Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet has opened up about the extraordinary moment he discovered he had been sacked by Brighton & Hove Albion during a live BBC broadcast in June 2013. The Uruguayan, now 58, was providing analysis for BBC Three's Confederations Cup coverage of Spain against Nigeria when the news broke publicly.
The Shocking Sacking
Poyet had travelled to Manchester for the broadcast, unaware that Brighton had decided to terminate his contract. Despite leading the club from League One to fourth place in the Championship and a play-off semi-final appearance, his dismissal came without warning. Brighton's promotion hopes had ended after defeat to fierce rivals Crystal Palace, but fans were still stunned by the timing.
Speaking on The Managers podcast, Poyet recalled: "The chairman tried to sit me down in London, we had a meeting one to one [to discuss a new contract]... he was convinced I had an offer [from another club] but I had nothing. So then I asked him to let me go and I went up to Manchester for that game. And I remember, I talked to my lawyer who told me they [Brighton] would like to put a clause [in my new contract]... half an hour later we went live, I took my jacket off, I asked for a cup of tea, and the presenter [Mark Chapman] said, 'You just got sacked.'"
Poyet initially thought they were not live, but the announcement was made. Despite the shock, he later argued it was likely a misunderstanding: "It was a mistake probably, they made a mistake. [Brighton probably thought] if we don't agree [a new contract], we sack him. So they sacked me - and they didn't know I was on TV. So a mistake."
Life After Brighton
Poyet's time away from football was brief. Sunderland appointed him in October 2013 after Paolo Di Canio's disastrous reign. He guided the Black Cats from 20th to 14th in the Premier League and led them to the 2014 League Cup final, where they lost to Manchester City. However, he was dismissed after a 4-0 home defeat to Aston Villa left the club hovering above the relegation zone.
Since then, Poyet has managed in Greece, Spain, China, France, Chile, and South Korea. In April 2026, he became head coach of Al-Khaleej FC in Saudi Arabia's top division.
Playing Career
As a player, Poyet enjoyed success with Chelsea, Tottenham, and Real Zaragoza. His most decorated years came at Chelsea, where he won four major trophies, including the FA Cup in 2000, the League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Cup Winners' Cup in 1998.
