Lewis Dunk is the one-club-man legend who probably has to pinch himself when he sees the transformation at Brighton.
Dunk, 31, captains a team with a World Cup winner, eight teammates played for their nations in Qatar and they have a new manager ready to take them to the next level. Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi masterminded the 3-0 win over Liverpool earlier this month and they will be looking to repeat one of the club’s best ever days in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Alexis Mac Allister was a hero in Argentina’s World Cup success and his return has coincided with a brilliant run of form which has pushed them up into the European places. Dunk says Italian boss De Zerbi is pushing the players with his methods - and his message is getting through and having a major impact.
Brighton defender Dunk said: “The gaffer has been superb from the moment he worked in the building. He captured a lot of us, especially me, the first time he spoke to us. It was actually through a translator and you’ve got to say some powerful things to get that message through a translator!
“The main thing is his passion. You can see it on the sidelines, on the training pitch and in meetings. His passion for the game is nothing like I’ve seen before.
“I hope he can push us on again. The season’s long, I think we’ve been consistently excellent and performed well in every game. That’s the key: consistency. That’s why the top teams are there because they know how to win and are consistent at doing it.”
Brighton are now the example of how a Premier League club should be run. A brilliant stadium, magnificent training ground and superb recruitment.
They also have a World Cup winner in Mac Allister. When he returned to the club, he was greeted as a hero with a ticker tape reception at the training ground in the style of Argentina’s World Cup from 1978. A lovely idea from the club’s chief executive Paul Barber.
Dunk said: “It feels surreal at times. When I first came through, training at the university, the Withdean and then to this. The training ground as well. Having a World Cup winner in the squad and many other top talents, the club has gone step by step and become a massive club.
“We had eight players at the World Cup. If you’d asked me four or five years ago when we’d just got promoted to the Premier League if that was possible… it’s credit to the club and also to the boys who earned their places there.
“Alexis was incredible. The best thing about it is that he’s such a nice humble kid, what a player and it couldn’t happen to a nicer person.”
Dunk is enjoying some of the best form of his career at Brighton and they will need to reach the same levels they showed against Liverpool earlier this month to beat them again in the FA Cup.
But having reached the semi final four years ago, Dunk admits they would love another crack at going to Wembley in the FA Cup.
Dunk added: “If we can reach the semi final this year then hopefully we can go one step further. If you want to win the FA Cup then you have to beat teams like Liverpool, if you want to win it you have to beat the best and that’s why it’s such a difficult game at the weekend.
“Exciting game, it’s not long ago that they came here and we beat them so I think they’ll have some extra fight so we will have to step up another level if we want to stand a chance of doing it again.”
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