Hope Powell steps down as Brighton Women manager after 8-0 WSL home defeat to Tottenham
Hope Powell steps down as Brighton Women boss following Sunday's 8-0 home Women's Super League defeat against Tottenham; Brighton are second from bottom with just one win; Powell: "I feel now is the right time to step aside and allow a new coach to take the team forward"
Tuesday 1 November 2022 09:38, UK
Brighton Women manager Hope Powell has stepped down from her role with immediate effect following Sunday's 8-0 Women's Super League home defeat against Tottenham.
The loss leaves Brighton second from bottom in the WSL having won just one of their five matches, three points above bottom-placed Leicester, who occupy the relegation spot.
Powell departs after five years in charge of the Seagulls, having led the club to their best WSL campaign in the 2020/21 season, when they finished sixth.
Powell said: "We've had a very challenging start to the new season with many changes to our squad and results not going as we had all hoped. Sunday's heavy loss at home to Tottenham was particularly disappointing.
"As a club, we've made a lot of progress in the past five years, but I feel now is the right time to step aside and allow a new coach to take the team forward with plenty of Super League football still to play this season."
The former England Women head coach took charge of 116 matches at Brighton, winning over 40 per cent of them.
Michelle Walder, chair of Brighton & Hove Albion's women's and girls' football club board, said: "Hope's contribution to the development of women's and girls' football at our club, and for the women's game in this country, cannot be underestimated.
"Hope has established Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women's Super League, has overseen the opening of a new state-of-the-art women's and girls' teams training facility at our club, and has undoubtedly inspired further generations of young girls to play football. We wish her well for the future."
Amy Merricks, supported by Alex Penny and Perry Northeast, will take interim charge of Brighton's WSL match at West Ham United on Sunday.
