Head of Medical Pfab exits Brighton after 18 months

Prior to this, he had lengthy spells at FC Ingolstadt and Bayern Munich and was hailed by Brighton as “a specialist in sports medicine, dermatology, acupuncture, allergology, nutrition, manual therapy and chiropractics” when he joined.

However, new Sporting Director Jason Ayto and Technical Director Mike Cave have made the decision to part company with Pfab. Gary Walker, who joined at the same time as the German as Head of Performance, is now overseeing both the medical and performance departments.

He will report into Cave, who is now taking responsibility for the medical and performance components at the club.

Writing on LinkedIn, Pfab said: “What an incredible journey it has been serving as Head of Medical at Brighton. From day one, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside world-class players, coaches and staff in a truly collaborative, high-performance environment. 

“Leading the medical department, supporting the health, wellbeing and performance of the playing squad and introducing precision medicine has been both a responsibility and a joy.

“Over my time at the club, I’ve grown enormously – as a clinician, as a leader and as a person. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me, the opportunity to help shape processes and standards, and the daily challenge of helping elite athletes perform at their best while protecting their long-term health. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and professionalism of the colleagues around me.

“I’m especially thankful to the medical and performance team for their hard work, humour and support, and to the wider club for creating a culture where people are encouraged to do things the right way, not just the easy way. The relationships and experiences we’ve built together will stay with me.

“Thank you, Brighton & Hove Albion, for an unforgettable chapter.”

Precision medicine is defined as a bespoke rather than ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that takes account of the genes, environment and lifestyle of each person when deciding on treatment.