BRIGHTON must learn to deal with speculation over the future of manager Gus Poyet – because of the work he has done to transform the south coast club into promotion challengers.
That was the message from first-team coach Charlie Oatway, as the Seagulls prepare for one of their most important games of the season.
Oatway believes the job Poyet and assistant Mauricio Taricco have done will put them firmly on the radar of bigger clubs looking for a new manager.
But he hopes it will not be a disruptive influence between now and the end of the campaign.
Poyet has chosen to keep himself out of the media spotlight this week, after being allowed to talk to Premier League strugglers Reading.
The Royals ultimately appointed Nigel Adkins – but only after Poyet had rejected the role in favour of remaining at Brighton.
"This season, next season or the season after some Premiership clubs are going to show interest in Gus Poyet, no ifs or buts," said Oatway.
"The best managers, the best players, are always going to attract interest. That is the nature of the game. It's down to us to make sure we keep him.
"We are very lucky here with the club that we've got and the stadium, building the new training ground, branching out and looking at players abroad. That man (Poyet) and Tano are building our club on the football side.
"Players are easy come easy go about managers, because you roughly get like for like, but as a management pairing I cannot see anyone else in England like them, when it comes to what they are doing and the way we play and what they are trying to build regarding our youngsters coming through.
"We have moved on so much since I have been here and a lot of it goes down to that man."
