It was about an hour after Albion’s first game in the Premier League and Pep Guardiola was hurrying away from his post-match press conference.

He had just spoken to reporters about Manchester City’s hard-fought 2-0 win at the Amex.

Then, as he departed, he suddenly saw someone across the interview area and stopped for what turned into quite a lengthy catch-up in Spanish.

That someone was Tomer Hemed and, on what was the day Albion took that massive step into the big league, it was a reminder that some of their number had already mixed in this company.

"Of course we knew each other from Spain," said Hemed, who played for Almeria and Mallorca.

Hemed went on to have promotion success in the Championship and a good start in the Premier League before it was all knocked off course by a three-match ban which he still sees as an injustice.

But those high-level ups-and-downs are just what Albion are now looking to tap into.

Hemed is now a few weeks into a role as mentor to the club’s academy players.

It is wide-ranging and one he is delighted to tackle.

He told The Argus: “I bring my experience to help those boys who are dreaming of being in the first team and have big careers.

“I did it in my unique way and journey and I think I can bring a lot for them.

“As everyone knows, we have a lot of ex-players in the academy.

“Since I left I was always in good contact with the club.

“I have been back a few times and it was always something that we spoke about, that maybe one day I would come back and have a role at the club.

“I got offered a different role at the club and I was still playing so it was not the right time for me to do it.

“But this summer I thought about the option to stop playing and start my new journey.

“It was the best feeling that a club like Brighton see me as someone who can help and guide the young boys.

“They know about my journey, how I started in Israel and all the way to LaLiga to the Premier League.

“Looking at my journey, the most important is to always stay strong and keep yourself motivated.

“Believe you will get through it.

“This is more the mental side, how you need to always set your targets and work towards them.

“For the football side is how you always think how you can improve.

“Everyone always hopes and dreams to be a professional football player, but we know not many players do it.

“In the end, the ones who do it are the stronger ones mentally and the ones who worked harder than everyone else and know what they need to improve to be a better player.

“As a coach, you look at the collective and the team.

“Someone like me, looking from outside, can focus on the individuals more.

“I can work with them on the pitch, off the pitch, guide them on the mental side.

“But also to improve them technically, what they need.

“I think it is a great idea from the club to do this role because it is another staff member joining all the teams and bringing something new to help the players, the team and the club.”

Hemed, now 37, first moved to Spain in 2011 and looked for his own help to deal with his new challenge. He said: “I came from Israel, my starting position was not the same as the players who were growing up in England or Spain.

“I understood when I was young that I needed to do more than others, to work harder than everyone.

“I didn’t have the facilities and people around me like the guys in our academy have. I had to do it by myself.

“I hired a mental coach and a fitness coach.

“I used to do technical sessions on the pitch, finishing.

“I used to go to the gym by myself or with a personal trainer.

“Nutrition by myself. I used to spend money on the people around me.

“A lot of young kids in Israel know my story and I am happy I give them that example.

“I am happy to help the kids in the academy achieve the dream.”

Hemed arrived at Albion from Almeria in the summer of 2015 ahead of the two seasons which would see them chase and finally secure their Premier League place.

He said: “I think this is for me and many fans and people in the club the best moment, the promotion.

“When we did it, it maybe opened everything and allowed the club start to think higher and higher.

“Now the expectations are so different to what they were in the past.

“I am very proud to know I am part of the history of the club and I have a big part in the promotion to the Premier League.

“The most special day was, of course, promotion. The celebrations at the stadium and all the fans on the pitch.

“And, after that, when we celebrated on the seafront, with all the city.

“They are memories for the whole life.”

In terms of special moments along the way, he recalls his first goal – a late winner at Fulham from the penalty spot – and how he celebrated in front of the away fans.

He added: “In the Championship, we had a lot of amazing games.

“The Brentford goal away, last minute again with a header.

“It’s funny, every fan reminds me of their favourite goal of mine.

“The first goal in the Premier League against west Brom.

“And then when we won 1-0 against Newcastle in the Premier League and I won man of the match.”