Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler has urged everyone involved with the club to stay positive despite the side’s run of poor form.
Albion have won just one of their past 13 Premier League games but Hürzeler said that they should not be “afraid” and look down at the relegation zone.
The spell of poor form has left the Seagulls in 14th place – seven points above the bottom three but also still not out of touch with a potential European place.
As a result, Hürzeler’s position has come under scrutiny but he was confident that the team could still turn around their faltering season, starting with the trip to Brentford today Saturday (21 February).
He said: “We have to see the table like it is. It is just reality. We are seven points away from relegation and we are six points away from Europe so we are in the middle of the table.
He could also have winger Solly March back in contention as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
Hürzeler said: “There are different types of person, There is a positive person who says, ‘we look upwards because we want to go up, we want to achieve something,’ and there are people who might have a little bit (of) fear or (be) afraid, they look downwards.
“But in general, for me, the most important is to look at the next game, to look at what we can influence, what we can control and it is only the next game.
“Then if we can get in a positive run, I think things can change quickly, especially at the moment in the Premier League (table). It is so tight.
“The most important is not to focus on anything, to focus on Europe or to focus on the relegation battle.
“The most important is to focus on the next game and to focus on the things you can control. That is what we will do.”
Brentford head coach Keith Andrews has a different challenge, trying to keep everyone grounded as his squad look to set a new club record Premier League points tally.
The Bees host Brighton this afternoon sitting seventh, with 40 points, and very much in the mix for a place in Europe.
Brentford established their record mark of 59 points under Thomas Frank in the 2022-23 campaign and, despite a change in the dugout last summer, the west London club continue to punch above their weight.
Andrews – who replaced Frank when he left for what proved to be an ill-fated stint at Tottenham – said that continued progress should be the over-riding aim rather than getting fixated on breaking new ground.
He said: “We have got 12 games left and we are going to push hard.”
Andrews will have forward Kevin Schade available again after a three-match ban for his red card at Aston Villa.
The Bees boss said: “Where that brings us – I have been pretty honest, I don’t exactly know – I just know that we have got a group that are very, very hungry to achieve and want to strive, want to get better.”
Andrews told the pre-match press conference: “We will just take things day to day, week to week really – and I think that is the only way you can do things.
“(You) try to keep players in a good place, constantly looking to develop as a group and just keep pushing, see where that ends up and hopefully that is in a really good place.”
