Ruthless Emma Hayes built a Chelsea dynasty and will fix USA’s ‘arrogance’ and ‘complacency’
“If you don’t improve I’m selling you.” A young Jess Carter is sat in the middle of a white-walled room at Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham, a tactics board behind her, a fleet of analysts and fitness staff, all armed with laptops, positioned on the outside, quietly looking in. Carter is chewing gum and looks bored, frustrated to have been hauled aside to hear the same old message. Facing her is Emma Hayes. “I want you to show every f***ing day that you give a f*** about yourself,” Hayes says. “It’s up to you to decide your future.” Four years later, it is clear what future Carter decided to choose. Now 26, the Chelsea defender is an established England international, having just played a key role in the Lionesses reaching the World Cup final this summer. When Carter first arrived at Chelsea, Hayes found a player who struggled to keep herself fit or follow a regimented diet. Chelsea’s fitness staff were exasperated and Carter’s confidence was on the floor: she did not think she was good enough to play for her country, but Hayes saw and believed in her potential and, crucially, how it could be brought out. What followed won’t be included on Hayes’s list of honours or medals when the manager leaves Chelsea at the end of the season. “Highly decorated” does not even begin to cover what Hayes has achieved at Chelsea, or the legacy she will leave behind after the shock news that this season will be her last at Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow, with the glamour of the USA job calling. Under Hayes, the days of triumph and glory Chelsea have celebrated since her appointment in 2012 have been unrivalled, stretched across an unprecedented decade of dominance. Yet if the dynasty Hayes built can be measured in titles, its foundations are in success stories like Carter’s – and the manager who set the environment where she could become the player she is today. “If you sleepwalk your way through life, you won’t survive,” Hayes goes on to say in the DAZN documentary One Team, One Dream. Certainly, it reveals some insights into the ruthless trophy-winning machine that has dominated women’s football in England over the last decade, claiming six Women’s Super Leagues, five Women’s FA Cups and two League Cups, and which in recent years has barely given anyone else a sniff. That could change now Hayes will be leaving the WSL, heading towards a position that is outside club football altogether. The 47-year-old will take up the vacancy at the United States women’s national team, with the four-time World Cup winners appointing her as successor to Vlatko Andonovski after their disastrous last-16 exit from this year’s tournament. Hayes was said to be US Soccer’s first choice for the job and reports in the US suggest she will receive an equal salary to the men’s head coach Gregg Berhalter, at £1.3m per year – making her the highest-paid women’s football coach in the world. Given Hayes’s record in women’s football, such an offer from US Soccer should only be considered the minimum. The English manager is the outstanding club coach in the women’s game and the only area that Chelsea have fallen short in has been in their pursuit of a first Champions League title, after reaching the final in 2021 and the semi-finals last season. It would be fair to include this as a criticism, given how Hayes has been backed by Chelsea and the resources available to the club. After all, it was that support that led to Chelsea signing Sam Kerr, the striker who took Hayes’s side to another level and whose taste for the big moments came to mirror their own sense of inevitability. But in dominating the domestic scene, Hayes created a culture where the values of graft and grind were placed on a pedestal. Over the years, much of their trophy procession felt self-fulfilling. It came from the top, where Hayes reinforced the message and stamped out complacency at the start of every season, sustaining Chelsea’s superiority in a league that was so often decided by fine margins. If the history of team sports shows there are often natural, unavoidable drop-offs in performance and motivation following periods of success, there has been little hint of that at Chelsea in recent years. Which is what makes Hayes’s move to the USA so fascinating. “Arrogance” and “complacency” were the very words used to describe how the USA ceded their position as the dominant force in international women’s football, as illustrated by their disastrous defence of their World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand. Their performances up to and including that last-16 defeat to Sweden highlighted a squad that was long past its best, and a system where players had the power and were picked based on their reputations. Naturally, many of the issues that Hayes inherits will lie below the surface and could take years to resolve, primarily how the US has fallen behind Europe in the production of young talent. Hayes’s previous experience before arriving at Chelsea is set to be beneficial, given she started her coaching career in the US college system in the early 2000s and landed her first professional managerial position with the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. As Hayes will remain with Chelsea until the end of the season, there is time to assess what is required ahead of what would be her primary goal of recapturing the World Cup in 2027. But it is in the dressing room where Hayes’s immediate targets and her strictest standards will be made clear – just like she told Carter all those years ago. “Get better or I’ll get someone else.” Perhaps the USA have not heard enough of that in recent years. Now a team in need of a reset will be charged with the ultimate cultural makeover. Before then, though, there are more trophies with Chelsea to win. Read More Emma Hayes: Winning Champions League would be fairytale end to time at Chelsea The ‘crazy’ debate once again at the heart of the Women’s Champions League Chelsea defeat Everton in WSL as Manchester City slip up against Brighton Emma Hayes says ‘time is right’ to move on from Chelsea after 12 years Emma Hayes to take charge of USA after final season at Chelsea Candidates to take over as Chelsea boss after Emma Hayes decides to move on
1970-01-01 08:00
French day-tripper scheme extended
The scheme allows French nationals to travel to Guernsey with their National ID card.
