In recent years, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion have become a breeding ground for quality managers, hiring relatively unknown coaches who move on to bigger clubs after a few years of success.
It began with Graham Potter who rose to prominence with the Seagulls before being hired by Chelsea. He was replaced by Italian boss Roberto De Zerbi who left in the summer of 2024 after links to multiple big European clubs across the continent.
The latest to come aboard is Fabian Hurzeler, whose appointment following De Zerbi's departure makes him the youngest-ever Premier League head coach. At just 31 years old, the American-born boss represents a massive risk but also comes with great promise.
The Sporting News brings you all you need to know about where Hurzeler comes from, how he likes his teams to play, and how he fits with his new Premier League employers.
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Who is Fabian Hurzeler? Texan hired to lead Brighton
Born in Houston, TX to a Swiss father and German mother both practicing dentistry, Fabian Hurzeler moved back to Germany when he was two years old. He remained connected to the United States with frequent family vacations.
Hurzeler spent most of his playing days with Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim, and 1860 Munich's youth squads before he joined fifth-tier FC Pipinsried in 2016 as a player/manager, an increasingly rare occurrence in the modern game.
He spent four years in that role before being hired by 2.Bundesliga side FC St. Pauli as assistant manager in 2020 working under Timo Schultz. When Schultz was dismissed in late 2022, Hurzeler was tabbed as interim manager and won the permanent job just two weeks later, becoming the youngest head coach in the German second tier at the age of 29.
He obtained his UEFA Pro License the following year, then led St. Pauli to a 2.Bundesliga title in 2023/24, seeing them promoted to the German top flight. He signed a new contract with the club in May of 2024 and would have become the youngest Bundesliga head coach since 1994, but instead Brighton came calling and he made the switch to the Premier League.
Fabian Hurzeler tactics, playing style
The 31-year-old employs a similar tactical setup to his Brighton predecessor De Zerbi, starting with a 3-4-3 formation and utilising a 3-2 base setup to build from the back in possession.
Hurzeler's buildup is slightly less risky than De Zerbi's transition-in-possession philosophy, but the basic tenants of the approach are the same. He will bring two holding midfielders deep to give options for forward progression, while the wing-backs will stay high and wide to receive the ball and draw opponents wide to open spaces.
Off the ball, they press relatively hard but drop into a 5-2-3 if they don't win the ball back quickly. However, if they do turn the ball over and transition, they can push many players extremely high looking to punish opponents for poor giveaways.
Hurzeler places a big emphasis on off-ball possessional movement, drilling his players to know where the spaces are to fill and receive the ball.
Fabian Hurzeler career record, clubs managed
Hurzeler spent his entire eight-year coaching career in Germany, with six of it as a manager, prior to his move to England.
Entering his first season with Brighton, the former midfielder has just under a 50 percent win rate across his career, with most of those coming in his time with St. Pauli.
| Club | Country | Years | W-D-L | Win Pct |
| FC Pipinsried | Germany | 2016-20 | 38-28-37 | 36.9% |
| FC St. Pauli | Germany | 2022-24 | 36-11-8 | 65.5% |
| Brighton | England | 2024-Present | — | — |
| TOTAL | 74-39-45 | 46.8% |