Emma Hayes, who’s leaving her role as the manager of Chelsea’s women’s football team, is speaking up about a big problem in English football.
She says there aren’t enough women coaches, and it’s a significant issue. She wants the football community to find creative solutions to fix this.
Hayes suggests having some basic rules for professional clubs when they hire female coaches. She also thinks there should be more support to help women afford the cost of getting the qualifications needed to be a coach.
While she led Chelsea to win the Women’s Super League (WSL) title for the fourth time last season, only a third of WSL clubs have female managers. Hayes is one of the few women in England with a Uefa Pro Licence, a top-level coaching qualification.
“We have a lot of work to do to close that gap,” Hayes said. She believes there should be more opportunities for women to become coaches from a young age.
Hayes also talked about her achievements at Chelsea and her upcoming role as the manager of the USA women’s national team. She emphasizes the need for more women in coaching roles and suggests ways to make it happen.
She mentions the cost of coaching qualifications, which can be around £10,000, and how women’s wages in football are much lower than men’s. She thinks players should be educated about coaching during their careers, and more support should be provided to help them become coaches.
The League Managers’ Association (LMA) agrees that there’s a need for more qualified women coaches. They suggest making it mandatory for clubs to have qualified female coaches, and Hayes supports this idea.
Hayes will soon become the best-paid female manager globally and one of the most famous figures in US sports. She reflects on the changes she has seen in women’s football during her time at Chelsea and believes the sport is just starting to become very popular.
Overall, Emma Hayes is highlighting the challenges women face in becoming football coaches and hopes for positive changes in the future.