Page 85 - Soccer360 Issue 104

Still a star with San Diego Wave FC,
Alex Morgan could potentially try to stick around and make the USWNT roster for the 2027 World Cup
“GROWING THE TALENT POOL IS ANOTHER PRIORITY ... INCORPORATING EMERGING TALENTS LIKE JAEDYN SHAW, MIA FISHEL, AND OLIVIA MOULTRIE. ”
foundation laid by the previous coaching staff and incorporating emerging talents like Jaedyn Shaw, Mia Fishel, and Olivia Moultrie.
With U.S. Soccer emphasizing a long-term vision and development plans, Hayes has a mandate to shape the team’s playing style and bring it in line with broader organizational objectives.
Locker room harmony poses a unique challenge, given the team’s disappointing World Cup performance and the absence of several veteran players. Hayes must navigate the transition with sensitivity, earning the trust of the players and addressing any skepticism that may linger from the previous coaching regime.
Despite Hayes positive reputation at Chelsea,
the dynamics of an international locker room, especially one with historically successful and high-profile personalities, present a distinct set
of challenges. As Hayes embarks on this journey, her ability to build trust and camaraderie will be critical, potentially unfolding during the Olympics, where the team’s cohesion will be put to the test. Hayes successes at Chelsea, where she led the team to multiple Women’s Super League titles
and a UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph, underscore her coaching acumen and ability to achieve sustained success at the highest level. The U.S. women’s national team will undoubtedly benefit from her rich experience and the winning culture she cultivated at Chelsea as they navigate a new era under her guidance.
Mia Fischel
Olivia Moultrie
SOCCER360 83
THINGS
to know
• Emma Hayes-USWNT head-coach will step down at the end of the season after 11 years.
• With Chelsea Hayes’ has won six Women’s Super League (WSL) titles, five FA Cups and two League Cups.
• Hayes now 47 was born in Camden, North London.
• Hayes has a postgraduate degree in intelligence and international affairs and once applied for MI5, the UK’s counter-intelligence and security agency.
• She started her coaching career in the U.S. in 2001 and became manager of the semi-pro side Long Island Lady Riders, who were part of the USL W League, and then she became head coach at Iona College in 2003.
Hayes went back to the UK in 2006; she was an assistant at Arsenal and was part of the coaching team that won the Vic Akers Cup in 2007.
• Hayes joined Chelsea in 2012. Eleven years and 13 major trophies later, she’s won the WSL title for the last four years.
On the pitch, standards are high; she’s tough on her players, tactically astute, and is known for getting the best out of her players.
• Hayes is used to having an input over each player’s routines, physically and nutritionally.
• Hayes will stay at Chelsea until the end of the season. There’s no doubt that she will want to go out on a high, especially winning a Champions League trophy.
“Hayes built everything at Chelsea – from having the kit washed to
having food, to
having our own
building, to having our own training
and pitches. Now, it’s an absolute professional setup but everything’s been a fight over the years to do that.” - Katie Chapman, who played under Hayes at three different clubs, credits her with building Chelsea from the ground-up.