Why Fabian Hurzeler was right to reject Manchester United

A footballing tale as old as time, young, forward thinking coach at a perceived ‘unfashionable’ club, ‘Big club’ comes a sniffing, coach has his head turned and the rest is history.

Chelsea actually did it with a certain Graham Potter, but that all turned to dust when he turned out to be not quite what the Blues thought they were getting in their dugout.

Yet it’s Potter’s former employers, Brighton and Hove Albion, who the spotlight has shone upon again this week, but this time it’s with their highly rated young coach Fabian Hurzeler, who, using a musical analogy, up against the aforementioned Potter is a bit like comparing Julio Iglesias to David Van Day! (Google might be required for readers under 40.)

Man United spiralling

Like the original Greek civilisation and the Roman Empire before them, Manchester United are effectively in a death spiral.

Once one of the greatest clubs on the planet, they now in footballing terms mirror Fred Karno’s Circus. And in the wake of their latest embarrassing defeat - this time in the Champions League Group Stage against Italian club Como ( Fun fact Perry Como didn’t as many people believe come from, or even visit, Como, instead originally hailing from Pennsylvania) - they have allegedly made overtures, albeit clandestine, towards Hurzeler.

Michael Carrick is on borrowed time but almost as quickly as their alleged attempts to turn Hurzeler’s head, the newly married young German coach, has issued a curt, thanks but no thanks statement. And who can blame him?

Why would Hurzeler leave?

Why would Fabian Hurzeler want to leave Brighton to join Manchester United?

Brighton, pulling up numerous trees in the current campaign, are attracting rave reviews right across the footballing demographic. In the Seagulls owner Tony Bloom, Hurzeler has not only the rare breed in a British owner but a lifelong Albion fan with significant funds.

Put that up against the questionable and much maligned ownership at Old Trafford, with the almost utter contempt of the massed ranks of the United support, and a transfer and recruitment policy that is almost akin to the spending patterns of a drunken sailor on shore leave in the Far East.

I have in previous columns predicted that Hurzeler, still in his early 30’s, will win the Champions League in the next decade.

But whilst it’s unlikely that will be with Brighton, my money would be on either his beloved Bayern Munich, or perhaps one of the two Spanish giants, but it certainly won’t be with Manchester United.

Hurzeler is different to Potter

Whilst it made him financially secure, having his head turned by Chelsea on the day our beloved Queen Elizabeth left us in September 2022, it really was a case ‘marry in haste, repent at leisure’, but Hurzeler is a different animal.

He will eventually leave Brighton one day, but in a better place than when he got here, and hopefully having delivered that much coveted first major trophy.

So all you punters piling on Fab in ‘next United manager’ betting field, like the aforementioned drunken sailor, a fool and his money are soon parted.