Emma Hayes left Chelsea after a virtually unblemished spell in charge of the London club, earning the reputation as one of the very best coaches women’s soccer has ever seen.
Her decision to leave the Blues came as a shock, although not as much of a shock as her choice of destination was.
Taking on the USWNT job is an almighty challenge, especially with the generation of veteran players that have been so successful for the country either retired or on the cusp of leaving the game behind.
As such, it came as something of a surprise when Hayes named her USWNT squad for the Paris Olympics and omitted Alex Morgan, one of the most experienced players in women’s football.
However, Hayes believes the decision to leave Morgan at home is necessary for her team to develop, even if fans can’t understand it from a short-term perspective.
Emma Hayes will stand by her decision
Emma Hayes addressed her decision in the wake of fan backlash.
“The cap accumulation down our roster is too low,” Hayes told the Women’s Game podcast.
“We need to start giving exposure and experiences to players that might have been in and around.
“It helps when players can be a little more versatile, but it’s not the sole decision. When it comes to Alex, there’s no easy way to give someone bad news.”
Hayes is focused on building a culture that prepares the next generation of USWNT players. Hayes has stressed the importance of getting more caps for players who have fewer than 30 games for the United States.
Will Hayes’ decision pay off?
Emma Hayes faces an intriguing challenge as she leads a young USWNT into the Paris Olympics.
The team recently won the SheBelieves Cup and the W Gold Cup, but their disappointing performance in the last World Cup has increased pressure from fans, which isn’t the ideal environment within which to blood younger players.