After less than a year in charge, Mel Phillips has been sacked as head coach of Brighton Women. And I have to say, I am incredibly shocked.
Sure, this may be the way it is in football these days. Managers come and go with the wind. Phillips after all is the third permanent Albion head coach to leave in just over a year.
The circumstances of Phillips’ departure are, however, somewhat different to those of her predecessors.
First, there was Hope Powell who left after a horrible start to the 2022-23 season. Losing 8-0 to Spurs left Powell feeling it was “the right time to step aside.”
Former Bayern Munich manager Jens Scheuer succeeded Powell to much fanfare. He though lasted only a matter of months before being shown the exit door when a disappointing run of results culminated in a heavy 6-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
Scheuer’s situation was not helped by apparent concerns from the club over his management style, including very public criticism of the squad after the Villa game for not being good enough to play his high-pressing style.
Phillips disproved Scheuer’s claims by implementing said style in a reign which showed plenty of promise right from the off in a narrow and heroic FA Cup semi final defeat to Manchester United.
Brighton went onto avoid relegation out of the WSL, something which at times had looked a big ask through the reigns of Powell and Scheuer.
The Albion have had their ups and down in the 2023-24 campaign so far but have managed to build on survival, putting together a promising team in amongst all that struggle and strife.
To her credit, Phillips has turned Brighton from the chaotic defensive mess they were prior to her arrival into an organised, front-footed, high-pressing team.
She also developed a strike force no defence in the WSL enjoys facing, particularly given the progression of Norwegian striker Elisabeth Terland under Phillips’ management.
Nonetheless, Albion technical director David Weir said to the club’s website on the announcement of Phillips departure: “We have invested heavily in the women’s squad and infrastructure going into this season, and results and performances have not been at the level we had expected, given that investment.”
Brighton did invest heavily in the summer and brought in some big names. No less so than former Barcelona captain and Spain international Vicky Losada, who was swiftly given the captain’s armband by Phillips.
Other notable acquisitions included Champions League winner Pauline Bremer and Columbian international Jorelyn Carabali.
So, the current position of 10th is admittedly below many pre-season expectations. But the win away to Manchester City and the draw at home with Manchester United showed signs of improvement, whilst the change in playing style had been transformative.
There had been further promised since Christmas, too. The wins over Luton Town and Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and League Cup respectively may have been expected coming against lower league opposition, but they still leave the Albion in both domestic cup competitions.
Phillips’ last game was a 3-0 defeat to reigning champions Chelsea. Brighton won 3-2 against bottom side Bristol City a week before that, giving them something to build on moving towards the Spring.
As Emma Sanders of BBC Sport said on Phillips’ departure: “Expectations were high in pre-season and while Brighton have definitely not lived up to those, they are still six points clear of relegation and this announcement comes as a shock to many.”
Given that last season was very almost a complete and unmitigated disaster for Brighton – where the team only narrowly avoided relegation to the mostly part-time Championship – expectations being as high as some suggested was always likely to come back to bite the club.
Phillips and her players did their best to temper these expectations. Bremer said last summer shortly after joining from Wolfsburg: “Of course, we want as many points as possible. It will not be made overnight.”
For Phillips herself, her main ambition for the team was to simply be “competitive in every single league match.” For the most part, the Albion have been.
This may not sound like a high standard to set. But Brighton were a side who conceded an average of just under three goals per game last season – one of a number of metrics which demonstrate just how far the team Phillips inherited was from living up to that basic ideal of competitiveness.
Mel Phillips had improved Brighton at a realistic rate, doing enough to suggest that the Albion would continue to get better under her leadership with time and patience.
Which is why the decision the club has taken to sack her has come as a surprise. Nobody surely saw it coming at this point in a rebuilding season.
What Brighton have done here is sent a clear message – they are not willing to wait around and build patiently. The Albion want to see faster progress towards the stated ambition of becoming a top four WSL side.
Sacking a capable manager like Phillips in an attempt to move more hastily is a risky move, but one not uncommon from the club in recent teams.
And whilst it offers some explanation over the sacking, it risks raising expectations even further.
Whoever takes over from Phillips on a permanent basis will know they not only have high standards to meet, but that they will not have much time to settle in and get there.
Phil
