Sussex

Joe Sayers
Fan writer

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Expectation versus reality is a hard thing to balance, especially given the meteoric growth of Brighton ever since our promotion to the Premier League in 2017.

Though the rise has been relatively quick in the grand scheme of things, our wage figures show that we are continuing to grow smartly and sustainably.

We have had a taste of Europe now, and the noise from above says the club's aim is to continue to shake up the top half of the Premier League, even with only the 15th-highest wage bill in the whole league - ahead of only two of the promoted three, Brentford, Bournemouth and Wolves.

Yes, we have spent a bucketload of money over the past few summer transfer windows - so naturally the expectation is for these signings to make an immediate impact and continue to propel the club forwards.

But the reality is we have had to replace some hugely influential figures and there will always be some short-term suffering as you wait for the new parts to get up to speed.

The worry is that we will constantly be in a cycle of transition as we pay the price for our consistent knack of replacing what we had before with sometimes even better prospects. The hope is that said cycle is not a weakness, but a great strength - a cycle that allows us to continue to push the limits while we continue to build strong foundations.

When you look at the numbers, last season's eighth-place finish was again punching above our financial weight, and while Fabian Hurzeler continues to mould his side to challenge the establishment on the pitch, the club will keep reinforcing that message off it.

Find more from Joe Sayers at Albion Obsessed, external

How are you feeling about things at Brighton? Are you worried about a "constant cycle of transition" or hopeful that cycle "is a great strength"?

Get in touch with your views here

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Brighton have confirmed that Jason Ayto has joined the club as sporting director.

The appointment follows the departure of David Weir as technical director last week after seven years with the Seagulls.

Ayto left Arsenal at the end of last season after holding several technical roles, including assistant sporting director to Edu, during more than a decade with the Gunners.

He was promoted to the role of interim sporting director at Arsenal last November following Edu's departure, having previously working in a senior role in academy recruitment at Norwich City.

"I'm honoured to be appointed sporting director at Brighton & Hove Albion and I'm very grateful to Tony Bloom, Paul Barber and the board for this opportunity," he said.

"This is a special club, admired across the footballing world for its culture, ambition and smart thinking, all of which has underpinned some remarkable progress in recent years.

"To be joining at a time when there is such a strong desire to build on those excellent foundations, innovate further, and bring success is incredibly exciting."

Deputy chairman and chief executive Paul Barber added: "We are all very much looking forward to working with one of the most talented young sporting directors in the country."

Meanwhile, Brighton assistant technical director Mike Cave has been promoted to the role of technical director.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Bournemouth and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Lee: Hard fought win for the Cherries. Definitely played the better football and deserved the win but we always have close games with the Seagulls. I am really positive about what lies ahead!

Peter: Antoine Semenyo bullies defences, while Alex Scott is emerging as a skilful number 10. At the back, there are already signs that Bournemouth won't concede many this season.

Charl: Veljko Milosavljevic had a very good debut, he grew in confidence as the game progressed. We need to work on our corner taking, it's wasteful and lacking in any kind of threat. James Hill needs to concentrate for 90 minutes, he failed to pick up their scorer again.

Keith: What a glowing endorsement of the recruitment team at Bournemouth to discover such talented defenders to replace those who have left. Bring on Newcastle!

Brighton fans

Fran: Just in previous games, good at times, poor at other times. I have said it before - we are too slow in our build-up play. We really should have gone for an experienced striker. It is all very well signing young players and giving them time to adapt, but we need players now. I hope not but I think this is going to be a struggle this season.

Andy: Dunk is too slow for the modern game. If he remains at the heart of the defence, Brighton will continue to struggle. I find it incomprehensible that Hurzeler cannot see the problem.

Mark: On paper our squad looks decent despite all the outgoings. Worry for me is that I'm not sure if our conductor is good enough to mould them into a team that can play.

Joe: Back to drab and toothless. There's no way we'll get anywhere near Europe - Tony's stated aim for this year - if we have a season playing football like Saturday and three of the four games played so far. I worry for Hurzeler if the trend continues.

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David Weir says he is "really proud" of what he achieved at Brighton and wishes "everyone well for the future".

The announcement of Weir's departure last week came as a shock as owner Tony Bloom cited wanting to taking the club in a "new direction".

Weir joined the club as pathway development manager in 2018 and went on to succeeded Dan Ashworth as technical director in May 2022.

"It is the right time for me to leave, but I will reflect on an incredible period with the club, and I am really proud of what we have achieved - especially introducing some special players to the Premier League and our European adventure," said Weir.

"I had an excellent mentor in Dan Ashworth before stepping into the role, and I've also had the privilege of working with three exceptional men's head coaches in Graham Potter, Roberto de Zerbi and Fabian Hurzeler.

"The club has an incredible amount of talent across both the men's and women's squads, while the academy works so hard to develop future talent which will serve the club well.

"I'd like to thank the coaches, players and the staff for their help and support throughout my time at Brighton & Hove Albion - they have all worked so hard to help the club progress.

"I'll always be grateful to Tony, Paul and the board for giving me the opportunity at Brighton, and I would like to wish everyone well for the future."

Pundits Ashley Williams and Shay Given join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

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