Emma Hayes: Former Chelsea Girls boss says she is going to all the time love the membership however the time was proper to depart | Soccer information

Emma Hayes admits she wasn’t ready for a way tough it will be to depart Chelsea, however she is having fun with a “new lease of life” since turning into United head coach.

Hayes introduced in January that she would finish greater than a decade in control of the Girls’s Tremendous League champions in one of many closest title races of the skilled period.

Touchline arguments, press convention poetry and a back-and-forth with Manchester Metropolis summed up Hayes’ ultimate months in England, culminating on the ultimate day of the season with Chelsea successful their fifth title consecutive.

“I didn’t notice how tough it will be after I made the choice to maneuver to america on the finish of the season,” Hayes stated. Aerial sports activities at his outdated native pub in Camden, north London.

“It was a problem to handle every thing. The expectations, the press… it took its toll on me. To cross the end line with all that as a backdrop, I felt like I may stroll away with my head held excessive. “

Hayes’ ultimate match in cost was a 6-0 defeat of Manchester United at Outdated Trafford, in entrance of his managerial hero Sir Alex Ferguson, to safe his seventh league title with Chelsea, this time in entrance of 1000’s of followers on the ‘outdoors. who got here to bid him a transferring farewell.

“Blended is the best emotion,” Hayes admits, trying again on that day.

“To do it in entrance of the followers, my coronary heart was so full. To be with them, to do it at Outdated Trafford, at Sir Alex’s outdated stomping floor, it is etched in my coronary heart.

Greater than six months have handed since Hayes packed up his life to cross the Atlantic. Despite the fact that she is 4,000 miles from the membership the place she spent 12 years, the space has allowed her to lastly look again on what she has completed.

“I’ve moments the place I mirror on my time there. Every time I come again to the identical factor; I am grateful for this chance, grateful to have been on this place for thus lengthy. It was the best time so that everybody strikes on.

“Now I am on the opposite facet, I’ve created a scenario the place I can take pleasure in it as a fan. I do know I am the coach of america nationwide crew however I’ll all the time love Chelsea. “

Any doubts about how Chelsea would fare in a post-Hayes period have been utterly dispelled after their excellent begin to the season.

Already six factors clear on the high of the WSL, it seems that the blue dominance of the English elite is coming into a brand new cycle below new coach Sonia Bompastor.

Six wins from six within the Champions League additionally has Chelsea being talked about because the membership that would probably finish Barcelona and Lyon’s reign as queens of Europe, one thing Hayes would love.

“I am so pleased with their begin to the season, so pleased with Sonia’s begin with a bunch of gamers and those who I do know are nice. For me, that is what it is all about.

“As a result of I am pleased with the place I’m and I do know I could not have given extra, it is utterly regular for gamers to have a unique course. I am the center youngster of three youngsters, there isn’t a jealousy and envy It doesn’t happen to me, I’m not that individual.

“I do know the dressing room that Sonia has and I’m glad for her, that she will be able to benefit from the fruits of many individuals’s labor over a protracted time period and put her personal stamp on it.

“If Chelsea go on to larger and higher issues… oh, that is my good story. All these gamers within the dressing room know that about me. They’ve a development mindset, Chelsea look implausible this season and I’m excited for them.”

In typical Hayes fashion, three days after that well-known and ultimate title victory at Outdated Trafford, she was flying to New York to start her new teaching journey.

Hayes appeared on as many nationwide breakfast and prime-time exhibits as doable to showcase not solely his plan for American soccer, but additionally his famous person persona.

“I felt a brand new lease of life, I felt reduction. Now not having this stress… I had a brand new stress but it surely was simply thrilling. New cities, new individuals, new gamers. Sure, that was a whirlwind however I cherished each minute.

“I needed to place every thing into my new job and 75 days later I am on the Parc des Princes and watching my crew put gold medals round their necks. It was unbelievable.”

Hayes wasted no time including to his medal haul, main america to Olympic glory throughout two and a half months within the position.

A star-studded crew, led by the offensive trident of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, america entertained and blasted their option to gold with thousands and thousands at residence watching their exploits in Paris.

“I’ve acquired some unbelievable gamers. We had a crew behind the scenes that got here collectively… it is by no means only one factor.

“I had the very best gamers obtainable, we have been in good type, we have been good defensively, we scored essentially the most objectives. We got here collectively on the proper time, the gamers adopted the plan and collectively we acquired it completed essentially the most exceptional in a short while.

“We produced a magical summer season, which is able to stick with us ceaselessly.”

Hayes, as so many profitable coaches do, is fast to provide consideration and reward to gamers.

However the 48-year-old is open sufficient to confess that the rocky journey to the summit makes the view from the highest sweeter.

“My assistant Denise Reddy, I’ve labored along with her for 20 years, after I gained gold I requested her ‘Are you able to imagine what we did?’. She stated ‘Yeah, I can. We labored all our lives for this.

“I thought of it loads, I thought of all of the trials, tribulations, setbacks… generally you solely see the highlights for somebody however I do know all of the disappointments I’ve skilled. I feel it That is what ready me to be on this journey.

“However I simply see them [the players]! I see them on the rostrum, smiles on their faces, placing medals round their necks.

“For People, successful an Olympic gold medal in soccer is the best honor. Seeing their faces, seeing how glad they’re, that is what makes me glad. I’ve numerous pleasure on this new work…and I like successful.”

It is a feeling that soccer followers in america have turn into accustomed to over the previous three many years. With Hayes in cost and in such a constructive scenario, the remainder of the world faces the problem of protecting tempo.