Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has described his disappointment at seeing Graham Potter sacked by Chelsea.
The Blues paid £21.5million to land the former Seagulls manager in September for a tenure that lasted only seven months before he was sacked on Sunday.
De Zerbi inflicted his predecessor’s first loss as Chelsea boss with a 4-1 Brighton win in late October, which set in motion a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats.
Speaking on Monday, the Italian revealed his regret at Potter’s exit and thanked him for his work on the south coast - having been named a potential target to replace him again.
“I'm sorry and it's bad news for the coaches,” he told reporters.
“There is too much importance on coaches - players are the most important.
“I don't like it when coaches are sacked because responsibility is also on players and the clubs.
“I'm lucky to have these players, they are the most important. I have a team with very good mentality, very good attitude... I have to thank Graham Potter.”
