Leandro Trossard insists that Graham Potter’s move to Chelsea will not derail Brighton and Hove Albion’s season.
Brighton have appointed Roberto De Zerbi to replace Potter, who spent three years with the Seagulls before taking over from Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.
De Zerbi has had coaching success at Sassuolo in his native Italy and at Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.
Trossard, who has been on international duty with Belgium this week and has yet to meet the new Brighton boss, said: “It all happened quite quickly.
“One day we heard Tuchel was fired and that Graham was up there to take his place.
“For us it was a bit of a shock but we knew that maybe one day he could go because he is a brilliant manager.
“At the beginning it was a bit strange but now, with the new coach, we need to move on as a club and as players. I am excited to work with the new coach.”
The 27-year-old winger has scored 20 goals across 106 Premier League appearances since joining Brighton from Genk in 2019.
Asked if fourth-placed Brighton can still have a good season without Potter, Trossard said: “Yes, of course. It doesn’t mean if the coach departs that the team will play not as good.
“It is just maybe different things with the new manager but that is up to him to get us going as well.”
Trossard was a second-half substitute as Belgium beat Wales 2-1 in Brussels on Thursday (22 September) to keep alive their hopes of topping their Nations League group.
Belgium finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and many of those players – including Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois – remain key figures in Roberto Martinez’s squad for Qatar 2022.
Trossard said: “It is a bit strange it is in winter time but I am excited to be part of it and can go to my first World Cup.
“I think there are so many countries at the moment who have the chance to win it. It is hard to pick a country and maybe we are on the outside, I would say.
“If you look at Brazil, France, England, Germany – you never know in a tournament. It’s all about the moment.
“The team in that moment who is in their best form will win the World Cup.
“Hopefully everybody is fit and in great shape and form to show themselves.”
Be very interesting to see how Mr Potter does at Chelsea.
He won’t last..