Eagerly with palms raised within the air, the youngsters from Abbott Neighborhood major college all need to quiz the US head coach. The plan was for Emma Hayes to only take just a few questions from the kids on the Nationwide Soccer Museum, however she desires to reply all of them. Even her son, Harry, watching on, raises his hand. The tone is gentle, enjoyable and academic as Hayes celebrates being inducted into the Corridor of Fame.
The previous Chelsea supervisor, who's being honoured by the Nationwide Soccer Museum for her teaching achievements thus far, not least her seven Girls's Tremendous Leagues titles and Olympic gold medal, is fast to level to how glad she is that the “girls's recreation is in a greater place on this nation” in comparison with when she took on the Chelsea job in 2012. Alongside her smiles, although, there's a deep disappointment at current. When later sitting down to talk to the Guardian, Hayes points phrases of warning to the game, particularly that it should be taught classes from the demise of her predecessor at Chelsea, Matt Beard, after the shock information of his demise on the age of 47 final month.
“It's a soccer neighborhood in mourning. It's an enormous loss,” Hayes says. “Psychological well being is a silent killer and coaches are human beings, and I nonetheless suppose we've acquired plenty of work to do to assist extra than simply gamers. The LMA [League Managers Association] do an excellent job however, as the ladies's recreation is rising, we've to replicate on how we assist managers within the girls's recreation at each stage, to navigate the pressures and the expectations.
“We've entered an age in social media the place individuals get ‘cancelled' actually shortly. It's straightforward to criticise, and I don't suppose coaches are at all times thought of as human beings. I really feel unhappy that he [Beard] was in that place the place he wanted assist and assist from everybody, however that must be a studying [for football]. I'm simply devastated for his household and for everybody that's performed for him.”
“He gave a lot to the ladies's recreation,” Hayes goes on to say, “and a lot to all of us, in numerous methods. He was at all times on the tip of the cellphone for those who wanted a chat. His gamers beloved him as a result of he cared about them deeply. He shall be remembered most not only for his successful at Liverpool, however for the human being that he was.”
Hayes is aware of Beard – who led Chelsea to their first girls's FA Cup ultimate in 2012 earlier than occurring to to win back-to-back titles at Liverpool – is a key a part of the London membership's historical past, and her crew went on to construct on these foundations. Now she is delighted to see her successor at Chelsea, Sonia Bompastor, stay unbeaten within the WSL since taking up in the summertime of 2024. “The marker for me wasn't the trophies; it was that I might go away a crew that might carry on successful,” Hayes says. “Sonia is doing a tremendous job, and Paul Inexperienced [Chelsea's head of women's football], who deserves a lot credit score for what he's carried out. [It is] why Chelsea are nonetheless on the prime.”
Hayes is equally fascinated with the longer term for the US as she factors to the significance of their youth worldwide groups when discussing her love for her newest job. The 48-year-old can also be having fun with the work-life steadiness that comes with worldwide administration. “I've been so effectively acquired on the market, they genuinely do love English individuals in America,” she says. “I really feel they've adopted me they usually take care of me, I really feel actually beloved.
“I'm having fun with having a little bit bit extra brain-time in between, so I can suppose strategically about doing issues as a substitute of getting a recreation each three days. I can plan medium- to long-term throughout the federation, to chart a course for not simply the ladies's nationwide crew however with our youth nationwide groups, for a way USA continues to compete on the prime finish.”
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Hayes wouldn't be drawn on her hopes for 2027's World Cup simply but. “We've acquired to qualify first, you should go one step at a time,” she says when requested about that event in Brazil. Her crew are on a five-match successful run with out conceding, although, and so she provides: “I really feel like we're in place. We nonetheless want extra expertise and that's what we've to attempt to purchase in these upcoming video games, getting them the precise exposures at a world stage in order that, come the {qualifications} subsequent yr, we really feel absolutely ready, so I'm actually enthusiastic about our crew.”
No matter she goes on to attain with the USA, Hayes's place in English soccer historical past is safe, and being inducted into the Nationwide Soccer Museum's Corridor of Fame is clearly a second of nice pleasure for her. “I view soccer as a car for good, and once I replicate on all of the issues I've carried out in my profession so far, the issues I'm most grateful for aren't the wins, they aren't the person acknowledgments, it's the individuals I've met, it's the foundations which were put in place for the sport,” she says. “I'm simply so grateful the ladies's recreation is in a greater place on this nation.”