1970-01-01 08:00
Subrata Roy: The chequered legacy of India's 'rags-to-riches' tycoon
Subrata Roy, who owned a multibillion dollar business conglomerate, died on Tuesday at the age of 75.
1970-01-01 08:00
Peter Hook and The Light announce massive world tour
Peter Hook and The Light will perform shows around the world next year covering Australia and New Zealand, North America and the UK
1970-01-01 08:00
Ruthless Emma Hayes built a Chelsea dynasty and can now reset USA’s ‘complacency’
“If you don’t improve I’m selling you.” A young Jess Carter is sat in the middle of a white-walled room at Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham, a tactics board behind her, a fleet of analysts and fitness staff, all armed with laptops, positioned on the outside, quietly looking in. Carter is chewing gum and looks bored, frustrated to have been hauled aside to hear the same old message. Facing her is Emma Hayes. “I want you to show every f***ing day that you give a f*** about yourself,” Hayes says. “It’s up to you to decide your future.” Four years later, it is clear what future Carter decided to choose. Now 26, the Chelsea defender is an established England international, having just played a key role in the Lionesses reaching the World Cup final this summer. When Carter first arrived at Chelsea, Hayes found a player who struggled to keep herself fit or follow a regimented diet. Chelsea’s fitness staff were exasperated and Carter’s confidence was on the floor: she did not think she was good enough to play for her country, but Hayes saw and believed in her potential and, crucially, how it could be brought out. What followed won’t be included on Hayes’s list of honours or medals when the manager leaves Chelsea at the end of the season. “Highly decorated” does not even begin to cover what Hayes has achieved at Chelsea, or the legacy she will leave behind following Saturday’s shock news that this season will be her last at Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow. Under Hayes, the days of triumph and glory Chelsea have celebrated since her appointment in 2012 have been unrivalled, stretched across an unprecedented decade of dominance. Yet if the dynasty Hayes built can be measured in titles, its foundations are in success stories like Carter’s – and the manager who set the environment where she could become the player she is today. “If you sleepwalk your way through life, you won’t survive,” Hayes goes on to say in the DAZN documentary One Team, One Dream. Certainly, it reveals some insights into the ruthless trophy-winning machine that has dominated women’s football in England over the last decade, claiming six Women’s Super Leagues, five Women’s FA Cups and two League Cups, and which in recent years has barely given anyone else a sniff. That could change now Hayes will be leaving the WSL, heading towards a position that is outside club football altogether. The 47-year-old is expected to take up the vacancy at the United States women’s national team, with the four-time World Cup winners yet to appoint a permanent successor to Vlatko Andonovski after their disastrous last-16 exit from this year’s tournament. Hayes is said to be US Soccer’s first choice for the job and reports in the US suggest she is set to be offered an equal salary to the men’s head coach Gregg Berhalter, at £1.3m per year. Given Hayes’s record in women’s football, such an offer from US Soccer should only be considered the minimum. The English manager is the outstanding club coach in the women’s game and the only area that Chelsea have fallen short in has been in their pursuit of a first Champions League title, after reaching the final in 2021 and the semi-finals last season. It would be fair to include this as a criticism, given how Hayes has been backed by Chelsea and the resources available to the club. After all, it was that support that led to Chelsea signing Sam Kerr, the striker who took Hayes’s side to another level and whose taste for the big moments came to mirror their own sense of inevitability. But in dominating the domestic scene, Hayes created a culture where the values of graft and grind were placed on a pedestal. Over the years, much of their trophy procession felt self-fulfilling. It came from the top, where Hayes reinforced the message and stamped out complacency at the start of every season, sustaining Chelsea’s superiority in a league that was so often decided by fine margins. If the history of team sports shows there are often natural, unavoidable drop-offs in performance and motivation following periods of success, there has been little hint of that at Chelsea in recent years. Which is what makes Hayes’s potential move to the USA so fascinating. “Arrogance” and “complacency” were the very words used to describe how the USA ceded their position as the dominant force in international women’s football, as illustrated by their disastrous defence of their World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand. Their performances up to and including that last-16 defeat to Sweden highlighted a squad that was long past its best, and a system where players had the power and were picked based on their reputations. Naturally, many of the issues that Hayes may inherit will lie below the surface and could take years to resolve, primarily in how the US has fallen behind Europe in the production of young talent. Hayes’s previous experience before arriving at Chelsea is set to be beneficial, given she started her coaching career in the US college system in the early 2000s and landed her first professional managerial position with the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. As Hayes will remain with Chelsea until the end of the season, which would surely be too late to be considered available to lead the US at the Paris Olympics next summer, there will be time to assess what is required ahead of what would be her primary goal of recapturing the World Cup in 2027. But it is in the dressing room where Hayes’s immediate targets and her strictest standards will be made clear – just like she told Carter all those years ago. “Get better or I’ll get someone else.” Perhaps the USA have not heard enough of that in recent years. Now a team in need of a reset will be charged with the ultimate cultural makeover. Before then, though, there are more trophies with Chelsea to win.
