When the Women’s Super League (WSL) kicks off later this week, one-third of clubs will have new managers in charge. There has been a lot of focus on incoming Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor but Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City all have new faces of their own in the dugout. These three teams are part of the ‘aspirational class’ in the league.
All have been promoted within the past six years but, despite investment, have been unable to secure consistent top-half finishes. Last season, Villa finished seventh, Brighton ninth and Leicester 10th. These clubs will hope that their new managers can help them push on.
But who are they and what can we expect from them? GO DEEPER This may be the last WSL season as we know it - but what is the vision for its future? The Australian given a visa reference by Postecoglou In an office at Melbourne City, Dario Vidosic has a Brighton pendant hanging up. The 37-year-old Australian began watching the East Sussex club when Roberto De Zerbi joined as manager. “He’s someone I followed when he was at Shakhtar (Donetsk) and Sassuolo,” explains Vidosic, speaking at the WSL media day.
Advertisement “When he came to Brighton, the Premier League was much more accessible to watch. I really enjoyed watching the games when I could, when they weren’t at 2am. I had a jersey, my son had a jersey.
It’s weird how it works.” Fast forward a year, and Vidosic will be attempting to achieve the club’s stated ambition of becomin.
