Emma Hayes has made a profound impact on women’s soccer at Chelsea… the USWNT may have found the perfect match as it looks to cope with the loss of retiring legends and bounce back from World Cup woe

• Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has been appointed as the new coach of the USWNT 
• There will be high expectations but she will not walk into a perfect environment
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

The biggest job in women’s soccer requires the best manager and the United States may have found the perfect match in Emma Hayes.

The Chelsea boss was officially confirmed as the next head coach of the USWNT on Tuesday but will not take up her role until the completion of the Women’s Super League season.

In the last 11 years, Hayes has transformed Chelsea from a part-time, amateur club, to one of the best teams in the world. She has consistently pushed for better standards, greater resources and more respect.

Hayes’ achievements at Chelsea have had a profound impact on the women’s game in England and she has all the credentials to be equally successful on the international stage.

There will be high expectations of the 47-year-old but she will not walk into a perfect environment.

Over 11 years, Emma Hayes has transformed Chelsea into one of the best teams in the world

Hayes’ achievements at Chelsea have had a profound impact on the women’s game in England

A disappointing World Cup has placed greater emphasis on having a successful Olympic Games but Hayes will only have four matches to prepare for next summer’s tournament in Paris. One of the biggest tasks facing her is managing a squad that is in transition.

Legends Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe have retired after long and successful careers and their experience will be a big miss in the dressing room. But the US has a plethora of talented young players like Sophia Smith, Alyssa Thompson and Trinity Rodman who are tasked with leading the next generation.

The World Cup showed that the potential is there but that they need to be nurtured in the right way. There was an incredible amount of hype around Smith going into the tournament. The forward got off to a good start but then failed to hit the heights that had been expected of her.

Hayes has plenty of experience in managing players who have faced similar situations, with Lauren James a fine example. Hayes has always been aware of how special James can be but has pushed her fiercely and will choose to deflect rather than talk her up in the media.

Hayes will not be able to completely take the pressure away from the likes of Smith, Thompson and Rodman but she knows how best to manage it so they are not burdened by the responsibility on their shoulders.

Megan Rapinoe has retired after a long and successful career with the United States

Sophia Smith is among the talented youngsters tasked with leading the next generation

Hayes will also not shirk making tough decisions. There is a big question mark over how long Alex Morgan has left in this US team.

The forward, like many of her team-mates, did not enjoy the best World Cup and has been struggling for form since.

The 34-year-old will desperately want to take part in the Olympics next year but her place in the squad is not a given. If Hayes has to make a tough call, she will do so without thinking twice.

One of the key components of Hayes’ Chelsea team is their adaptability. They are not a team that has one style of play they stick to for every game. When they want to get the ball on the ground, they get the ball on the ground. When they want to play more direct, they play more direct. 

While Hayes is not the type of manager to dig out individual players after defeats, she is not afraid of calling out poor performances from her team as a whole. She will say it how she sees it, but will also fiercely defend her squad if she feels they have been unfairly treated – by officials or by the media.

Hayes expects her players to give everything because she gives everything. One of the accusations levelled at the US during the World Cup, from former player Carli Lloyd, was that the squad was not fit enough. Whether that were the case or not, Hayes will ensure her players are in the best shape possible and will bring a level of expertise around women’s health.

Hayes will expects her USWNT players to give everything because she gives everything

Chelsea have led the field in terms of tailoring players’ programmes around their menstrual cycles and closely monitor the links between hormonal changes and injury. That knowledge will serve the USWNT well and help inform US Soccer where possible improvements should be made.

Hayes can be serious, tough and passionate but she also has a wicked sense of humor. There are few dull moments when Hayes is talking to the press. After beating Arsenal in the 2021 FA Cup final, Hayes made cat noises in her post-match press conference – a reference to her opponent and Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall’s fear of black cats.

The most important quality that Hayes brings is her winning mentality. Her 15 trophies in 11 years at Chelsea prove she knows how to be successful and how to keep being successful.

Hayes knows how to manage big personalities and has done a remarkable job of keeping most of them happy during her tenure at Chelsea.

Managing an international side will bring a host of new and different challenges – but there’s every reason to believe Hayes is up to the task.

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