Brighton & Hove Albion have emerged as the surprise package of this season’s Women’s Super League, with an Australian leading their remarkable ascent. Dario Vidosic, who was appointed the Seagulls' head coach on a three-year deal last July, has swiftly made his mark on the English game.
Dario Vidosic has made an excellent start to life as the head coach of Brighton & Hove Albion's women's side. (Image: BHAFC)
Dario Vidosic arrived at Brighton & Hove Albion after an impressive tenure at Melbourne City, where he guided the team to an A-League Women Premier's Plate and secured qualification for the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League.
It’s been a meteoric rise for Vidosic, a former Socceroo with 23 caps, who only stepped into coaching as recently as 2022. He told Front Page Football that Brighton’s approach came somewhat unexpectedly.
“I wasn’t necessarily pushing for a move. I suppose you never know who's watching—that’s what I try to tell my players. One game can make a huge difference,” he said.
Vidosic's success at Melbourne City caught the attention of Brighton, a club renowned for its data-driven approach to recruitment.
“I guess I ticked a few boxes in terms of my philosophy and playing style,” he explained.
“It started with a video call from Mike (Cave, Brighton’s Assistant Technical Director). After that, I spoke with a three-person panel, and once the Visa paperwork was sorted, it all happened quite quickly.”
A glowing reference from Ange Postecoglou further bolstered Vidosic’s cause—the pair first crossing paths in 2006 with the Australian Under-20 side and years later in the Socceroos set-up.
“I’m extremely thankful to Ange and everyone else who helped me secure my Visa,” Vidosic said.
“It certainly didn’t hurt to have someone of his stature supporting my cause.”
Vidosic’s playing career spanned the globe, notably Germany, Switzerland, and South Korea. But how did those experiences shape and inspire his approach to coaching?
“I guess you could say I’ve seen lots of different ideas,” Vidosic said.
“It was around my mid-twenties when I started to take a real interest in the coaching side of things. I began to take note of what worked and what didn’t—like how the dressing room would react to certain situations. But ultimately, I try to be myself.”
Vidosic watches on during a training session. (Image: BHAFC)
Brighton has earned widespread praise this season for its attacking, high-intensity style of football. They sit fifth on the Women's Super League table, seven points off third-placed Manchester United and still in the hunt for a potential shot at European qualification.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team that finished ninth last season and has endured somewhat of a tumultuous period, with six coaching changes since Hope Powell’s resignation in 2022.
The new head coach wasted no time making his mark, bolstered by some astute recruitment. The standout acquisition was England forward Fran Kirby, who signed on a free transfer following the expiration of her contract with Chelsea.
A game earlier in the season, away at Kirby’s former club, truly showcased Brighton’s progress. While the Seagulls ultimately lost 4-2, they posed serious questions to the reigning champions—winners of the last five WSL titles—who currently sit six points clear at the top of the table.
“That’s how I want my side to play,” Vidosic told FPF.
“We shouldn’t worry about the badge of the opposition. I want us to be dominant with the ball and win it back quickly when we don’t have it.
“In every game this season, with one exception (a 5-0 loss away to Arsenal), where I think the occasion got the better of us—we’ve been competitive. We’ve got to keep applying ourselves. Teams might start adjusting their approach against us now, but we have to counter that. We’re still evolving.”
Exciting times lie ahead on the South Coast. Earlier this month, Brighton unveiled plans to build a purpose-built stadium for their women’s team, aiming for completion by the 2027/28 season. For now, the club hosts most of their home matches at Broadfield Stadium, the home of League One side Crawley Town.
Vidosic also praised Brighton’s Men’s Head Coach, Fabian Hürzeler. The German arrived at the club around the same time as Vidosic and, at just 31 years old, became the youngest-ever permanent appointment in English Premier League history.
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“Fabian, like everyone else at the club, has been excellent with me," Vidosic explained.
“We’ve had the chance to have dinner together a few times, and he’s told me to come watch the men train whenever I can. I don’t need to ask.
“It’s such a great opportunity for me to see one of the very best in the business at work.”
After the mid-season break, Brighton went down 2-1 to Liverpool and succumbed to a 4-0 defeat at home to Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the League Cup. Vidosic will now continue to push his side to achieve a high finish in the league and look to make a deep run in the FA Cup.
Beyond that, the Seagulls continue to challenge the established order in the WSL, and all eyes will be on how the Australian’s vision and the club’s ambitious plans unfold over the coming years.
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