chelsea had so much quality to punish us. Frustrating but a lot of positives to take away as well.
We came here to win the game and the boys showed that attitude even at 3-0 down. We will get stronger because of this game and we can make the next step in our development. We are usually brilliant in the basics. We will analyse it.
He had an impressive performance today. He showed attitude and personality at a tough place to go. In the end, we would have been more happy if we could take points away from this game. But it’s important to emphasise these kind of performances.
He had a small issue with his ankle. Hopefully he will be back next weekend. Let’s see what happens in the window.
Hürzeler loses after scoring three away goals and still gives his players a useful account of the afternoon. Brighton controlled long periods and kept their intent at three nil down, while the balance between control and defending, the small margins and the basics cost them. He names attitude and personality, says the team will become stronger through the game, and promises to analyse the details. The defeat stays narrow and the capability stays with the players.
Source: Brighton & Hove Albion club interview, source page
Matchweek 3
Brighton 1–1 Leeds United
Amex Stadium · Bogle 15′; Vušković 71′
Fabian Hürzeler (Brighton)
Source: BBC Match of the Day; Sussex Express; ESPN
Q: On the draw?
Every second phase, every second ball landed for a Leeds player. That’s what we changed in the second half, and we were a better team. We don’t need long to change a game. We had plenty of chances, but it’s all about fighting for the clean sheet and being better together. We had a lack of energy, lack of intensity, but showed another face in the second half and could have won the game. It has cost us energy to chase the game. We need to be at the highest level from the start and need to find solutions for that. Our start to the season can be better, can be worse. There were positives but also things to improve.
Q: What changed after the break?
We had more intensity, more energy, we won personal duels. We were sharp on the second ball. We understood that, first of all, it’s about doing the basics, right. Being physical, trying to outwork, outrun the opponent, that’s always the foundation of the game. And then we are good in possession. I think it’s important to understand that we saw it in the second half. We can change a game within two or three minutes. We don’t need a lot, we have this quality, but we need to understand we have to be consistent in outworking or outrunning the opponent.
Q: On Luka Vušković’s first goal?
What he has is the physicality to quickly adapt to the Premier League. But definitely we shouldn’t underestimate he’s a really, really young boy. For his young age, he plays very mature and he definitely adapts quick. He still has moments , similar to the whole team performance , where he switches off a little bit, moments where he’s not 100% into the game, moments where he also has a lack of experience, but this will come over time. He played his third Premier League match, he played against a striker who is so experienced. That’s definitely something he will learn from and the Premier League will educate him. We try to help, we try to give him support, and then he can be a top player.
10/12 · Identity level fed: Capability
Hürzeler is exact about the first-half problem and the team’s response. Brighton changed the match through greater energy, intensity, physical work and second-ball sharpness, and he reminds them that they have the quality to do that quickly. He is still quite critical. The lack of energy and intensity is not clearly made Other or Fleeting, and the collective criticism is not balanced by enough explicit team SQAs. His feedback to Vušković is stronger because the player’s maturity and physicality sit alongside the areas he will learn through experience.
Matchweek 4
Coventry City 0–5 Brighton & Hove Albion
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton & Hove Albion: 11/12
“We will always come with our togetherness.”
Hürzeler credits Brighton’s own work for the win, including Verbruggen’s saves, Dunk’s courage and the team’s balance. He recognises the effect of the red card while still showing the players how their qualities helped them succeed.
The praise is shared across the group, and togetherness gives them something to carry into the next match. However, enjoyment and humility leave the coaching lesson less clear. After a 5–0 win, there is room to identify a particular improvement while confidence is high.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 1
Source: Sky Sports interview, carried by BBC Sport
Matchweek 5
Brighton & Hove Albion 3–0 Arsenal
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton & Hove Albion: 12/12
“We need to have the belief to compete with the best teams in the league. I know what my players are capable of doing because I see it in the training session. I see how they are connected.”
“Everyone knows their role, everyone knows their job, and if someone is outplayed, the next one is there, so I think overall it’s just to go together and it’s in the team.”
“Pascal’s just a great connector and you can really trust him and the teammates can really trust him and he makes the players around him better.”
“After wins like this you need to stay humble. I think that’s the most important. Understand why we had this win and it’s doing the basic things right, is playing intense football, is sticking together.”
Hürzeler gives Brighton’s players repeated reasons to believe. Intensity, trust, connection, role clarity, depth and togetherness are all observable SQAs rather than empty praise. Pascal Groß is described as a connector who makes the players around him better, which strengthens both individual and team Identity.
Humility does not reduce the win. It protects it. Hürzeler asks the players to understand why they succeeded and to return to their foundations after the break. This is Good Winner* leadership at its clearest: celebration, credible confidence and repeatable behaviour.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 2
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Sunderland 0–2 Brighton and Hove Albion
Saturday 10 October 2026, Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton and Hove Albion: 12/12
Identity level: Capability and Purpose.
