Emma Hayes says winning a trophy would be the “best statue” that Chelsea can give her, with no thought given to being immortalised in west London.
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Legendary coach preparing to leave west LondonReady to move into international managementWants to walk away with more major silverwareWHAT HAPPENED?
The legendary Blues boss is preparing to sever ties with the reigning WSL champions in 2024. She has agreed to take charge of the USWNT team and is ready for a different kind of challenge in international football. She could land a seventh domestic crown before walking away, while also chasing down Champions League honours, and says farewell silverware would be preferable to any long-standing monument at Kingsmeadow.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT HAYES SAID
Hayes has told of why she remains focused on the present and the hunt for more trophies: “I can't think about both Chelsea and the US at the moment – the Chelsea job is enough. There have been moments where I’ve had to make calls to the US but I'll do it in the evening at 9pm, nothing is going to get in the way of what I'm doing with Chelsea. I don't start until the end of May, so my focus has to be on the present and you just have to keep telling yourself that as otherwise you get stretched too thin and I wouldn't want anyone to accuse me of not being committed – that is probably one of the worst things you could say about me to be honest. I want Chelsea to keep winning and for the girls to keep being the best versions of themselves because that's what I enjoy watching. For me, I'm in the business of managing people so the best statue anyone can give me is another trophy for Chelsea.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea are yet to announce who will be appointed as successor to Hayes, with there every chance that the reins will be handed to another female tactician. Hayes added: “I'm not sure Chelsea have said that they only want a female coach next, but ideally, I think if there's an opportunity there for a female that would be my preference. My proudest moments always stem from winning! I'm proud of winning, I like winning, and I've always enjoyed that. That’s what drives me every day. The other thing that fuels me is trying to leave something in a better place than it was when I arrived. I think back to how bad it was when I came into Chelsea and that whoever replaces me will be coming into a really great situation, so I've created something that I would want to be left for me. Also, having a bit of pride and joy about what I’m handing over to someone, I think those have been the most important things. I will miss the big games, against whoever that might be, and I'll miss the Champions League and the cup finals. Those are things that I will miss the most.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HAYES?
Hayes joined Chelsea in 2012 and has taken in close to 350 games as Blues manager. Her pedigree is what convinced the USWNT to make their move, with the United States looking to rebuild on the back of a disappointing showing at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.