USWNT appoints Chelsea’s Emma Hayes as coach on record deal،
Chelsea women’s manager Emma Hayes has been confirmed as the new head coach of the United States women’s national team with a contract until 2027, the United States Soccer Federation announced Tuesday.
US Soccer said in its announcement that Hayes would become the highest-paid women’s soccer coach in the world.
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A source with knowledge of the deal confirmed to ESPN that his salary will be “close if not equal” to that of U.S. men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter, who earns $1.6 million. The bonuses will impact what both managers ultimately earn.
The source stressed that Hayes’ salary was a reflection of what was needed to keep him away from Chelsea, rather than adhering to equal pay.
“It’s a huge honor to have the opportunity to coach the most incredible team in the history of world football,” Hayes said.
“The feelings and connections I have for this team and for this country run deep. I have dreamed of coaching the United States for a long time, so having this opportunity is a dream come true. I know there is work to be done to achieve our goal. “We aim to win consistently at the highest levels. Achieving this will require dedication, dedication and collaboration from players, staff and everyone within the U.S. Soccer Federation. “
The confirmation comes after Chelsea announced this month that Hayes would leave the club at the end of the Women’s Super League (WSL) season “to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football”.
Hayes will officially begin his tenure as USWNT manager when Chelsea’s season ends in May. She will then have four matches – two in June and two in July – to prepare the USWNT for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. In the meantime, Twila Kilgore will continue in her role as interim manager and eventually join Hayes’ staff as a full-time assistant.
The USWNT has been coached on an interim basis by Kilgore since Vlatko Andonovski stepped down as coach after the team recorded its first Women’s World Cup exit, with a round of 16 loss to Sweden this summer.
“Emma is a fantastic leader and world-class coach who sets high standards for herself and everyone around her,” said US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “She has tremendous energy and an insatiable will to win.
“Her experience in the United States, her understanding of our soccer landscape and her appreciation of what it means to coach this team make her a natural fit for this role and we couldn’t be happier to have her lead our women’s national team .”
The timeline on which Hayes will assume some of his duties with the USWNT remains fluid. A source with knowledge of the situation said discussions are ongoing between US Soccer and Chelsea regarding the level of contact Hayes will have with the USSF hierarchy and USWNT staff over the next six months.
It is expected that there will be discussions regarding rosters and the general state of the player pool.
US Soccer insists the hire is being made with an eye toward the long-term future of the program, and that the chance to hire Hayes now is worth the six-month delay until she takes over at full-time.
Besides the Olympics, there is also the matter of the Concacaf Gold Cup W, which will take place from February 20 to March 10 next year. While the tournament takes place primarily in an international window, Chelsea will play league matches with Manchester City on February 18 and Leicester City on March 3.
“It’s a unique situation, but the team is in good hands with Twila,” US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said. “His stewardship will be crucial during this time as we focus on success at the Olympics.
“Emma has supported Twila, she will be a key part of Emma’s staff as she arrives and moves forward, and we are excited about what’s to come with our USWNT program.”
Crocker led the recruitment process, with sources telling ESPN that OL Reign manager Laura Harvey, Juventus manager Joe Montemurro and Australia manager Tony Gustavsson were among the finalists.
“Once the list of candidates was narrowed down, we had a group of excellent coaches and leaders to consider, but we were confident that Emma was the best person and coach to lead the United States Women’s National Team forward.” , Crocker said.
“His passion for the game, his coaching acumen, his ability to galvanize players and staff, his dedication to continuing to evolve as a coach and his qualities as a person are all incredibly impressive. She appreciates greatly builds on the legacy of this program and addresses the major challenges ahead.
Hayes’ recruitment is a coup for US Soccer. She is widely regarded as one of the best managers in women’s football.
The London native began her managerial career in 2001 with the Long Island Lady Riders of the USL W-League based in the United States. She then coached collegiately at Iona College from 2003 to 2006, then joined the professional ranks at Arsenal Ladies as an assistant from 2006 to 2008.
Her first head coaching role was with the Chicago Red Stars of Women’s Professional Soccer – the precursor to the NWSL – from 2008 to 2010, followed by a move to Chelsea in 2012, where she has worked ever since.
During her time with the Blues, Hayes led Chelsea to six WSL titles, five Women’s FA Cups and two FA Women’s League Cups.
On an individual level, she has been named FA WSL Manager of the Season six times and League Managers Association Manager of the Year five times. She was named Best Football Coach by FIFA in 2021.