I have to praise my players. I think it was a different performance (to Arsenal) because we had different circumstances. We had to face different adversities, but overall the players reacted really well,
We showed that togetherness, and I think it was a deserved win. They really stick together, and they face adversity no matter how tough it is.
For us the table is not that important in this moment. For us, it’s very important that we talk about this belief in our quality and in our teammates,
I sound a little old school but there’s an old phrase, ‘defence wins championships’. We’re not speaking about championships, don’t get me wrong, but defence wins also games.
If we keep working hard for this and if everyone understands, ‘okay I need to work hard no matter if I’m a striker, a winger, offensive midfielder, I have responsibility, I need to take ownership to defend my own goal’. I think then you can have these kind of performances and that’s what my team did today.
They face adversity no matter how tough it is. Hürzeler calls the red card harsh and leaves it there, and he puts the rest on a group that sticks together whatever happens to them. The problem is small and temporary, the players are good and they’ll stay good, so both halves of the Elevate Formula are there in one answer. Brighton are third and he won’t talk about the table, so there’s nowhere for the attention to go but the next performance. The twelve comes from the Path. Striker, winger, offensive midfielder, every one of them owns the job of defending his own goal, and a winger can do something with that on Monday.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 2 · 12/12
Sources: Brighton & Hove Albion and Sussex Express.
Matchweek 7
Brighton and Hove Albion 5 – 0 Crystal Palace
Sunday 18 October 2026, 2pm, American Express Stadium.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton & Hove Albion
12/12. Identity level: Belonging and Purpose.
“It’s just a privilege to be part of this group.”
“The players are incredible. When they face adversity they are always there for each other. They challenge each other, but they also take care of each other.”
“I’m really pleased and happy for everyone who was part of this game today, for everyone who is part of this club.”
“I hope the fans can enjoy the night. It’s a much better feeling than a few months ago when we lost to Palace and that’s why I’m really happy for the supporters and for everyone who was involved.”
“We can enjoy it, but on the other side it’s also very important to stay humble and stay grounded because in football things can change quickly.”
“So we have to have this hunger inside of us to keep going and never be satisfied – to keep pushing.”
“That should be our identity – that we are never satisfied and keep going to get better and better.”
“I’m part of this journey and club and therefore you understand the history of the rivalry and meaning of the game. A few months ago [losing to Palace] we were in a different place and I said I’d keep pushing to get another opportunity to beat them, so I’m happy we did it today. It’s not a one-man show so I credit my players and my staff. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it.”
Five-nil in the derby and Hürzeler spends the answer crediting other people. They challenge each other, but they also take care of each other is the SQA, and it’s an observation about how the group behaves rather than a compliment about the win. When they face adversity they are always there for each other is a capability that is theirs, wide and lasting. Losing to Palace a few months ago is the problem, and he puts it firmly in the past. Both halves of the Elevate Formula. Then he names the Identity outright: never satisfied, keep going to get better. Stay humble and stay grounded is the Path, with tonight as the timing.
Sources: Brighton & Hove Albion and Sky Sports.
Matchweek 8
Liverpool 2 – 0 Brighton and Hove Albion
Sunday 25 October 2026, 2.00pm, Anfield.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton and Hove Albion
Score: 11/12. Identity level: Belonging and Capability.
Scored goals. As easy as that.
I think we started the game well we had a big chance we didn’t score then Liverpool scored after an easy mistake from us we made another easy mistake they scored again and I think there was just a difference in this game we had plenty of chances we had plenty of good moments in in their box I think I saw Liverpool team with great defenders who blocked a lot of shots so we have to give credit to them as well but I’m also proud of my team the approach we had how we stick to a game plan how we tried to go again and again keep trying in the end we didn’t score and I think there was a big difference
Yeah, a lot of theory, but I think if we go up here, then we can even control the game more. So yeah, a lot of theory. That’s football. In the end, we didn’t use the first chance, but we don’t judge any player to miss a chance. Like I said, we focus on the team performance, we have to learn certain things out of this game, we have to make it better the next time, because we all felt that it’s a missed opportunity here, but we also take a lot of positives away from this game.
to deal with it but after a game you’re never happy and you never look at the overall picture you want to win games and I think today it was a missed opportunity so we all very disappointed but like I said we have to deal with it we have to analyze it we have to make it better the next
I think we want to have this situation, so that’s also part of our journey, part of our development, that we have to handle and manage these situations well. We have a good depth in the squad, we need every player, so therefore we trust everyone, we know what we are capable of doing, we know that we can play a lot of games with intensity. We want to bring on the pitch, so that’s a great challenge for us to manage it well.
