New Brighton and Hove Albion manager Sami Hyypia has confirmed the appointments of Sammy Lee and Antti Niemi as members of his backroom staff as he gets ready to take charge of the club.
Lee, a former Bolton Wanderers manager will join Hyypia as his assistant manager at the club while former Finland international goalkeeper Niemi has been appointed as the team’s goalkeeping coach.
The 55 year old Lee was a member of the Liverpool coaching staff during the Finnish legend’s time at Anfield and Niemi, who has played for both Fulham and Southampton, was a former international colleague of the new Seagulls boss.
Brighton and Hove Albion narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League for the second straight year after falling at the playoff semi finals of the Championship and Oscar Garcia resigned from his position as manager following the loss.
The Seagulls had fallen at the playoff stage last season as well but what happened after that defeat with the dismissal of Gus Poyet that followed is something that no one at the club would want to remember.
Hyypia becomes their third manager in as many years and the former Bayer Leverkusen manager will be hoping it will be third time lucky for the club as they seek to return to the top flight of English football for the first time in decades.
Hyypia was sacked from his position as manager of the German club after a lackluster second season in charge and Brighton and Hove Albion moved quickly to appoint him as their new manager with the Finnish manager stating that he was impressed by the ambitions of the club and the professionalism they have displayed before appointing him as their new manager and he hopes to pay the club back in full by leading them to the Premier League.