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When the U.S. Women’s National Team crashed out of the World Cup during the summer in the Round of 16, critics demanded big changes within the team. Those wishes were granted a few short weeks later when head coach Vlatko Andonovski and U.S. Soccer mutually agreed to part ways.
“It’s imperative that we continue to evolve and innovate, and we are excited about the path that lies ahead,” sporting director Matt Crocker said after Andonovski’s departure. “Our commitment to excellence remains unshakeable.”
Crocker’s task was a big one: replacing Andonovski with a coach who could restore the public’s faith in the USWNT while pushing the organization forward toward more innovative ideas. Crocker and U.S. Soccer searched for months before landing on the ideal candidate: English coach Emma Hayes.
Who is Hayes, and what are her credentials? And why is she such an interesting choice for the USWNT?
Hayes was born in London and played soccer as a child, but an ankle injury in her teens ruled out a professional career. She went to university instead, focusing on sports coaching and business, and began coaching women’s soccer in the United States.
Hayes returned to England for a brief spell to serve as assistant coach and academy director at Arsenal before returning to the U.S. for a head-coaching role with the Chicago Red Stars. She returned to England a few years later and took over the women’s team at Chelsea, where she’s been for the past decade.
Hayes’ Chelsea record is beyond reproach. She has won six league titles, five FA Cups and reached the final of the Women’s Champions League in her 10-year stint. She coached global superstars such as Switzerland’s Zécira Mušović, England’s Lauren James and Australia’s Sam Kerr.
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