Fortunately, Chris Hughton can console himself with the knowledge that when they bring in a trophy for being a good bloke, he’ll win it every season.
In the meantime he’ll have to settle for a visit to his travel agent and a trawl through Tripadvisor for a summer holiday he hadn’t planned.
Why? Because he didn’t keep Brighton in the Premier League with enough style and flair. Now, even survival is not enough. Now you need to achieve marks for artistic impression, no matter how limited your squad.
For the avoidance of any doubt: This is solely a football issue. Nobody is accusing Brighton of sacking Hughton because of the colour of his skin. Nor are the Seagulls responsible for the lack of black managers in the game.
No more culpable, for example, than West Brom when they sacked Darren Moore or Birmingham when they replaced Gary Rowett with Gianfranco Zola and nosedived.
That doesn’t mean other aspiring black bosses don't have a right to feel dispirited.
Hughton's exit leaves this sport with just two black managers in its 92 clubs. When black players coming to the end of their careers decide not to take their badges because of a lack of opportunities, they are looking at the numbers - not the clubs - and deciding it is not worth the effort.
It is remarkable that we continue to work in an industry where in 2019 so few black people hold positions of leadership. Nobody be cowed into staying silent on the issue because it makes people angry or uncomfortable.
We can kid ourselves otherwise but it is a truth that when someone as respected as Hughton is sacked it deepens the feeling of pessimism.
Yet Brighton are guilty of bad, harsh decision making, nothing more. At the very least Hughton deserved the chance to have been put on notice that the team needed to be more attacking ahead of next season. Maybe ten games at least to see whether he could deliver, working on the foundations he’d laid.
He’d picked up a club one place above the Championship drop zone in 2014 and was fired less then a day after keeping them in the Premier League for a second successive season.
He succeeded. Regardless of the style of play, the lack of goals and the bus parked so regularly at the Amex Stadium, a third year enjoying the riches of the top division is down to the tactics now being so widely traduced as people pat him on the head and praise him for being a gentleman.
He’d been in the top flight before with Newcastle previously, having taken them up only to be sacked for no discernible reason in favour of Alan Pardew.
Hughton had done the job. Had Neil Warnock kept Cardiff in the Premier League he'd have been a candidate for Manager of the Season.
If Brighton fans aspire to a better style of football, fair enough. With their financial as well as emotional investment, they have the right to want more bang for their buck on a week to week basis.
A regular, depressing fact of life for promoted clubs however, is that a consistent club in the second tier can often, brutally, be found wanting in the Premier League.
Critics say Hughton laboured to just three wins of his final 23 league games and none in his last nine.
Does that mean Burnley should have sacked Sean Dyche after just three wins in 26 between last July and the end of December?
Some argue that on the basis of the second half of this season they could go down next season. I wonder whether those people saw Liverpool coming from 25 points off the pace to challenge Manchester City this season? Or homeless, signing-less Spurs finishing beating Manchester United - last season’s runners-up - to a top-four place?
With the right summer investment, who is to say that Brighton would struggle again or not play better stuff next season?
As for the £58million Hughton spent in the transfer market last summer, people forget Hughton had to gamble and rummage around in the bargain basement - a fact of life when players these days have so many better options higher up the table.
Yes, Alireza Jahanbakhsh cost £17million but he was at the World Cup with Iran. The only other player in double figures was £15million Yves Bissouma who looks as though he will go on to become a decent performer.
Fulham spent £100million and are heading back down. Cardiff and Huddersfield took the handbrake off and are joining them.
Yes, some fans would actually prefer to be winning every week than watching the same, monotonous drudgery on a week to week basis.
Brighton maybe could have attempted that with a squad of higher-calibre players. But with 35-year-old Glenn Murray up front and a largely pedestrian squad, Hughton had no option but to keep it tight and scrap for their lives.
So talk about style of play with the likes of Everton and Wolves. Better squads with better players higher up the table. Not Brighton.
Ultimately, Hughton will be back. He is too good a manager not to be. The fear is that he is being framed as a Championship manager. One capable only of taking sides into the Premier League when the truth he has not had the quality to make more of a top flight impact.
puhelprty
0
Say no to racism
Halmoc
0
I’m sorry I’m against racism but just because he’s black u can’t say Brighton are racist, Brighton nearly got relegated, they may be looking for more next season and that’s why they sacked him, not because of his ethnicity.
looking for more how u can't look for more with such a budget they will surely go down next season, they just didn't trust the guy at least he saved them, give him next season to assess him but naa sacked, just like More at West brom was in a competitive position fr playoff they said he wasn't good enough sacked now where is West brom, don't talk to me about it not being about ethinicity it sure is. the black man isn't competent enough all the time.
