What's the price of a good manager?

I have always found it strange how little clubs are willing or need to spend to secure a good manager.

Whilst a transfer fee in excess of £50m for a player barely raises an eyebrow these days, there tends to be shock and awe when a head coach costs even a fraction of that. This despite their importance.

Take Fabian Hurzeler for example. St Pauli released their 2023-24 accounts last week, revealing Brighton paid around £5.4m for Hurzeler.

With the Albion sitting only four points off second spot, this already seems like money well spent. And in context of player transfers, Brighton have a head coach with world-class potential for a third of what they paid for Jurgen Locadia back in 2018.

Yet the fee still feels like a lot for a manager. Likewise when Chelsea paid £21m to the Albion for Graham Potter. A genuine jaw-dropping amount.

The way it panned out was obviously hilarious with the Blues being mocked by fans of every other club for such a waste of money.

But if Potter had been a success and delivered trophies at Stamford Bridge, it would have been seen as a good investment by Chelsea.

Potter remains the second-most expensive manager of all time after Julian Nagelsman. £5.4m makes Hurzeler the 11th most expensive, behind Jose Mourinho and the £6.9m Real Madrid paid to take 'The Special One' from Inter Milan in 2010.

Interestingly, four of the top 10 are managers appointed since the summer. Vincent Kompany, Enzo Maresca, Arne Slot and Ruben Amorim. Clubs now appear to be realising that paying big money for coaches is as important as players.

As one of the most innovative outfits in world football, Brighton are ahead of the curve. Again. And it – or should that be Hurzeler – could help take the Albion back into Europe.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton