Pioneering Chelsea manager, Emma Hayes, has revealed her intention to explore new opportunities beyond club football at the conclusion of the current season. Chelsea Women’s head coach Emma Hayes announced her departure following an impressive 6-0 victory against Aston Villa, with each goal scored by a different player, solidifying their position as Women’s Super League leaders.
After 12 years at the helm, Emma Hayes will bid farewell to the London club where she has enjoyed tremendous success since joining in 2012. Her tenure includes six Women’s Super League titles, five Women’s FA Cups, two Women’s League Cups, a Women’s Spring Series trophy, and an FA Women’s Community Shield. Notably, she secured two doubles and a treble in the 2020/21 season, leading to her receiving an OBE the subsequent year.
During her illustrious career, Hayes earned six WSL Manager of the Season awards and was honored with induction into the WSL Hall of Fame in 2021. Beyond her coaching achievements, Emma Hayes has played a pivotal role in advocating for women’s football, earning praise from notable figures like Fran Kirby and Karen Carney for her unwavering support off the field, especially during challenging times.
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The start of the season brought personal loss for Hayes, with the passing of her father, Sid, at the age of 82. Chelsea’s official statement confirmed that she will “pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football” upon her departure. News of her exit was swiftly followed by reports from The Telegraph, suggesting that Hayes is the frontrunner to assume the role of head coach for the US Women’s National Team. This position became available after Vlatko Andonovski’s departure in August and Emma Hayes is now seen as the leading candidate for the role.
Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, lauded Emma Hayes, acknowledging her as a driving force behind the evolution of women’s football. They expressed their understanding of her desire to embrace a new challenge, given her remarkable contributions to Chelsea over more than a decade, and her enduring legacy within the club’s history.