Brighton Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler thrives on pressureBrighton Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler thrives on pressure
Brighton Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler thrives on pressure
Brighton owner Tony Bloom pushing for Champions League football and the FA Cup
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler insists he loves the pressure as Brighton enter the final furlong of the season.
The Seagulls are seventh in the Premier League – just one point off the Champions League spots – and into the quarter finals of the FA Cup.
Chairman Tony Bloom – speaking in an interview on ITV from the Cheltenham Gold Cup – said the Seagulls are on the brink of history as they target the top five and the FA Cup.
Bloom stated their home Cup draw against Nottingham Forest is “reasonably kind” and that the Seagulls are “pushing on for the top five.”
Brighton, who have won their last six matches face fifth placed Manchester City tomorrow, where victory would boost their hopes of Europe.
“Honestly, I love pressure,” said Hurzeler ahead of this Saturday’s trip to the Etihad. “I always find a way to deal with the pressure. That's also what I put on myself, so I don't feel the pressure from outside or from the owner.
"Because in the end, I put the biggest pressure on myself. I'm the most demanding person on my own and I want to get the best for the club and that's to be the most successful.
“We try it by doing it with daily behaviour, trying to pushing our limits every day, working to get the best out of the group, trying to get the best out of everyone in every way.
"That's what we try to do for the rest of the season. We see where we'll end up at the end of the season.”
Bloom suffered disappointment earlier this week at Cheltenham as his horse Energumene was beaten to the post by Marine Nationale in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. But roared back with a 100-1 winner as Poniros claimed a surprise victory in the first Triumph Hurdle on Cheltenham Gold Cup day.
Hurzeler added: “With the horses, I wish Tony all the best. But I think the start wasn't great. The horses weren't great at the race. But it's the same like in our season.
"We are not always great, but we try to get the best out of ourselves. We try to analyse, we try to reflect. And then the next race will come, the next game will come.
"That's what we try to do consistently in the season. I'm sure he will do the same with his horses.”