Brighton and Hove Albion have appointed Melissa Phillips as their new head coach.
The 35-year-old American, who becomes Brighton’s third head coach this season, has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract to stay with the Seagulls until June 2025.
She told the club’s website: “I’m excited to be here and eager to get started. It’s an amazing feeling to join this club and I’m looking forward to working with the team.
“I had positive talks with the club and I knew it was the right decision to return to England. I am fully aware of our position but confident we can grow and move up the table.”
Phillips has previously coached Angel City, London City Lionesses, University of Pennsylvania, University of San Francisco and California State Bakersfield.
Brighton are currently bottom of the WSL, a point behind Leicester but with two games in hand, and meet Manchester United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday 15 April.
Former England manager Hope Powell stepped down as Brighton boss in October after over five years in charge, during which time she led the club to a best-ever sixth-place WSL finish.
Powell’s successor, the former Bayern Munich coach Jens Scheuer, left Brighton at the start of March after spending just over two months with the club.
Women’s chair Michelle Walder said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Melissa as our new head coach of the women’s first team. She has a strong knowledge of the game, alongside some key experience to help us climb the table.
“Amy Merricks has done a fantastic job under challenging circumstances in recent weeks which has allowed us to go through a thorough process to bring in Melissa.
“Thanks to Amy, Perry Northeast and the rest of the team we eagerly look forward to our FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.”
Women and girls’ managing director Zoe Johnson said: “We are really looking forward to starting work with Melissa, helping her settle in and supporting her in some very immediate short-term aims with the forthcoming cup and league matches.”
