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Webster: De Zerbi's passion makes players love him
23 Oct
Summary
- De Zerbi's passion and pattern-focused approach made playing enjoyable.
- Intense training with repetition was a hallmark of De Zerbi's methods.
- Webster praised De Zerbi's honesty, even when dropping players.
Adam Webster recently appeared on The Athletic FC Podcast, discussing his experiences with innovative Premier League managers, including Roberto De Zerbi. Webster described De Zerbi as a passionate manager who lives and breathes football, focusing heavily on patterns to build his team. He stated that De Zerbi made playing at Brighton enjoyable, simplifying the game by making every pass a move towards scoring.
Webster acknowledged that De Zerbi's training sessions were demanding, emphasizing repetition and penalizing imperfect touches. However, he explained that players appreciated the effectiveness of this approach, which made Brighton a challenging team to play against. This dedication to detail, even if sometimes frustrating, ultimately led to visible success on the field.
The former defender also highlighted De Zerbi's remarkable honesty, noting that he would openly share team news with the media and players alike. This transparency, Webster suggested, was a key factor in his ability to connect with his squad, earning their trust even when making difficult decisions like dropping players.
Brighton has experienced a strong start to the 2026-27 season, impressing with both goal-scoring and defensive solidity, especially from set pieces. The team has shown depth in goal scorers despite losing key players. Their effectiveness without possession is characterized by a man-focused, yet cohesive, defensive strategy that proves relentless and difficult for opponents to break down.