Hürzeler loses for the first time in five and nobody is blamed. They do not judge any player for missing a chance, they look at the team performance, and the two errors are simply called errors with no name attached. Liverpool’s defenders get credit for the blocks.
What he sets against that is solid. They stuck to the game plan and went again and again, the squad has depth, they can play a lot of games at this intensity, and he says they want this situation because it is part of where they are going.
The gap is what comes next. Saying they will analyse it and make it better next time does not say what actually changes.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Manchester City 0 – 1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Saturday 31 October 2026, 3.00pm, Etihad Stadium, Manchester.
Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton & Hove Albion
Score: 12/12. Identity level: Safety, Belonging, Esteem, Capability & Purpose.
Fabian, it’s been a long week on the road. Does that make this even more satisfying?
I’m really happy for everyone who was involved in this journey because it was definitely a long journey. It was an unusual journey, I would say, but everyone really contributed to this win. No matter if we had staff members, if we had great analysts around us, great medicals, great nutritionists, great chefs. Everyone really contributed to this win and therefore I’m really happy for the guys who did the work in the shadow and today I think we saw another really good performance from all players on the pitch and I think this togetherness in the end gets us the rewards for what we’ve done today on the pitch and also for what we have done on Wednesday. I think on Wednesday we missed a little bit of luck, today we had the luck, but you need to deserve the luck and in the end everyone worked hard for this luck.
Yeah, this was about a lot more than luck, wasn’t it? That was a real team performance. Was that a completely together performance?
It was a completely defensive performance where everyone had the mindset that I need to defend. Of course, we always want to have the ball, but in certain moments you always knew coming here you need to suffer. You need to suffer, you need to defend well the box and of course we can emphasise now individual players with my centre-backs, with Barthel Brigham, with Costinho on the right side who did a brilliant job, but in the end everyone had his mindset to defend. Everyone really sticked together. We faced adversity and therefore I’m really proud that we showed this togetherness regarding the defensive mindset on the pitch.
You mentioned Costinho there, his first start in the Premier League. Just how do you think he’s adapted to life in the English top flight?
Yeah, I think we emphasise a lot. There are different ways of adapting to the Premier League. The first thing is obviously, do you have the intensity, do you have the physicality to compete on that level? I think from the beginning he had it and now it’s about us to give him more and more understanding how we want to play. I think on Wednesday he already showed a great performance and now three days later to show another good performance like this, playing again 90 minutes is something we don’t take for granted. It’s something where we’re really proud of him and he should be also proud of himself.
Belief and positivity are so important at all levels of the game. Does that come from the back? I’m just looking at your goalkeeper today, we know how good he is and we know how good he is for club and country, but that belief, that presence at the back must give everybody something to build on.
Yeah, I think football is a lot about belief and coming to this place you need to have belief and of course you need to have players who really spread it and I think Barth is a prime example with and for that. We had Louis Tank before him, together with Luka, we have Pascal Gross, also my midfielders of Yassine and Jemar, they all have this belief that they are capable of coming and competing and not only competing, also winning these games and therefore I think it’s so important that the players all have this mindset and if they have this mindset they can spread it to others and if you spread it around the environment we are working in then hopefully they become for everyone a theme and a topic that I believe is key for winning these kind of games.
I don’t know if it matters, it’s only a fact as such, but the first time ever that Brighton have won away to Manchester City in their history, does that mean something to everybody at the club?
Yeah, of course, coming here to Man City against one of the best teams in the league is always something special and you have to suffer, you have to perform on your highest level, you have to be brilliant at the basics and like I mentioned before everyone was really contributing to this performance today from Tuesday on when we travelled here we wanted to finish and have good four days where we finished strong and I think everyone really contributed to this so everyone deserves it and I’m really happy that we can enjoy the night today.
Hürzeler does something clever with suffering. Coming here you need to suffer, you need to defend well the box. Said like that, the hardest part of the afternoon becomes necessary and expected, something they came for rather than something going wrong. Suffering can feel overwhelming to a player. He turns it into the evidence that they are doing exactly what it takes to win here.
The luck gets the same treatment. On Wednesday they missed a little bit of it, today they had it, and you need to deserve the luck. That makes Wednesday’s disappointment Fleeting, and it stops this win being a fluke, because they earned it and that means they were good enough. Then he hands the historic part to everybody: the analysts, the medicals, the nutritionists, the chefs, the guys who did the work in the shadow. Togetherness like that gives a squad Safety, it creates Belonging, and naming all those people shows Esteem to everyone at the club. The belief is already theirs, held by six players he names, so their Capability is not in question, and winning at places like this is what he tells them they are for. He is a Good Winner, and he has fed every level of the Identity Model in one interview. That is close to unprecedented in this table.
Source: BBC Sport.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.