Fabian Hürzeler: New Brighton boss reveals influence of ‘top’ Liverpool and Chelsea managers and makes 'honest' Pep Guardiola claim

At just 31-years-old, Hürzeler is the Premier League’s youngest-ever permanent head coach. The German was born in March 1993 – just six months after the inception of the Premier League.

Hürzeler, who led St Pauli to the 2.Bundesliga title last season, becomes the eighth German to lead a club in England’s top division.

The 31-year-old follows in the footsteps of big names such as Klopp and Tuchel, who both won UEFA Champions League titles while at the helm of Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.

Hürzeler said Klopp and Tuchel were the standard bearers of German managers in England, but admitted Guardiola was the head coach he was looking forward to facing the most.

The ex-St Pauli boss also revealed he was fulfilling a long-term ambition by managing in the Premier League – and couldn’t wait to pit his wits against the ‘best coaches in the world with the best players in the world’.

Hürzeler said: “Of course, Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel as the German managers and on top of it [Hürzeler’s influences] – but we have to be honest, the best coach in the world is Pep Guardiola.

“It’s so equal this season because there are also new coaches, young coaches coming inside, from Ipswich and Leicester who have two great coaches.

“Then we have Arne Slot from Feyenoord, who is a great coach, who is moving to Liverpool, so it’s so equal.

“It’s amazing to have this challenge, with the best coaches in the world with the best players in the world. I am really looking forward to it.

“It’s very important in life to have targets of where you want to go, because they give you an orientation, and it was always the target to be a coach in the Premier League – but it’s also surprising for myself that it’s now.”