A successful audition to become Brighton Women head coach?

When Brighton Women surprised the football world with the shock departure of Mel Phillips on transfer deadline day, interim head coach Mikey Harris became the fifth manager to lead the team in the space of 15 months.

Whereas the men’s team enjoy stability and a joined-up approach, Brighton Women have been run in a far more scattergun manner. Phillips lasted less than a year and her predecessors Jens Schueuer only a matter of months.

The Albion meanwhile employed a headhunting firm to find Phillips in the first place, indicating that the well-planned data driven basis that Brighton use to identify potential managers in the Premier League is not matched with equivalent data available for the women’s game.

Perhaps that is why Mikey Harris was promoted from within; recognition of the difficulties Brighton Women have faced in getting external appointments right.

After only six WSL games in charge, it is too early to make any definitive conclusions on Harris’s tenure – but all the signs are this may well be a successful audition in terms of landing the head coach job permanently.

Why did Brighton Women sack Mel Phillips?

The statement which followed the sacking of Phillips as Brighton Women manager from technical director David Weir was short and to the point.

“This is not a decision which has been taken lightly, but we feel it is vital for the progress we want to see in the WSL,” said Weir.

“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.”

More insightful was the opinion of Manchester United Women manager Marc Skinner. He seemed to feel the sacking was less about results and more to do with the way Brighton want their team to play and use data to analyse chances of progression and future success.

Skinner said: “What I would say is that there are many metrics that an ownership group will look at and I think they are different for each team.”

“What I would say is that I think it depends on each individual model and I think the coaches know that when they go into it. If you stray against it, you will know exactly where you’re at.”

WAB looked at the key metrics Brighton base decisions on in the wake of Phillips’ sacking. On xG, Albion Women were the worst team in the WSL.

Graham Potter kept his job through long winless runs because xG suggested results would soon turn. Phillips in contrast was sacked because xG pointed to Brighton Women being lucky not to be battling Bristol City for the one relegation spot.

The Albion’s low xG also suggested that the team had actually regressed from the 2022-23 season, despite significant summer investment in the squad.

In terms of the ‘Brighton DNA’ which favours every Albion team playing front-foot possession football, Brighton Women under Phillips had the second-lowest possession stats in the WSL.

Comparing Mikey Harris and Mel Phillips

Having said six WSL games is too early to make any definitive conclusions on Harris, we can still compare his tenure with Phillips to gain an early insight into how he is performing.

• League position has improved from 10th to 8th, although Harris has benefited from some easier fixtures. Seven points from six games remains slightly ahead of Phillips’ 11 points from 12 matches.

• Average goals per game has increased under Harris, with the caveat that seven were scored in a single match against Bristol City

• There has been a marked improvement in expected goal difference per game from -1.3 (Phillips) to -0.4 (Harris)

• Possession is up from 41.7 percent (11th in the WSL) to 49.5 percent (8th in the WSL).

It is those last assessments which are key. It has been consistently proven that expected goals are a better predictor of future performance than actual results, so the marked improvement in xG gives confidence the club is on an improving trajectory.

The possession stats make it clear that Mikey Harris is changing the approach of Brighton Women to be in keeping with how the style of the men. This is also obvious to anyone who has watched the side play since the managerial change.

Albion players have spoken about the move to a possession-based style. England winger Katie Robinson reflected on the the progress from Harris’ first game in charge: “We’ve come a long way since our last game against United, and I really believe we can go out there and put in a strong performance.”

“Personally, I feel more confident and like my old self. Mikey has instilled a lot of confidence in us as a group and individually. We have a clear style of play now which I think we definitely needed as a group.”

“We’ve always had real togetherness. A lot has gone on in the last few months but that’s a reason to come together more and hopefully that is showing on the pitch.”

Captain Vicky Losada had similar thoughts in an interview with Brian Owen at The Argus: “I think we are focusing now on the style that the club wants us to play. I think it is something that the team feels comfortable with.”

“But it’s not easy to have the ball all the time. It’s not easy when they are pressing you one-v-one all over the pitch to get through.”

“We haven’t had enough time, either, but it’s just a process. Before Christmas, I think the players we have, being honest, it’s not a team for not having the ball, really.”

“I don’t think we are a team to be playing super direct without trying to have a bit of possession. I think that has improved.”

“Of course, sometimes it is not easy. We are in a process of we want to play more, we want to connect better between us and I think that it’s just a matter of time, really.”

Another area where Phillips came in for criticism was the lack of game time given to young players. Harris already appears to have greater trust in the academy.

16-year-old defender Grace McEwen made her Brighton Women debut recently, with Mikey Harris saying: “We are a club who believe in our academy, both on the girls and women side and the boys and men side.”

“We want to produce our own homegrown players who know what it means to play for the football club and understand and appreciate the identity of the football club.”

Has Harris done enough to become permanent boss?

The progress being made under Harris was further reflected with his nomination for WSL March Manager of the Month. It seems likely therefore that Brighton Women will look to appoint him on a permanent basis once the season ends.

Every interview Harris has given implies it is a job he would relish, as outlined to the BBC:
” It is an honour to work in the WSL. For me to be entrusted in this role, for however long it lasts, is an amazing feeling and it is a privilege.”

“There are 12 teams in the WSL, so 12 head coaches. To be one of them is a massive, massive honour. So from my perspective, there is no part of me that’s ever thought ‘this will be a great stepping stone for me to get into the men’s senior management game’. I wouldn’t see it like that at all.”

“There’s loads of stuff I’ve learned. I’m learning more about the players, the league, the coaches you come up against and interacting more with the media.”

“When you’ve worked in the men’s and boy’s game for 20 years and that’s all you’ve ever known, to then come into this environment overnight, I think it would be normal to feel you don’t belong here.”

“I guess for the first few days I felt like a bit of a guest to the women’s game. But now, as time has gone on and I reflect, I’ve never felt uncomfortable or that I don’t belong.”

Peter Finn