News about Andrew Crofts

INTERVIEW BY KIERAN GILL: You walk out of interviewing Jan Paul van Hecke at Brighton's training ground with the urge to phone your dad, just because you realise how lucky you are that you still can. This 24-year-old from the tiny Dutch town of Arnemuiden wishes he could. To talk football. To talk family. To talk anything. His father, Guus, died two years ago and it was crushing to lose that reassuring voice who regrettably missed seeing how his son became one of the Premier League's most reliable defensive lynchpins. 'He was my best friend,' Van Hecke says. 'When he was not there, it was hard. I was speaking to myself more. After a while, I found my way. In football, there's a lot of mental health, so you need to always speak with somebody. But when there's not really somebody?

In an unexpected announcement on Saturday, the Italian agreed that he would leave the Seagulls by mutual consent after their season finale at home to Manchester United. De Zerbi's (left) contract was not due to expire until 2026 but the 44-year-old is now searching for his next opportunity and is highly rated across Europe following the success of his two seasons in the Premier League. It was in March, when De Zerbi was being linked with the vacancies at Bayern and Liverpool, that he asked Brighton's owner-chairman Tony Bloom (right) for end-of-season talks to make sure their ambitions were in alignment. And it turns out that those talks were not fruitful.

The former Liverpool and England international is still playing, but Andrew Crofts, the Seagulls' caretaker boss, took over for the role in September. As their match against Bournemouth was postponed due to Queen Elizabeth II's death, Robert De Zerbi was quickly appointed as the permanent replacement for Potter, meaning Lallana could return to focusing on his playing career. However, pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher probed his colleagues about coaching their colleagues ahead of Southampton's 2-0 loss to Brentford in the Premier League. Lallana opened up about the added demands of his managerial position, followed by delivering an amusing jab at the former Manchester United defender. Neville, 47, was notably in charge of Valencia for four months between 2015 and 2016, winning just three of his 16 La Liga games and failing to maintain a top-flight clean sheet before being fired.

Brighton is still discussing the possibility of making Roberto De Zerbi their new head coach. The 43-year-old has been on Brighton's radar to replace Graham Potter, who left Chelsea earlier this month, but other clubs are also interested in him. Adam Lallana, a former England international, has joined the team's coaching staff in the interim, assassinating former Norwich star Andrew Crofts in his role as Seagulls' caretaker manager.

Despite Billy Gilmour's departure from Chelsea being far from 'ideal' for the young midfielder, the boss has been back to take Graham Potter's departure to Chelsea' in his stride, says Brighton CEO Paul Barber. On deadline day, Chelsea's 21-year-old midfielder left Chelsea to move to Amex Stadium for £9 million. He was reluctant to leave his boyhood club early, but after speaking to Potter, he eventually joined the Seagulls, with Thomas Tuchel allowing him to leave Stamford Bridge.

After being named as Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea replacement, Graham Potter expressed his profound admiration. Potter was given a five-year contract, underlining that Chelsea's new owners are planning for the long run with the 47-year-old. Potter was described as a "innovator" and he would take over at Fulham for the first time on Saturday. If Premier League games go forward following the Queen's death, will Premier League games go forward.

It comes after permanent manager Graham Potter was announced as the new Chelsea boss on a five-year contract. However, the 34-year-old will now assist Andrew Crofts as interim head coach for the Vitality Stadium's trip this weekend. Crofts, Brighton's current U21 coach, will be aided by his assistant Shannon Ruth, set-play coach Nick Stanley, and assistant goalkeeping coach Jack Stern. Lallana is currently out with a calf injury and is not expected to return to the playing squad until the Seagulls face his old club Liverpool on October 1.

ADRIAN KAJUMBA: Chelsea has reported the appointment of Graham Potter as their new head coach. After deciding to replace Thomas Tuchel, Potter has signed a five-year contract and will take charge of Saturday's ride to Fulham. On Wednesday morning, Chelsea rushed to land Potter after getting a hold on Tuchel's reign. With former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino among the managers, Potter quickly emerged as Chelsea's clear first pick, with former Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino among the others. Nonetheless, the speed at which the process progressed convinced some in Brighton that it had been in Chelsea's sights for some time.