Brighton survival helps Ireland’s cause
EVERY Irishman, I am sure, would love to see Brighton and Hove Albion do well and stay up this season.
There’s two reasons for that – Shane Duffy and Chris Hughton.
Duffy has done well since his move from Blackburn to Brighton and played an important role in helping Hughton’s team to promotion last season.
Now playing regularly in the Premier League, he has started the season well. He’s an old-fashioned centre-back. It’s no surprise that he is wellsuited to Brighton and Ireland teams because he can organise and keep players around him and he isn’t playing in a team which is going to play open, expansive football.
It was good to see them get up and running with the win over West Brom and they were unlucky against Bournemouth.
Their home form is going to be absolutely vital in their bid to stay up. You will take any point on your travels in the Premier League, and any point at home against the big guns is welcome, but it’s the bread and butter home matches you need to win – like today’s game with Newcastle.
To get those results at home Brighton might have to be a little more adventurous. But Hughton will know that after his experience with Norwich City in the Premier League. They were also difficult to break down but didn’t take enough risks.
Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane were the last Irishmen to manage in the Premier League, so it is good to see Chris flying the flag.
We’ve got lads like Lee Carsley, the new caretaker boss at Birmingham, Steven Reid is the Crystal Palace first team coach, and Curtis Fleming is now with QPR, but there are not many managers out there.
Chris is in the frame to be the next Ireland manager. Beyond the current duo and Mick, no one else is in the running and it would be good to have a manager with Premier League experience in the future.