But he and opposite number at the Amex today would love to keep doing that as a new season dawns.
Challenging the establishment has been one of the [Albion](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/) head coach’s mantras since taking over ahead of last season.
The Seagulls, Fulham, Brentford and Bournemouth were among those who did that to a fair degree in the Premier League last season.
And apparently it happened in the cups too.
The giants have responded this summer with some retail therapy – with attempts to spend more, as has been seen.
That rich sextet have moved in on Albion, Brentford and Bournemouth and some aspects of their quest for business have not reflected well on the biggest of the six.
So, we put to Hurzeler on the eve of the new season, does he think the establishment are feeling challenged?
“Seems to be, yes,” he replied.
“But that doesn't mean that we change our approach or our style of play.
“So of course they spend a lot of money, but overall we always know that we can't challenge them with individual quality.
“We only can challenge them with the togetherness, with the ‘we’ feeling, with our work ethic we have every day.
“With playing intense, with being fearless and that's what we try to do.
“So we want to go out in every game and try to challenge them, try to be ready to play our style of play, in possession, out of possession.
“That's how we want to approach the season and there's nothing new regarding this.
“So of course everything feels a little more familiar. There are no new things that might surprise you, but one thing is for sure that the Premier League is still the best league in the world and there will be still a lot of challenges and adversities we have to face.
“So these are things you can't plan. You have to be ready for that. You have to be ready for that as a team, but also me as a person.”
One question we were asked by a fan via our vibrant Facebook page ahead of Hurzeler’s press conference yesterday was whether the Albion gameplan would change.
That response from Hurzeler answers that one.
But we can expect more of pretty much the same – but more so.
There will be a change to the dynamic wide on the left with Max De Cuyper but Pervis Estupinan was always a dynamic figure there.
Early indications are that the Belgian will be an overlapping wide raider whereas the Ecuadorean often played inside in passing moves.
Another reader asked whether Albion would play with a target man.
That would appear to be case of sorts if Danny Welbeck is on the pitch.
But there will be the expectation of goals being shared around – as was the case last season with Joao Pedro on board.
Hurzeler said: “Most of the team stayed together. We have some young players who go into the second year, so I’m sure that they will improve. I’m sure that they will make the next step.
“We have better availability for the start of the season. So these are all some factors that are really important for us.
“And then I’m sure we have a very hungry squad. We have a squad that wants to achieve something. We have a good togetherness in the group.
“We have some very young and new potential players who will help us, short and long term.
“So obviously we are in a good place, and I’m very excited about the new season.”
As for the “we” feeling, you can buy individual bits of it and try to assemble it like a Lego model of the Amex.
But Hurzeler will hope and expect to show his club are the ones who are really building something.