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Fabian Hurzeler has taken inspiration from fellow German coaches Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel but is determined to be his own man at Brighton as he prepares for his first Premier League home game.
The 31-year-old - the top flight’s youngest ever permanent manager - will lead Albion against Manchester United at the Amex Stadium on Saturday after beginning his tenure with an impressive 3-0 win at Everton.
Klopp guided Liverpool to the title and Champions League success during his nine-year stay at Anfield, while Tuchel enjoyed European glory with Chelsea in 2021.
Seagulls boss Hurzeler also name-checked 37-year-old Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta as influences as he constantly strives to perfect his own footballing philosophy.
“You can’t copy any other philosophy. I the end I want to build my own philosophy, I want to bring my own ideas on the pitch,” he said.
“But learning has no finish line, so I always want to learn from other coaches. If you work in Germany, of course you follow German coaches who worked in the Premier League.
“Jurgen Klopp is a big, big role model for me, also Tuchel with his achievements. Julian Nagelsmann, he achieved amazing things for his young age.
“There are a lot of German coaches where I try to get some elements of their behaviour but also in the Premier League when you look at how Pep Guardiola, how Arteta are transforming their teams into world-class teams, you can take out of this elements.
“From every coach and from every chance, I try to learn something because I love to watch football, I love to learn.
“And then I think if these elements fit my style. If not, I let them away. If yes, I try to bring them into my style.”
Brighton have won four of their last five league meetings with United.
The Seagulls’ only defeat during that run came on the final day of last season - a 2-0 home loss as former boss Roberto De Zerbi bade farewell.
Hurzeler is wary of the individual talent in Erik ten Hag’s squad and dismissed the significance of the recent results between the sides.
“It would be a little too much if I say we’re the favourites against Manchester United,” he said.
“What I can say is that we try to continue building on the foundation that was built here in recent years.
“Brighton have won a lot of times against Manchester. We know it’s a big opponent but we shouldn’t hide.
“We should have respect and try to have the best preparation but we also have ambitions and should go into a game like this with self-confidence.
“The results from the past are the past, now it’s a new game.
“They have individual quality on the pitch, so you never can lose your attention on the game because they can decide a game in one situation.”
PA
