Gross endures snakes and ladders of football – but could Germany’s struggles have a knock-on effect for Brighton and Hove Albion?

Even allowing for the blip against West Ham, the Albion have started relatively well, the Europa League is on the horizon – and for Gross personally, his consolation goal in the aforementioned defeat at home to the Hammers put him on 27 EPL goals for the club, taking him past both Glenn Murray and Neal Maupay, to make him the club’s top scorer in the Premier League.

As an aside, I should point out Gross is not the club’s leading top-division scorer. Football didn’t start with the Premier League in 1992 and Gross is still 10 short of the late Michael Robinson’s 37 top-flight goal tally for the Albion between August 1980 and April 1983. As Bob Marley said, “In this bright future, you cannot forget your past.”

Mind you, a certain lad named Ferguson may be laying claim to this title in the next few years…

Back to Gross though, and his success with the Seagulls saw him receive what many observers said was a long overdue call-up to the German national squad for the latest group of international matches, the Germans taking on Japan and France.What could possibly go wrong? Well quite a lot actually.Twenty or more years ago it was a scoreline many would have deemed not possible, but on Saturday night in Wolfsburg Japan beat Germany 4-1! On the ‘Albion’ plus side Mitoma had a great game apparently...The emphatic, almost humiliating, defeat immediately sent shockwaves throughout German football and in the wake of the game, already under fire German coach Hansi Flick was sacked with immediate effect.The experienced Rudi Voller, who managed the national side between 2000-2004, was immediately put in charge for the French game working with a temporary coaching team of Hanes Wolf and Sandro Wagner. But apparently the word on the ‘strasses’ and in the beer halls is that the number one target for the job is Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.Whether that will extend Gross’ international career past a couple of games remains to be seen.It’s the possible vacancy at Anfield that would launch a huge wave of speculation – and may worry Brighton fans.I will nail my colours early by saying RDZ won’t be tempted away. In the Albion manager’s job he almost has the perfect position in the EPL, save for perhaps Pep at City. He has an owner with significant funds who actually supports the club – and he has the most young, exciting and vibrant squad in the club’s history to work with.RDZ is almost a throwback to better times, it’s not about money for him, it’s the challenge, coupled with environment in and around the club, which is why at this point I still believe he’d choose Albion over anyone, bar perhaps City, in this country.As for Gross, he returns ‘home’ before the weekend, with the perfect opportunity to get back on the horse, with the mouthwatering visit to Manchester United, a club with their own fair share of off-the-field controversy.Who knows, in time Gross and Mitoma might even have a chuckle about the events in Wolfsburg last Saturday?