FORMER CELTIC star Charlie Mulgrew joined up with Brighton’s coaching team for a week in November to integrate into a new career path.
Mulgrew was beginning his transition to the coaching world after retiring from professional football.
During his stint with Brighton’s team, Mulgrew got an insight into their training drills and was surprised to see how they utilise Evan Ferguson.
Mulgrew appeared on the Scottish podcast Open Goal this week and explained a possible reason as to why the Ireland striker has been struggling in front of goal recently.
He said: “There are two or three other coaches – this is different, I’ve not seen this before – Italian guys coaching the ‘other team’.
“It was Forest they were playing that weekend, obviously Forest are a bit of a low block in a 4-4-2.
“He’s (de Zerbi) got them coaching the “other team” exactly how they (Forest) move.
“Bibs on, 1-11 is a Nottingham Forest team, how they would press, exact pressure, so the guy is right next to him saying, ‘Go now!’ and telling them.
“It must be so bad for the boy Ferguson training two days in a row.
“He’s just got an Italian coach behind him…it’s all buildup coming towards him. He’s (the coach) just moving him, swinging his shoulders and body position.
“Whenever the ball comes up to him, they’d blow the whistle and go back to the start. They saw the play through but they never, ever get to getting the ball or doing the final bit.
“He must have been (raging) but obviously he’s got that much respect for the manager, he’s playing at the weekend, he’s just coming through…they all go work on their finishing themselves.
“They’re desperate for a five-a-side, they must be.”
Ferguson started off the season very well while attracting plenty of interest from top European clubs.
The 19-year-old bagged his first Premier League hat-trick in September and looked to be heading for a fantastic year.
However, Ferguson has failed to find the net since the end of November and his season has now been cut short due to an ankle injury.
De Zerbi said: “He felt pain in the ankle a lot of time and he tried to move on, to play with pain.
“But at the end he preferred to stop and to think about next season.”
Ferguson has not been involved for the Seagulls since the end of March and will now also miss Ireland’s June friendlies with Hungary and Portugal.
The striker posted on X, formerly Twitter: “It’s been a season of mixed emotions, taken plenty of lessons and positives from it but still frustrating that it has ended earlier than I wanted.
“Wishing the lads the very best of luck for the final few games. Counting down the days to pre-season and getting back to fitness!”