Hyppia resigns

Managers rarely resign as to do so waives their claim for compensation so if Sami Hyppia did in fact resign- as seems the case – this is a honourable act.

Opinion is still divided as to whether he is responsible for the team’s decline or this is an inevitable product of selling our best players. The local paper The Argus, in a robust call to arms piece yesterday  morning ( prior to his resignation)  , defended Hyppia and urged fans to rally behind the club and not to repeat the grim scenes at the Milllwall home game. One never knows, but the players – if not the crowd – seem behind him.

Speaking to Alan Tanner, I mentioned that, as happened with Magath, some fans actually wanted the Seagulls to lose if it hastened Hyppia’ s demise. Whilst I would never do that, I take the view that Hyppia has failed here and other managers notably at Brentford, Bouremouth and Middlesbrough have succeeded with lesser resources. Hyppia acquired too many average players, mainly on loan, the football was dull and his phlegmatic personally did not seem to inspire the team nor crowd.

The championship manager is a different breed to the Premier. He is usually English, not a top player who knows the division. Hyppia was a commanding top class defender but, coming from Bayer Levehausen, did not have much knowledge of the championship nor did he have the contacts to attract the best loanees. In the bottom three, 4 points adrift and with a crucial game v Reading on Boxing Day, something had to be done.

Nathan Jones will take over as caretaker but the front runners are Tim Sherwood and Uwe Rosler. Neither have that much experience of the division so I would like to see Chris Hughton appointed. He achieved promotion for Newcastle and got Birminghain to the play-offs.  Although any manager faces the prospect of relegation, Brighton is a pleasant place to live, we are the best supported club in the division, the stadium and training centre are first rate and as Poyet showed it can be a stepping stone to bigger things.