I do find the criticism of De Zerbi bizarre.
His side were utterly brilliant to watch last season on the back of spending complete peanuts. Sometimes a manager can get a one off good finish off a terrible budget but 95% of the time it will be through playing 11 men behind the ball, shit on a stick hoofball. De Zerbi did it through playing the most expansive, play out from the back, high pressing football in the league.
Look at the players Brighton have had to sell - White, Bissouma, Trossard, Caecido, Mac Allister to name but a few. Now look at the big players at Brighton who have spent the majority of this season injured - Estupinian, March, Mitoma, Enciso. Look at the quality of all those players lost combined and De Zerbi still has Brighton 8th, still playing great, expansive, attacking football.
This isn't a league like Portugal where any manager can come and guarantee to be in the top 3 if hes managing Porto, Benfica, Sporting. This is now comfortably the best league on the planet. De Zerbi has had his hands tied behind his back with a paltry budget and injury crisis and still he is producing results way above his means with one of the most attractive brands of football in the league. I'll guarantee you this, when De Zerbi leaves Brighton in the summer, whether that be to Liverpool, Bayern, or some other big club, I guarantee you Brighton will plummet down the table and be fighting relegation within a couple of years.
I can't pretend to know much about the guy managing in the Portuguese league but you've always got to be wary about a manager coming in blind to this league, not knowing anything about English football and the specific teams in this league, also with the possibility of a language barrier. Personally for me, I think De Zerbi ticks a lot of boxes
- knows the premier league
- attractive, high pressing football that suits the current group of players
- speaks good English
- is fresh, at the start of his managerial career
- is passionate and driven
- has proven capability of working on restrained budgets
- has a clear identity and track record of improving players