Emma Hayes: Lack of support for parents in women’s football main reason for Chelsea exit

is expected to become the new head coach of the United States women’s national team

Tom Garry
Fri, 10 November 2023 

Emma Hayes will wave goodbye to the rigours of being a WSL manager at the end of the season - PA/Nigel French

Women’s football needs to do more to support parents, says Emma Hayes, who cited the need to spend more time with her family as the main reason she is leaving Chelsea at the end of next season.

Speaking for the first time since her shock departure from the Women’s Super League champions was announced last Saturday, Hayes, who is expected to become the new head coach of the United States women’s national team, insisted it was her call to step down.

“It was my decision,” said the 47-year-old. “I [will] have been in post for 12 years. I’ve dedicated my life to this place. I drive for four hours every day, six days a week for 12 years. I have a five-year-old [Harry] that needs more of his mummy. That’s important, family matters.

“I think I’ve dedicated as much as I possibly can to this football club. I’ve loved every minute of it. I think it’s really important that, if possible, let’s create a succession plan. The time is right, I will work with the club in the succession plan and do everything I can to make sure of as good a transition as possible so that my successor can equally have the same level of success as I have.”

Hayes has won a record six WSL titles with Chelsea, including four in a row, with the past four all coming since the birth of her son, and she says she wants the sport to think more about the impact on parents.

“When you coach at an elite level and you have to perform at an elite level, and you have the standards and expectations that I have, anything less than the best is not acceptable. And maintaining that, on a daily grind, is a lot. It takes a lot of work.

“It is important that I’m a mum. Not many football managers sit up here and talk about that in the same way. My little boy has been extraordinary to allow me to do this, but it’s challenging for him. This weekend is a good example, we’ve got a game away at Everton, then we’re away at Real Madrid, some [reporters in the room] have got children, and it’s difficult. And I think there’s still a lot of work to be done in the women’s game for people with children. We have lives.
‘Not a selfish decision, a selfless decision’

“I look forward to picking him up from school, taking him to after-school club and doing some other bits. Just having a little bit more flexibility. This is not a selfish decision, this is a selfless decision. This is about putting first some other things in my life.”

It has been reported that Chelsea’s sporting director Paul Winstanley is facing scrutiny at the club for failing to secure a new contract for Hayes, while other reports have suggested Hayes turned down a highly lucrative offer of a new contract, but when pressed on the issue of her contract or the move to America, Hayes would not be drawn on the matter, saying: “Conversations that are private remain private on my end and I will maintain that.

“I believe in private conversations. Of course I’m disappointed to hear things being said in the press. I want to make sure that I maintain my own professionalism in everything I do. I’ve got games to win.

“I don’t think anything will come between me and the players and me and the fans. I understand Chelsea, I know Chelsea. This is my club, it will always be my club.

“While I am sad on many, many levels, I’ve always said to the fans there will come that moment where I’m sat with them in the crowd. I look forward to that.”

Asked if she had felt valued by Chelsea, Hayes replied: “As far as I’m concerned, the people I have worked with have made me feel the best coach I can feel, that’s not always easy when you drop players or they’re not playing week in week out. I leave at the end of the season knowing I’ve given everything and I’ve done everything.”