Five managers took up new roles in the Women’s Super League (WSL) over the summer and have certainly left an impression.
While some have understandably risen to the challenge, others are still trying to find their feet. As we enter the seventh week of the 2024/25 campaign, 90 minutes we’ve ranked the performances of all the newcomers so far…
Aston Villa failed to build on what was a positive performance against Chelsea on matchday one WSLhaving picked up just two points in six league games since then.
Robert de Pauw signed for Aston Villa in the summer, following the confirmed departure of former manager Carla Ward. The Dutch coach began his tenure at Villa after two years in charge of Bayer Leverkusen in the Frauen-Bundesliga.
The high turnover of the squad during the summer transfer window may be the cause of some of Villa’s problems, but a lack of tangible goalscoring opportunities has caused the team to struggle in recent games .
De Pauw’s impact has been far from immediate, and Aston Villa fans will be frantically looking for a quick turnaround in their team’s form going forward.
Amandine Miquel joined Leicester City in the summer after five seasons with Stade de Reims.
The Foxes had a strong transfer window at the same time as his recruitment, welcoming seven new inclusions into the side. Despite having taken only five points out of a possible eighteen, the Foxes have made some positive projections under Miquel’s new management.
Leicester would have been hard pressed against Arsenal at the King Power Stadium as the Gunners ran away with a 1-0 win thanks to a second-half finish from Frida Maanum.
They created some solid chances on occasion, and many would have said they deserved at least a point for their effort.
A hard-fought draw with Liverpool showed Leicester’s heart and defensive discipline as the club show signs of a worthy future with Miquel in charge.
Laura Kaminski may not have faced the challenge of landing a new club this summer, but she did face the uphill task of promotion to a new league.
The Crystal Palace manager has steered the Eagles’ ship with great courage as the newly-promoted side sit ninth in the league table after the sixth matchweek.
Chelsea gave the Eagles a warm reality check on the opening weekend of the league, thrashing Palace 7-0 at Selhurst Stadium. However, since that disappointment, Palace have given a strong pulse to their first WSL campaign.
Beating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium was a historic triumph for the club, before reinforcing the result with an impressive 1-1 draw against Liverpool the following fortnight.
The Eagles were beaten 3-0 at the hands of Man City last Sunday, but some strong moments saw Kaminski’s side assert dominance over the league giants at Selhurst Park.
The head coach implements strong defensive discipline in her Palace team, while giving players the creative freedom necessary to thrive at the highest level.
While it may be too early to tell, under Kaminski’s guidance, this Palace team continues to show signs of a team capable of avoiding the season-closing newcomer slump.
New Brighton manager Dario Vidosic claimed the WSL Manager of the Month award for October, and for all the right reasons.
Vidosic left Melbourne City in the summer to take on bigger challenges in the WSL. The Australian head coach has brought his possession-based style to England’s south coast and remains determined to preserve his stylistic identity regardless of the opposition.
After a troubled campaign for Brighton in 2023/24, Vidosic has breathed new life into the Seagulls. The club are currently third in the league table, two points ahead of Man Utd and four above Arsenal.
Despite being tested against the best, Vidosic kept his cool to regain momentum in Brighton’s 1-1 draw with Man Utd at the American Express Stadium. The team’s narrow 1-0 loss to Manchester City was not a huge defeat as many positive signs could be taken from
the result
Vidosic is staying true to his style of football, relying on youth talent while balancing his stars to take Brighton to new heights.
You can’t look past Sonia Bompastor when it comes to the WSL’s most dominant coach. The French giant had huge shoes to fill when he signed on to succeed Emma Hayes over the summer, and it’s safe to say he’s up to the challenge.
Chelsea they have remained unbeaten since Bompastor’s arrival, winning all seven competitive games under his new management. The Blues were without their star scoring quartet against Everton last Sunday, with Mayra Ramirez, Lauren James, Catarina Macario and the obvious Sam Kerr absent from the clash. Chelsea still managed to win 5-0, with five different players getting their name on the score sheet.
The club is inevitable at this point, with Bompastor only gaining more confidence as he progresses through his time with the team.
