Jeff CarlisleU.S. Football Correspondent November 4, 2023, 8:59 p.m. ET4 Minute Read
Lawson: The connection between Hayes and USWNT makes a lot of sense
Sophie Lawson speaks out about Emma Hayes’ alleged connection to the USWNT head coaching job after she announced she would be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.
The US Soccer Federation’s board of directors has approved the hiring of Chelsea coach Emma Hayes as the new head coach of the US women’s national team. A source with knowledge of the vote confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
A formal announcement of her hiring as Vlatko Andonovski’s successor is expected to follow.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported the board’s approval.
Sources also confirmed a report from The Athletic that Hayes’ contract will be a record for women’s football. A source confirmed to ESPN that the board meeting would discuss matching Hayes’ salary to that of U.S. men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter.
Hayes is widely regarded as one of the top managers in women’s football.
The USWNT has been coached by Twila Kilgore on an interim basis since Andonovski left that role after the team recorded its earliest exit from the Women’s World Cup with a round of 16 loss to Sweden.
Hayes will leave Chelsea at the end of the Women’s Super League (WSL) season “to pursue a new opportunity outside the WSL and club football,” the club announced in a statement following Saturday’s 6-0 defeat to Aston Villa .
Hayes is expected to juggle the USWNT and Chelsea jobs until the end of the WSL season. Although the plan is for Hayes to join the USWNT during international windows, there are potential conflicts.
The Concacaf W Gold Cup is scheduled to take place from February 20th to March 10th, 2024. During this period, Chelsea have league games against Manchester City on February 18th and Leicester City on March 3rd. There are also questions about how balancing two jobs would impact the USWNT’s preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Emma Hayes has been named WSL Manager of the Year six times.Getty
The London native began her managerial career in 2001 with the Long Island Lady Riders of the US-based USL W-League. She later coached at Iona College from 2003 to 2006 and then moved to Arsenal’s first team as an assistant from 2006 to 2008. Her first head coaching role was with the Chicago Red Stars in Women’s Professional Soccer – the precursor to the NWSL – from 2008 to 2010, before moving to Chelsea in 2012, where she has worked ever since.
During her time with the west London club, Hayes led Chelsea to six WSL titles, five Women’s FA Cups and two FA Women’s League Cups.
“Given all she has contributed to Chelsea in over a decade at the club and the legacy she leaves behind, we would never stand in her way if she felt it was the right time to pursue a new one “To face the challenge,” Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said in a statement.
“There will be plenty of time to celebrate Emma’s many achievements at the club and give her the farewell she deserves, but as always, for now Emma will focus solely on making this season as successful as possible for Chelsea.”
Chelsea had six different players on the scoresheet as they beat Aston Villa to go top of the table with 13 points after five games, three ahead of second-placed Man City, who face Arsenal on Sunday.
Hayes has been named FA WSL Manager of the Season six times and League Managers Association Manager of the Year five times. She was named the best female football coach by FIFA in 2021.
Information from Portal contributed to this report