Survive relegation and Leeds United would look to Brighton & Hove Albion as a model to follow in the Premier League under Victor Orta. The director of football has opened up on the difficulties of the past two campaigns at Elland Road, but how the future could look if they avoid the drop again this term.
After winning promotion to the top flight in 2017, the Seagulls would finish 15th, 17th, 15th and 16th before rising to ninth last season. They are seventh this term with 13 matches still to play. Speaking to Spanish outlet Relevo during a trip to Sevilla last week, Orta reflected on Brighton’s initial problems in the top flight before flourishing under Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi.
Orta also admitted the stellar campaign in 2020/21 under Marcelo Bielsa had given many people a false sense of security in the top flight. He also reiterated the point chief executive Angus Kinnear has made in the past about the threat of relegation to newly-promoted sides in their first three years.
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“Our problem was the first season when, after promotion, we finished ninth,” he said. “We gave everyone around us the feeling this was easy and we were here to stay.
“Normally there is a 75 per cent [chance of the] drop after the first year, 50 per cent after the second and 40 per cent after the third. We are still at that risk.
“In the fourth, it already drops to 20 per cent. We have to get through these first three years to be able to consolidate the team.
“Again with a change of coach, which is good for no club to achieve stability. We have known in that moment of crisis, to choose very well with the arrival of Javi Gracia, who has brought peace of mind to the team and has scored many points in his first four games, transmitting identity to us.
“That was something we needed. It's a very competitive league. When you take the calendar you never think 'from here I'm going to take three points, here I tie'. It is impossible to predict any of this.
“There are nine teams involved in the relegation of West Ham [United], Everton or Crystal Palace. For us, it is a decisive year. If we manage not to descend, I put myself as a model for Brighton a bit.
“[For] the first three years they suffered a lot to not go down and then they stabilised the process, remaining in the top 10. I think it's going to be difficult for us, but we want to stabilise the club.
“By name, by image, by brand, by history and by fans we must be between ninth and 13th each season. It is a very important challenge.”
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