Brighton & Hove Albion are in the market for a new manager, after reluctantly accepting Sami Hyypia’s resignation on Monday afternoon.
The former Liverpool captain, who cut his managerial teeth during a two-year stint in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, was appointed as Oscar Garcia’s successor at the Falmer Stadium in the summer. However, it hasn’t quite worked out as planned for all concerned, with the Seagulls winning just three of their matches to currently stand third-bottom in the Championship.
Brighton have won just one of their last 18 league matches, and their poor form continued on Saturday albeit with a credible 1-1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers. But Hyypia had become increasingly unhappy with the way his time on the South Coast was panning out, so he handed in his resignation on Monday just six months into the three-year contract he signed in June.
Chairman Tony Bloom said: “Sami offered his resignation, and we reluctantly accepted earlier today. Despite some good performances, results haven’t gone as well as we all had hoped and expected. Sami remains a hugely respected and very popular figure at our club. He has decided to step down for the benefit of the team and the club. We wish him well for the future.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur head coach Tim Sherwood, who was interviewed for the job in the summer, is again amongst those who are being linked with replacing Hyypia. The early frontrunner, though, is MK Dons boss Karl Robinson, who is regarded as one of the best young coaches in the country. In the meantime, Nathan Jones will take charge on a caretaker basis.
Should Hyypia have given it more time at Brighton, and who is the best man to succeed him? Let us know what you think by joining in the discussion below.