Komklryz
2
yes they are racist and ungrateful I hope they get relegated next season
zudclmnsuz
1
Yeah you are right.. Chris did a fantastic job.. They sacked him... I bet next season Brighton will be relegated... Look at Stoke, they did the same.. Pulis was doing a fantastic job and they sacked him, saying that is style of play is boring... They hire Mark Hughes and now Stoke City is in the Championship... The same happen for Gary Monk at Swansea... Now? Swansea in the Championship...
JohnMc2018
0
This Sky always causes problems...now West Brom have a real job on their hands...they must keep hold of the likes of Hegazi at any cost.They must first appoint a good coach...a supercoach if possible (example Leeds)and keep hold of the players.
I agree but let’s no talk about Leeds. If the players get assurance that they will go for automatic promotion and they have belief the players will stay. If not they will leave for team in the bottom ten of the Prem.
yaakoptyz
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I know, it’s so hard because if you have a good season but miss out on promotion, all of your good players get linked to prem clubs. And a lot of them go. A lot of weeks we play 3 games a week and the games get moved to stupid times because of sky.
This Sky always causes problems...now West Brom have a real job on their hands...they must keep hold of the likes of Hegazi at any cost.They must first appoint a good coach...a supercoach if possible (example Leeds)and keep hold of the players.
JohnMc2018
0
Most clubs don't understand the brutality of the Championship and make rash decisions.It didn't help them at all in the end.God knows how they will keep hold of the good players they have.
I know, it’s so hard because if you have a good season but miss out on promotion, all of your good players get linked to prem clubs. And a lot of them go. A lot of weeks we play 3 games a week and the games get moved to stupid times because of sky.
yaakoptyz
0
West Brom can’t handle the Championship and don’t understand the league. They thought it was going to be easy but it’s far from that, they expected to get straight back up but they have been underperforming all season. I could be wrong but I don’t think race had anything to do with them getting sacked I feel like they just want to get back to the prem as soon as possible.
Most clubs don't understand the brutality of the Championship and make rash decisions.It didn't help them at all in the end.God knows how they will keep hold of the good players they have.
JohnMc2018
0
West Brom...another team who made a wrong decision...sacking Darren Moore was a horrible decision.Has this James Shan done anything special?Black managers are always looked down upon in England and then we accuse Serie A of being racist.
West Brom can’t handle the Championship and don’t understand the league. They thought it was going to be easy but it’s far from that, they expected to get straight back up but they have been underperforming all season. I could be wrong but I don’t think race had anything to do with them getting sacked I feel like they just want to get back to the prem as soon as possible.
yaakoptyz
1
I reckon West Brom are going to get him they have a bigger PL reputation than us in recent years
West Brom...another team who made a wrong decision...sacking Darren Moore was a horrible decision.Has this James Shan done anything special?Black managers are always looked down upon in England and then we accuse Serie A of being racist.
JohnMc2018
0
Hughton is a promotion specialist like Warnock and so he definitely is a very good choice.Boro should do the appointment quickly so that he can have the full pre season.
I reckon West Brom are going to get him they have a bigger PL reputation than us in recent years
yaakoptyz
1
F*ck knows, someone who will utilise our fantastic youth players and somehow who doesn’t play 9 at the back and one up front. We need someone who is young and fearless and who the players will respect. A couple of ex players have been linked but I don’t agree with that, I would rather have someone like Hughton than an ex player with no managerial experience.
Hughton is a promotion specialist like Warnock and so he definitely is a very good choice.Boro should do the appointment quickly so that he can have the full pre season.
JohnMc2018
0
You are absolutely right...but who do you have in mind as his replacement?
F*ck knows, someone who will utilise our fantastic youth players and somehow who doesn’t play 9 at the back and one up front. We need someone who is young and fearless and who the players will respect. A couple of ex players have been linked but I don’t agree with that, I would rather have someone like Hughton than an ex player with no managerial experience.
yaakoptyz
0
Pulis is a dinosaur living in the past and contradicts himself every game, he’s the reason we didn’t get in the play offs along with a couple players. His contracts up this summer and I don’t think he’s getting a new one so hopefully we can bring in a manager that can sort this team out and get us back into the Prem.
You are absolutely right...but who do you have in mind as his replacement?
JohnMc2018
0
I had expected better from Boro...they spend so much but Pulis is not up to the mark...couldn't even reach the playoffs.Boro need a better manager because next season will be difficult with Fulham coming back and the likes of Nottingham Forest rejuvenated.Sheffield Wednesday will also go for automatic promotion.And West Brom are good.So Boro have to do something about the managerial post.
