Glenn Murray has reflected on some of Albion’s pre-season tours and how they pale in comparison to this pre-season trip to the USA.
Albion will face Chelsea, Brentford and Newcastle United as a part of the Premier League Summer Series, starting with our match against the Blues on Saturday night, kick-off 7pm EDT, or midnight in the UK.
“Coming to the USA with our long-term partners American Express is something we’ve wanted to do for a while, but to do it as a part of the Premier League’s Summer Series is extra special,” Glenn said, who has joined us on our pre-season trip as a club ambassador.
“The facilities at Rutgers University that the team have been training at are exceptional, they are extremely similar to the facilities we have at Lancing.
“Compared to some of my pre-seasons it’s extremely different let’s say! The memorable ones are Austria, when we were stuck up in the mountains with nothing to do apart from a lot of running – we did that on a number of occasions.
“Tenerife trips were entertaining to say the least, we went there quite a few times. The worst I can remember is one when Micky Adams was in charge and we went to Ireland. We stayed in an agricultural college where we had to share a toilet, and we had to knock on the Knock Airport terminal door to let us in after we landed. It’s fair to say the club has come a long way since then!”
Murray has had the chance to watch the team train in preparation for the Summer Series and believes we’re in the perfect surroundings for Roberto De Zerbi to get his messages across in his first pre-season as Albion head coach.
“Considering that Roberto joined after the season had started, I don't think last season could have gone any better in those circumstances.
“But for him and his staff, it will be nice that the players will have a much better idea of what he wants from them and to start a campaign with them, playing his brand of football from the very start.
“That is so much more ideal than trying to teach the players during the season when because of games you might not be training that much. It’s perfect for Brighton and Roberto to start the season as he will want, on the front foot and hopefully have more of the same.
“We were without doubt one of the success seasons of last season and to be invited on something like this is amazing for the football club.
“I am sure if it wasn’t for the global pandemic we would have done something like this sooner, but to be here for the first time this year is really special, in our main sponsor’s homeland, who have backed us in our rise from the Championship to the Premier League, it’s nice to showcase to people the Premier League team that they have supported.”
We kick-off against Chelsea at 7.30pm local time in Philadelphia on Saturday (12.30am BST). Supporters outside the UK and USA can watch the game live on the club website, while Sky Sports will be showing the game in the UK and NBC will be broadcasting to our fans in the USA.