Mikey Harris: Brighton boss on his journey into the WSL

Harris’ enthusiasm and success saw him thrust into the Brighton Women’s interim role – something he “did not plan for” but has fully embraced.

“There’s loads of stuff I’ve learned. I’m learning more about the players, the league, the coaches you come up against and interacting more with the media,” added Harris.

“When you’ve worked in the men’s and boys game for 20 years and that’s all you’ve ever known, to then come into this environment overnight, I think it would be normal to feel you don’t belong here.

“I guess for the first few days I felt like a bit of a guest to the women’s game. But now, as time has gone on and I reflect, I’ve never felt uncomfortable or that I don’t belong.”

One of the biggest challenges throughout Harris’ career has been finding a balance between “challenging players and supporting them”.

He hopes his values – which he explained to his players before his first WSL game against Manchester United – helps them understand his management approach.

“It’s about how you have that conversation. I always say to every group of players when I work with them, I will never judge them as a human being but I have to judge them as a footballer,” he said.

“If I leave them out, it’s not that I respect them or care about them any less as a person, I just have to pick 11 players. I will always tell them why. They may not agree with me, but I will support them and always have their backs.”