Pulis is a dinosaur living in the past and contradicts himself every game, he’s the reason we didn’t get in the play offs along with a couple players. His contracts up this summer and I don’t think he’s getting a new one so hopefully we can bring in a manager that can sort this team out and get us back into the Prem.
yaakoptyz
0
Tbf he can come to Boro if he wants he’s better than Pulis
I had expected better from Boro...they spend so much but Pulis is not up to the mark...couldn't even reach the playoffs.Boro need a better manager because next season will be difficult with Fulham coming back and the likes of Nottingham Forest rejuvenated.Sheffield Wednesday will also go for automatic promotion.And West Brom are good.So Boro have to do something about the managerial post.
JohnMc2018
0
You are right but it still feels unfair on Hughton. He is a very good manager and a great guy but clubs in the Premier League don't seem to trust him
Tbf he can come to Boro if he wants he’s better than Pulis
yaakoptyz
0
There are no guarantees but there is no room for sentiment when it comes to things like this, yes he got them up and kept them up but Brighton will now look for a man that can assure they get safety every year and help them maintain in the Prem every year
You are right but it still feels unfair on Hughton. He is a very good manager and a great guy but clubs in the Premier League don't seem to trust him
JohnMc2018
0
Which is bizarre...he is the guy who has taken them so far and therefore they should trust him a lot more...Dyche has had so many problems at Burnley but the club always backed him even when they got relegated and therefore Hughton should have been trusted.Can you guarantee that this Harry Potter or whoever comes in will be able to keep them up?It is always better to trust the manager than go on a hire and fire cycle.
There are no guarantees but there is no room for sentiment when it comes to things like this, yes he got them up and kept them up but Brighton will now look for a man that can assure they get safety every year and help them maintain in the Prem every year
yaakoptyz
0
Yh but they may not have belief that he can take them any further which is fair enough
Which is bizarre...he is the guy who has taken them so far and therefore they should trust him a lot more...Dyche has had so many problems at Burnley but the club always backed him even when they got relegated and therefore Hughton should have been trusted.Can you guarantee that this Harry Potter or whoever comes in will be able to keep them up?It is always better to trust the manager than go on a hire and fire cycle.
JohnMc2018
0
Have a look at their team and you will know what I am talking about
Yh but they may not have belief that he can take them any further which is fair enough
yaakoptyz
0
They nearly got relegated that’s not a good job
Have a look at their team and you will know what I am talking about
Sourabhps
0
they felt they needed a change so they let him go.. doesn't mean they were racists..they were in a difficult phase and I guess a change was needed cause things were not improving. but they should've had a discussion with him and announced that it was a mutual decision..that would've been better. I hate the word "sacked" being used.
JohnMc2018
0
he made them a premier league team . because 3 season ago they were battling relegation in championship and he came and took the club to the premier league.
And nearly got relegated
JohnMc2018
0
This article nails it...it is a pity that Hughton was sacked.Another case of a mediocre club making the wrong decision. For example Southampton sacked Puel after he delivered them 8th place and the ELF cup final.This is a very poor decision taken by Brighton simply because he was doing a good job.Burnley never complain about the style of football Dyche makes them play.Why should Brighton? Are they bigger than Burnley? They have spent just two years in the top flight and they are thinking they are a big club.
They nearly got relegated that’s not a good job
JohnMc2018
1
I’m sorry I’m against racism but just because he’s black u can’t say Brighton are racist, Brighton nearly got relegated, they may be looking for more next season and that’s why they sacked him, not because of his ethnicity.
denilnor
2
Omfg jus cuz hes black dosnt mean they sacked him, why is everyone accusing brightons board of this. he wasnt great for brighton and almost got them relegated, not cuz hes black
he made them a premier league team . because 3 season ago they were battling relegation in championship and he came and took the club to the premier league.
Jemadlnrz
2
Omfg jus cuz hes black dosnt mean they sacked him, why is everyone accusing brightons board of this. he wasnt great for brighton and almost got them relegated, not cuz hes black
Aneel56
4
They’ll regret it.. cuz they’ll be the first team to be relegated next season
yaakoptyz
3
This article nails it...it is a pity that Hughton was sacked.Another case of a mediocre club making the wrong decision. For example Southampton sacked Puel after he delivered them 8th place and the ELF cup final.This is a very poor decision taken by Brighton simply because he was doing a good job.Burnley never complain about the style of football Dyche makes them play.Why should Brighton? Are they bigger than Burnley? They have spent just two years in the top flight and they are thinking they are a big club.