Kirby and Parris boost Brighton hopes going into WSL 2024-25

The 2024-25 WSL season arrives with the traditional optimism which has surrounded Brighton Women every campaign since the club entered the top division back in 2018-19. That this will be the year the club finally moves forward towards its top four aim.

To perfectly summarise the Albion’s performances in WSL over the past six seasons, one can use the French proverb plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Meaning the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Since Hope Powell left as manager on October 2022, Brighton Women have appointed three permanent head coaches and two interim. Alongside that has been a significant annual turnover in players, above the high average that already exists in WSL.

The Albion ended their first WSL season in 9th place. They also finished last season in 9th. The consistent changes in manager and playing staff has led to no consistent improvement or progress, accepting of course the overall WSL standard has risen.

Will 2024-25 be the season when Brighton Women start making strides towards the top four after the misplaced optimism and false dawns of the past six years?

Tony Bloom thinks so. When discussing the campaign ahead, the Albion owner said: “Going back to our long-term vision, which we brought out in 2020, it was for the women’s team to be top four.”

“We haven’t been that close but top four is difficult in the WSL with all the strong teams. Since we did that [set out the vision], Manchester United and Liverpool have come into the division, but I do think this year we’ve got by far and away our strongest squad of players, and we will give it a real go to be challenging for the top four.”

Lack of Starlizard database hurts Brighton Women

The below graphs compare the finishing positions of Brighton in the Premier League and Brighton Women in the WSL leading into the 2024-25 season.

Over the past six seasons, the men have gone from strength to strength. Exceptional player recruitment and a successful manager pipeline from Chris Hughton to Graham Potter to Roberto De Zerbi and now Fabian Hurzeler have helped Bloom meet his ambition of the Albion becoming an established Premier League club.

Numerous articles have explained how Starlizard data and algorithms underpin Brighton’s world class recruitment. David Weir outlined the model’s scope when speaking to ESPN, saying: “I don’t know a number, but I imagine it would be the vast majority of players who play professional football in all the leagues in the world.”

It is currently impossible to scout and analyse women’s football around the world in the same manner. There is no comparative data and so the Albion have historically used more standard methods of headhunting identification, performance assessment and interview process.

Brighton Women have not been good at this, as the ultimately unsuccessful recruitment of Jens Scheuer and Mel Phillips along with the high player turnover prove.

Hence even with the same top management structure, exceptional training facilities and significant financial investment from Bloom, Brighton Women continue to do no better than average in WSL compared to the best in class performances of the men.

Bloom will no doubt be looking to address the comparative data shortfall. The 2024-25 WSL season will give some indication as to whether Brighton Women have managed to improve their player and management recruitment – starting with the new head coach.

Dario Vidosic leads Brighton Women into 2024-25 WSL season

Despite the progress made under interim manager Mikey Harris in the second half of last season, the Albion decided against making him the new permanent manager.

Instead, the club have appointed a young, relatively inexperienced head coach who has enjoyed exceptional success in a very short period in a less high-profile league. The similarities between 37-year-old Crotaian/Australian Dario Vidosic and Hurzeler are there for all to see.

Vidosic has only three years experience in management. He initially supported his father, Rado, as a coach of Melbourne City Women.

When Rado took over Melbourne City Men in November 2022 (only to be sacked a year later), Dario was put in charge of the Women.

He led them to first place in the 2023-24 regular A-League Women Premier Division, winning the Premier Plate before unluckily losing the playoff final for overall champions 1-0 to Sydney.

Bloom said of appointing Vidic: “He’s not got a huge amount of experience as a head coach, but we’re really impressed with what Dario did in Australia, so we’re very hopeful for the season ahead.”

Vidosic had a playing style in line with the Albion’s requirements. He told the official Brighton website: “The simple word to use is to dominate.”

“We want to dominate the ball, dominate without the ball, play in the opponent’s half as much as possible, create as many goal-scoring chances as we can and win the ball back quickly. I like to play a very attacking brand, but we will still need to defend when we have the ball.”

“Whatever club we play their badge is almost a blank. We’ll look to play our way of football. It doesn’t really matter who that’s against.”

“We need to trust what we’re doing and what I believe in. I’m a firm believer in the football that my teams play, and we won’t go away from that.”

Kirby and Parris the headline signings in summer squad overhaul

In WSL with limited transfer fees and shorter contracts, plater turnover is inevitably high. Brighton Women have found themselves bringing in another 12 new players for the 2024-25 WSL season to replace 12 who have left the club.

The bad news is several of the departees have been key players for the Albion in recent seasons. This is indicative of their individual ability but also the difficulty in persuading players to stay.

Elisabeth Terland will be the greatest loss. Second highest scorer in the WSL last season despite playing in a struggling side, Terland has joined FA Cup winners Manchester United.

United’s name and winning their first piece of silverware in May proved attractive to Terland. Arguably most disappointing was England international Katie Robinson moving to Aston Villa, 7th in the WSL last season.

Other first team regulars to depart were Emma Kullberg, Julia Zigiotti, Tatiana Pinto and Veatriki Sarri – all of whom you suspect Brighton Women would liked to have kept for the 2024-25 WAL season.

Why then is Bloom asserting that this is by far and away the strongest squad the Albion have had? Well, that is down to recruitment.

Two Euro winning Lionesses have been the headline signings. Fran Kirby arrives from Chelsea and Nikita Parris from Manchester United.

Parris top scored for United last season but the Red Devils have decided to go in a younger direction for their frontline. Hence what was effectively become a Terland and Parris swap between United and Brighton.

Kirby meanwhile needs no introduction as one of the most recognisable England players in the history of women’s football. She brings vast experience on and off the pitch and will raise standards across the club.

The challenge for Brighton Women will be helping Kirby and Parris rediscover their best form. But with the carrot of a place in the England squad for Euro 2025 in front of them, both have plenty to play for.

Other eye-catching signings include Jelena Cankovic from Chelsea and two exciting young forwards in Tanzanian striker Aisha Masaka and Barcelona loanee Bruna Vilamala.

The Amex v New WSL Specific Stadium

Brighton Women have already announced that two 2024-25 WSL fixtures will take place at the Amex. Terland and newly appointed Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier will return on Saturday 19th October. The Albion then host West Ham United on Saturday 16th November.

The question though remains – could Brighton play every WSL game at the Amex? Villa Women will use Villa Park this season, despite the additional workload on the pitch which Unai Emery’s side playing Champions League football will bring.

How much of Robinson’s decision to make what appears a sideways step from Brighton to Villa was based on the stadium move showing Vila’s commitment to women’s football?

Playing at the Amex more regularly is dismissed as a loss-leader by Paul Barber whenever mentioned. Instead, the Albion press ahead with the exciting alternative of building the first women-specific football stadium in England.

Logically, it would seem that even cumulative losses playing at the Amex would cost less than constructing a new home and comparatively could buy you only Georginio Rutter’s left leg.

In contrast, Brighton Women taking up residence at the Amex would increase crowds and offer the option of WSL/Premier League double headers.

Nobody knows when or even if a new Brighton Women stadium will be built. If the Albion are serious about becoming a top four club, they need to move away from the Broadfield Stadium.

The likes of Kirby, Parris, Cankovic and Vilamala deserve a better stage to play on. Especially if they push Brighton towards the top four.

Peter Finn