Roberto De Zerbi speaks in depth about first year at Brighton

“Two or three minutes, maybe less” is how long he will spend talking to his side in the sanctuary of the changing room at half-time.

But he took a lot longer getting everyone on the same page about this time last year.

It is a year ago today since the Italian was confirmed as Albion head coach in succession to Graham Potter.

To mark his anniversary, De Zerbi sat down for a 20-minute interview with The Argus, much of which is also being shared via the club's platforms.

But you get the impression asking him for a progress report now is like asking him to assess a match after those same 20 minutes.

Good start and he will willingly talk about and analyse it. But he would rather look forward than back.

De Zerbi took over a team who had worked long and hard to get used to a certain way of playing and for whom the rewards were just being reaped.

Skipper Lewis Dunk recently described what followed as carnage and it certainly took a while for the wins to come.

Reminded of that comment by his skipper, De Zerbi pauses, almost smiles, then says: “Dunk spoke for himself but for me the same!

“Maybe worse for me because the only difference there was in that period was the coach.

“The players were the same, the owner, the club the same. But the coach changed.

“For me it was a different country, different language, different players, different competition.

“The Premier League is totally different to Serie A and the Ukrainian league.

“For me, it was a very tough period.

“I don’t know how many hours per day I worked with my staff but it was very, very tough.”

While English football is not as English as it used to be, De Zerbi says there is still a difference to cope with.

He said: “It is more physical, more intense and the most important players are playing in the Premier League, the most important coaches are in the Premier League.

“I think the level of the league is the highest.”

Albion were 2-0 up ten minutes into De Zerbi’s debut at Liverpool but had to come from behind for a 3-3 draw and went winless in his first five games.

He said: “I think the first game with Liverpool at Anfield was one of the best days, one of the most important days in my career.

“I have to say thanks to the club, to the fans, to the players, to the people who work here, because I can’t forget their behaviour with me, with my staff.

“I have in my head very clear that moment.

“We were playing well. We didn’t win but against Liverpool, against Nottingham at home, the performances were good.

“Normally we remember the game with Chelsea (which Albion won 4-1) like a crucial game.

“We won, we scored a lot of goals. We played a great game.

“But the first five games were important.

“At Manchester City (lost 3-1), we played a great game and I think we reached the first victory against Chelsea because in the other games we played very well.

“I think the crucial game was with Chelsea in terms of a result but, if we speak about the mentality, the courage, the style of play, the attitude, the behaviour of the players and how the players played that game, I think Man City we can consider it to be the most important game.”

Albion were 2-0 down at half-time at City with a couple of decisions going against them.

Leandro Trossard got them back into the game and it seemed they might grab a result until Kevin De Bruyne produced something special from the edge of the box.

Once De Zerbi had finished his post-match press conference and interviews, a few of those who follow Albion closely in media circles hung around chatting in a corridor at the Etihad, mulling over the state of play.

The consensus was that there was nothing to really worry about.

It turns out that game at the Etihad was also key in that De Zerbi had actually questioned whether he was right to be on the attack.

Speaking now, he reveals: “I remember the meeting with staff the day before the game at Man City because I had a doubt between being very aggressive or to be more focussed on defensive space.”

We know what conclusion he came to.

Attack. Like having four forwards on the pitch late on when 3-1 up at Old Trafford.

We know the animated style on the touchline. But does it get the message across?

“I don’t know if it helps them or if I put on much pressure.

“But I am the coach and I have to adapt, to understand, but I think I can transfer to passion with my behaviour, with what I do on the touchline.”

But what happens behind closed doors, in the sanctuary of the changing room at half-time?

Before going out and scoring three goals in ten minutes at Wolves, for example?

Or before going out and taking a stranglehold at Old Trafford?

We see him with a lot to say in the technical area so how much does he say in those half-time meetings?

“Not too much. Sometimes two or three minutes but sometimes less, depending on the game, depending on the moment.

“Sometimes I have to push, I have to come on stronger, and sometimes I have to transfer confidence and to put the focus only on the joy, only on the ball, only on the goal we can score and have to do.

“But honestly they don’t need my words, my opinion.

“I am very lucky because I have a lot of very smart, very good players and they know what they have to do.

“But sometimes I have to say my idea, for example.

“At the end of the Wolverhampton game, when we won 4-1, I was very angry.

“We stopped playing in the last 20 minutes and the big teams play 90 minutes and we have to be angry we conceded a goal, especially the goalkeeper!

“To reach the top mentality we have to play 90 minutes not considering the result.”

De Zerbi is proud of his first year. H

He said: “I am living a dream. Sometimes I ask myself, 'Is it true I am working in the Premier League?'.

“Is it true we are winning against Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle or is it a dream?

“It’s crazy but it’s very nice for me.”

We know how quickly things can change. We were given a brutal reminder a year ago.

But it feels like De Zerbi is still putting blocks in place.

One year on, he gives the impression there is a lot more to come.