1970-01-01 08:00
Man City post record annual income although potential breaches hang over club
Manchester City have announced the biggest annual income ever recorded by an English club by bringing in £712.8m in their treble-winning season. The club made a profit of £80.4m for the 2022-23 financial year, nearly double the previous year’s total of £41.7m, as they topped the previous highest income by a Premier League club – the £648m recently declared by neighbours Manchester United. However, they would still have made a loss without a £121m profit on player sales, including Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Their costs included a wage bill of £368m although it was increased by bonuses for winning three competitions. City reported a rise in each of their commercial, broadcast and matchday revenue for a year when Pep Guardiola’s side secured the Premier League, the FA Cup and the club’s maiden Champions League. City’s broadcast revenue went up by more than £50m to £299.4m, principally due to income from Uefa for their successful Champions League campaign. Their commercial revenue was up by more than 10 percent to £341.4m while matchday income went up by £17.4m to £71.9m. But City also referenced the 115 charges the Premier League levelled for allegedly breaching financial regulations. Potential punishments if found guilty include points deductions or even relegation but City maintain there is “irrefutable” proof of their innocence. The club said: “On 6 February 2023, in accordance with Premier League Rule W.82.1, the Premier League referred a number of alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules by Manchester City Football Club to a Commission under Premier League Rule W.3.4. “In February 2023, in response to the charges, the club issued a public statement that it welcomes the review of this matter by an independent commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.” Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, concentrating on the on-field results and the financial report, said: “In short, last season saw Manchester City achieve the greatest football and commercial year of its storied history.” CEO Ferran Soriano added: “Winning the treble – the Champions League (for the first time), the Premier League (the third title in a row) and the FA Cup. Achieving record revenues and record profits. Winning the Ballon d’Or for best men’s club of the year and being named the most valuable football club brand in the world. We can certainly say that the 2022-23 season was the best in the history of Manchester City.” City noted that, after the end of the 2022-23 financial year, they made a number of transfers which will add a net expenditure of £84m. That involved buying Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku while selling Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, James Trafford, Shea Charles and Cole Palmer. Read More England new-boy Cole Palmer: My decision to go to Chelsea is paying off Anything is possible – Eric Dier on Tottenham’s Premier League title challenge Virgil van Dijk backs Liverpool to challenge Manchester City for Premier League title
1970-01-01 08:00
Is Real Madrid v Chelsea on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Women’s Champions League
Chelsea begin their final Women’s Champions League campaign under Emma Hayes with a blockbuster trip to Real Madrid in Group D. The Blues reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season but lost to eventual winners Barcelona, who also defeated them in the 2021 final. Hayes has won every domestic trophy with Chelsea but the Champions League has eluded them. The English manager has confirmed that she will be leaving the club at the end of the season and it has now been revealed that she will manage the USA national women’s team. Chelsea and Real Madrid were also in the same Champions League group last season, with the English champions progressing to the quarter-finals as the Spanish side were knocked out after finishing third behind Paris Saint-Germain. But Real Madrid will be hopeful of qualifying for the last eight this season, with Paris FC and Swedish side Hacken joining them in Group D. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Real Madrid vs Chelsea? The match will kick off at 8pm GMT on Wednesday 15 November. How can I watch it? All group stage games will be available to stream for free in the UK. Fans will be able to watch the UWCL group stage up to and including Matchday 4 on DAZN’s YouTube channel, with coverage then moving to the DAZN app and platforms. You can watch Real Madrid vs Chelsea for free, here: TNT Sports will also be showing Real Madrid vs Chelsea. Read More How to watch the Women’s Champions League for free this season The ‘crazy’ debate once again at the heart of the Women’s Champions League Man City post record annual income for English club after treble season
1970-01-01 08:00
Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Race against time to rescue India workers
Forty labourers have been trapped in the tunnel for over 72 hours after a part of it collapsed on Sunday.
1970-01-01 08:00
Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa brothers among 13 leaders responsible for crisis
The Supreme Court says 13 leaders and top officials mishandled the economy, which led to its collapse.
1970-01-01 08:00
Israel Gaza: Hostages' fates haunt Israel as war intensifies
Poll suggests many Israelis back a deal with Hamas to free the hostages - but not a Gaza ceasefire.
1970-01-01 08:00
Xi Jinping arrives in the US as his Chinese Dream sputters
Economic woes put the Chinese leader in a more vulnerable negotiating position on this visit.
1970-01-01 08:00
US evangelicals drive Republican support for Israel
Evangelical conservatives showed their deep connections with Israel at a march in Washington DC.
1970-01-01 08:00